Negotiating a wage or a salary can be a tricky business. You don’t want to undersell yourself, but you also don’t want to lose the job opportunity. The conversation itself can be so daunting, some of us decide to avoid it entirely and just take the first offer we get.
For the TikTok user Tyler Tennant, the already awkward situation got even more uncomfortable when they experienced a miscommunication with their potential employer. Apparently, during the interview, the company made a mistake when discussing a very important detail of the job offer—the wage.
Should that be a deal-breaker? Or are there any possible solutions for this mess? Scroll down to see what Tyler came up with to make it fair and square and read insights from career coach Greg Langstaff.
Nerve-racking, stressful, aggravating, dragged out—those are just a few adjectives that describe today's interviewing processes
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
Imagine going through all that and then being told that you were lied to about the money you're going to make. Well, that's exactly what happened to this TikToker
Image credits: tylernol4thypain
So, work gave me a pay decrease. And when I say that, it sounds inflammatory. It gave me the pay decrease before I was hired and before I had signed any contracts.I had been told over the phone twice during the hiring process, and then once in written form through an email that my wage would be $23.55 an hour. But then a week before I sign my actual contract, I got an email saying that, 'Oh, whoopsie, whoopsie, doopsie. Big yikes on our part, we actually said the wrong wage. Typo, oh no.' And the discrepancy was a negative 50 cents in my direction.
Image credits: tylernol4thypain
So effectively, I was getting a pay decrease. I was losing 50 cents for every hour that I work, but they said, 'Oh, no, don't be angry about it. Please, don't be angry. You're getting a pay increase in July, so you should be happy.' It's like, no, I'm getting an increase on a lower wage. I would have gotten that increase no matter what. They didn't seem to understand that. And at the end of this email, it said, 'If this changes your decision before you sign your contract, please let us know. We want to work this out.'
Image credits: tylernol4thypain
So I let them know. Yes, that does change my decision and I actually would like to work it out. Because I was told many times that this was what the wage would be. And some people will be like, 'Oh, it's 50 cents. Get the [frick] over it.' Oh, I will bleed this company dry. They don't love me. They don't have my best interests in mind. I will take my 50 cents an hour, thank you.
Image credits: tylernol4thypain
But unfortunately, I did get an email back from the woman I was communicating with saying, 'Oh, yeah, no, that is the wage. When I said that, like, if that changes your decision, I more meant like, yikes, if that changes your decision, whoops.' So I accepted the job, said yes, signed my contract at $23.05 an hour, and I calculated it out and 50 cents an hour for the amount of time that I'm working during the month (that's a part-time gig), it's about $33 a month. So, in order to get back that $33 that I'm losing, I take my coffee breaks when I want to. Take little walks, little strolls when I need them.
Image credits: tylernol4thypain
Unfortunately, because they've shown a lack of interest in the wellbeing of their employees, I will in turn show a lack of interest for the wellbeing of their company. Look, I can get all my work done with the time that I have. I'll just be taking a little bit of extra time to myself. Okay. Advocate for yourself. If that doesn't work, and the position isn't too bad, you know, pays pretty nice, it has some flexibility, schedule your time on company time. Can I get an A, woman? Thank you.
Listen to the whole story here
Just like many people in the comments, career coach Greg Langstaff agreed that the company’s behavior in this situation is a huge red flag. “This employer has proven they're not trustworthy and don't value their relationships with their employees. I would expect that behavior to continue in other ways while they are employed.” In his opinion, people should stay away from companies like that, but he also understands Tyler’s decision to accept the offer. “They seem to like the other facets of the job so it was probably a more nuanced decision.”
There are many reasons for people to accept a position, and salary is certainly one of the most important variables here. However, that’s not the only thing you should pay attention to. “We also need to ask ourselves other questions to help make our decision, including: How will the skills and relationships I gain in this job help my career moving forward? Will I be happy doing this job? Does this job fit in with my lifestyle? Do I like the people I would be working with in this job?” Langstaff also points out that after situations such as this one, it’s also important to ask yourself if you will be able to trust your employer going forward.
Image credits: Edmond Dantès (not the actual photo)
Salary negotiation is all about leverage
When asked what salary negotiation tips he has for job seekers, Langstaff starts off with some bad news. “Unfortunately, negotiation is more a matter of leverage than fairness.” Still, once we get the offer, the ball is in our court, as it indicates that we are the best candidate available. “My advice in this situation is to be sure to ask for multiple things at the same time in the negotiation process. That might be a slightly higher salary and a few more vacation days. Negotiators are more likely to say yes on at least one of the items when we ask for multiple things at once.”
He also notes the importance of attitude. One has to be confident, but also stay respectful. So bring a positive attitude and good manners. You don’t want to make enemies before even getting the job. “Be sure to treat the negotiation process as collaborative so that you can maintain a good enough relationship to enjoy your time working there!”
Langstaff also highlights that the best leverage out there is already having a job. This way, you have no urgency or desperation and won’t yield if there’s any manipulation happening. “The best time to be job searching is while you're gainfully employed. Having the genuine ability and willingness to walk away from a job offer gives us a LOT of power in any negotiation.”
Image credits: Artem Podrez (not the actual photo)
Many people in the comments were on Tyler's side and applauded their solution to the situation
