Ask Deb: Should I Take This Job?
Hi Deb:
I’ve been at my current company for 4 years. I was not actively looking to leave, but I was contacted by a recruiter on LinkedIN about a job at a competitor of ours. Long story short, I went through the interview process and now have an offer in hand. The compensation package includes a base salary that would be a 30% increase. However, there are several things about this company that give me pause.
First, this role would require me to be in the office everyday. I have been working totally remotely for the past 2 years and have come to really like it. Second, the recruiter who presented me with the offer made a point to tell me that all offers the company extends are non-negotiable. (The PTO allotment is meager, but I can’t even negotiate that.) Finally, and most importantly, the job has been open for more than a year. They have extended 3 offers, all of which have been declined. When I asked the hiring manager what he thought the problem was, he just said that it’s a very competitive market and hiring is difficult right now.
I think I have the answer to my dilemma—I’m leaning toward declining--but I wanted to run it by you before I made a decision.
Thanks,
Carla
Hi Carla:
I’m seeing red, as in multiple red flags. Let’s dissect this. This employer wants you to come into an office every day, despite the data that proves that working from home has no impact on productivity or profitability. I don’t know what kind of commute you would be looking at, but to go from zero commute to any kind of regular commuting would be draining, not to mention the current price of gasoline. How much would your commute really cost you in terms of time and money?
I’m going to call BS on the recruiter’s claim that any offer the company extends is non-negotiable. Everything is negotiable. I am certain that members of the company’s C-Suite negotiated their offers extensively. On top of that, they won’t even negotiate the non-monetary terms of the offer.
The biggest point of contention here is the fact that over the last year, they have extended 3 offers and each of those 3 candidates rejected them. This company is the common denominator in that equation. It’s obvious to me, an outsider, that this company’s culture is garbage. It is rooted in control and fear, rather than in flexibility and collaboration. Yes, hiring right now is challenging, but there are still plenty of companies that are doing it and are doing it well. There is a reason this job has gone unfilled for a year.
The 30% increase in salary is not going to make up for what is likely a restrictive, regressive culture. And cultural fit, as we all know, is extremely important, not just to the hiring company, but to the candidates as well. I agree with your decision. There are two key things you can take away from this whole experience. The first is that it is absolutely crucial to vet company culture. All companies say they have awesome cultures, and “culture” is highly subjective, so this takes work. A good way to do this is to search LinkedIN for former employees and reach out to them. You don’t even need to do this because the company is telling you that their working environment is toxic. The other takeaway is that you can command a 30% increase in your salary! So find a company that will pay you what you’re worth, will value and respect you, and won’t treat you like an insolent child.