*UPDATE - advice needed* Ahhhhhh! Good vibes?

[alzi]

YAY!! Good luck!

[Kit]

Eeeeeeee! Good luck!!

[Jalapeñomel]

Good luck!!

[Deleted]

NEGOTIATE. worst case scenario, they say no. you could, if you want, approach it two-pronged. "is there any way you can cover more of my salary during my maternity leave?" then if they say no, ask if they can offer you a short term, low/no interest loan to help cover your living costs.

then you can decide if you want to take it.

it doesn't sound that different to me, otherwise, from your current job's benefits. how does the salary compare?

[Deleted]

Would your child care costs decrease due to the shorter commute? That might help soften the blow of less income during maternity leave.

[Deleted]

May 9, 2013 12:13:32 GMT -5 @iamsnazzy said:

Just received an email from the company I interviewed with last week. They have been working with their HR department to see what kind of maternity leave they can offer me if I were to join them. I'm going to call them in a few minutes for an update.

Getting this job would be a big stress relief for us - it's closer to home (a 15-20 min commute!) and not in the city, which means an instant boost in disposable income without parking fees, gas, etc.

Any thoughts, prayers and finger crossings would be much appreciated!

Update: OK, I called. They want to offer me the job - but I don't think it's a good deal.

For reference, right now I get:

-5 sick/personal days
-10 vacation days (set to get 15 in 1.5 years)
-10-11 holidays
-IRA w/matched contribution
-full salary for six weeks of maternity leave

Keep in mind that I travel 60-120 mins in traffic each way to my current job and pay out the ass for parking and gas.

They offered me:
-3 sick/personal days (as is standard for them)
-10 vacation days (1 day added every year after your first, so in 1.5 years i'd be close to having 12, not 15)
-11 holidays
-401K (not sure about contribution)
-roughly 1/3rd of my salary for up to 8 weeks of maternity leave - I would probably need to take a loan of some kind to


I have never gone from one "real" job to another. But this doesn't seem like a very good deal. Is it? I know negotiating is common, but I feel like I'm at such a disadvantage because of my pregnant state (I am 34 weeks tomorrow, for those on the app). I haven't received the former offer yet, but they want an answer ASAP since I'm due next month. I have no idea how to word a negotiation. I need help, guys. This is hard and scary and in my hormonal state it's making me teary. lol. @cse1960? fields? cville? Anyone else who is rational and knows about these things?

A few questions:

1.  What is different about this job vs. your current job?  You mentioned the commute would be better, but HOW much better?  Also, will this be a title and/or responsibility jump from where you are now?  Or the same thing?  You also didn't mention the salary - is that offer more than you make now?

2.  If it's a non-starter with what they offered you.....YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE by negotiating!  If I look through the benefits list again, the only thing that sticks out to me is maternity leave coverage and understanding what the 401K match is.  And...the maternity leave is a short term thing.  Is this job worth it in the long run to take a short term loss during the time you are out on maternity leave?

3.  In summary - is this job better (title/responsibility wise) than where you are at today AND does it have potential to provide career growth in the future.  And, if they do not conceed when you counter back on the maternity leave, can you swing that dip in salary for the short term.

[Deleted]

Let me give you my vantage as a hiring manager....

- I always* low ball in anticipation people will negotiate. If they don't, bonus for me! But really, I expect them to negotiate.

- Don't be offended...it's not personal. Truly.

- They want you. Don't be afraid to negotiate. BUT, sometimes corporate policy gives no wiggle room on benefits. In which case, you ask for more salary.

*exceptions are when I'm hiring for a hot job type position that I know there is limited skill set in the valley for.

[angelaa73]

Get in there and negotiate!

sent from my all I wanna do is
* * * *
and
$
take your money

[Deleted]

i think you tell them, pleasantly, that your current job covers your full salary for the duration of your leave, and you would like to see if it's possible for them to provide similar coverage.

remember, the bare minimum (legally, in the US) is that after working at a covered job for a year you get 12 weeks unpaid during which they can't fire you. so they're working to offer you something. and probably, in their minds, being reasonable considering you can't possibly work there for even 8 weeks before your leave. that doesn't mean that you shouldn't negotiate. it does mean that you should be pleasant.

if you're worried about being labeled as "difficult," i might even preface it with something like "i've read many studies that show that women don't negotiate salary and benefits when considering a new job (true), and want to be certain i'm learning from that example."

[ECB]

All in all, I don't think it's that bad (well, compared to what you presently get).   Why are you getting 15 days in 1.5 years?  Is it because you'll have been there for 5 years?  If so - to say you "only" have 12 in 1.5 years at the new company - it's not really a fair comparison.  If it's a 5 year thing, then in 5 years w/ the new company, you'll have 15 days.  Just like you would w/ your present company.

That doesn't mean, though, don't negotiate.  I'd absolutely try to get a few more days in there somewhere.   But going to a new company usually means resetting the leave clock.

And honestly, ANY paid maternity leave is awesome. 

And I'd still look at the bigger picture.  Having a young child and having that long of a commute?  That alone would almost be the deciding factor for me, quite honestly. 

[angelaa73]

And 250 hours less commuting would seal the deal for me

Time is money!



sent from my all I wanna do is
* * * *
and
$
take your money

[fuckyourcouch]

the commute alone would make me take it. i currently commute 45-60 min each way and i would kick a baby holding a puppy to have a 15 min commute.
i agree with others you need to compare apples to apples on the two jobs and negotiate. however i am also an inexperienced job negotiator so i understand your apprehension. i think you got good advice here and the worst they can say is no to your requests.

[Jalapeñomel]

Well what would the difference be between the 6 weeks paid with the first job and the 8 weeks at 1/3? Two weeks is a lot more time off.

[calledout]

There is almost no amount of $$ you could pay me to endure a 2 hr. commute, so to me, this is a deal that you should jump on!  I suspect that once your baby is born, you'll grow extra-resentful of the time you waste in a car. 

When would they want you to begin the position? Being so close to your due date, is there any way they'd allow you to start the position after maternity leave? That would take care of that problem. Othwewise, are you ok with only taking 6 weeks mat leave?  If so, you might be able to ask them to give you 1/2 or 3/4 salary in exchange for a shorter leave (6 wks vs. 8, although, personally, I'd highly reccommend the 8).

As for vacation time, just ask them to match your current amount. That's a pretty easy "give" for them.

Also, I love cville's preface!

[Deleted]

dude, i wouldn't tell them current job gives you 6 vs. their offer of 8 unless they ask specifically.  and i wouldn't mention budgets.  you're asking for full pay because you deserve it.  not because you need to pay a water bill.  that's the attitude.

[fuckyourcouch]

May 9, 2013 13:31:43 GMT -5 cville said:

dude, i wouldn't tell them current job gives you 6 vs. their offer of 8 unless they ask specifically.  and i wouldn't mention budgets.  you're asking for full pay because you deserve it.  not because you need to pay a water bill.  that's the attitude.

next time i need to negotiate (hopefully next week) will you please hide somewhere close, cyrano style?

[calledout]

Seriously, though - it looks like you are about 34 wks, right? I assume you plan to give your current gig at least 2 weeks? So that would put you at your new job for maybe 3-4 weeks before you have the baby? Would they be receptive to your starting after mat leave?

[Jalapeñomel]

Also how much would you be saving in gas and parking? That shit adds up quickly!

[Deleted]

May 9, 2013 13:37:21 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

May 9, 2013 13:31:43 GMT -5 cville said:

dude, i wouldn't tell them current job gives you 6 vs. their offer of 8 unless they ask specifically.  and i wouldn't mention budgets.  you're asking for full pay because you deserve it.  not because you need to pay a water bill.  that's the attitude.

next time i need to negotiate (hopefully next week) will you please hide somewhere close, cyrano style?

everyone is better at this stuff when they're doing it for other people. 

just advise yourself as if you're someone else.


i'm always in the "can't hurt to ask" camp.  and, despite my all caps posts to the contrary, i frequently deal with difficult negotiation-type conversations and while they make me sweat, having goals outlined beforehand and assuring myself of the solidity of my positions helps to keep me calm and pleasant.  i never get heated first.  granted, i'm usually negotiating on behalf of a client so it's easier to be like "yeah, these goals are golden," but still.

[cheeseandcrackers]

Negotiate, and I think not having to drive as much would be a huge decision maker for me.
Also, It's awesome you are getting a job offer WITH maternity leave when you're not that far off from being due! That should make you feel great.

[Deleted]

Snazzy, based on the info you have shared within this post, if I were you, I would take the job, with negotiation (more salary, see if you can get them to up the vacation stuff.)

Keep us posted!!

[sparkythelawyer]

What is the commute at the new place? Also, you can contribute much more to a 401k than an IRA. Honestly, their benefits sound pretty good, you aren't going to find much better elsewhere

[sparkythelawyer]

May 9, 2013 13:55:25 GMT -5 @iamsnazzy said:

Re: working after maternity leave: I am not completely comfortable taking maternity leave from my current job, then leaving them in the dust. I was under the impression that this was a professional no-no and I don't feel like it would be a very morally-correct thing to do, but I could be way off on that.

Meh. You earned that time. And really? A man would never have such worries.

[ECB]

May 9, 2013 13:55:25 GMT -5 @iamsnazzy said:

Re: working after maternity leave: I am not completely comfortable taking maternity leave from my current job, then leaving them in the dust. I was under the impression that this was a professional no-no and I don't feel like it would be a very morally-correct thing to do, but I could be way off on that.

No, I don't think it's the most ethical of things to do.  But.  You can't help it if you got a great job offer while you were on leave, can you???

[calledout]

May 9, 2013 13:55:25 GMT -5 @iamsnazzy said:

Re: working after maternity leave: I am not completely comfortable taking maternity leave from my current job, then leaving them in the dust. I was under the impression that this was a professional no-no and I don't feel like it would be a very morally-correct thing to do, but I could be way off on that.

Meh.  I agree that you've earned the time:) It's technically a no-no, but it happens.  You can bow out gracefully, let them know you received a great offer while on leave and decided not to return.  So long as you otherwise maintain good ties with your former colleagues, I don't think it's "that" big of a deal.

[liverandonions]

I know many people have brought up the commute thing, but one thing that hasn't been mentioned is if you work full time you have no idea how much that extra time is going to be worth to spend with your baby. I went back to work a month ago and I'm off at 4:20, home around 4:45. Julia was going to bed between 8:30-9:00 and now she's tired and on her last bottle/bed starting around 7:15. I get 15 minutes with her in the morning, so I want as much time with her at night now. I get pissed if I even have to stop at the grocery store on the way home now. So that's just something else to take into consideration. Good luck and congrats!