Do I advocate a negotiation for a low-ball offer?
I generally do not ask to negotiate more if I think the target price is too far from what I can agree upon. I would reject the offer kindly, and redirect my energy towards finding jobs that value my skills and pay reasonably.
There were times when I was offered 1/2 or 1/3 of the salary even after I told them how much I was brought in previously - something all recruiters like to ask - and two of them recently offered me a price that was fit for junior roles. They also didn’t factor in the opportunity costs and risks that I have to take if I opted for their short and long-term offer. In both cases, the recruiters told me they were getting me good offers, and that the offers were not far from my target.
This is a GIANT RED FLAG!
The fact that they proceeded to ignore your request and hope that you’re desperate enough to accept the offer is a no-no!
I also once had an interview with a subsidiary of General Electric whereby the recruiter started demanding my payslip after I told him my pay from my former company. He proceeded to say I am a liar, and that I will pay for my lies once I am hired. I didn’t go - obviously - but I still thanked him without being angry. Recruiters are meant to be representations of the company they work for, so they are unable to act professionally in an interview, do not expect that things will change after you are hired.
General Electric is well-known globally, and many people in the industry would gladly give up their resume real-estate for them, so the recruiters there generally think they are doing you a service for giving you the job even if they are not paying anywhere greater than the industry standard.
The only time I will ever negotiate is when the given offer is only 10-15% lower than the asking price, but even then, I won’t ask for a renegotiation, because most of the time, recruiters have a budget, and they rarely budge. Candidates are either there to accept an offer, or to reject one, the chance of a salary revision is minimal, so I still advocate anyone applying to redirect their energy elsewhere.
