Two VERY low ball job offers in the last month...(management and leadership!)

MJB2010 · Mar 14, 2013

WHat state are you in? I would *only* take one of these jobs if it is your first leadership role and you need it for experience otherwise I'd keep looking. Every job you get after this will be looking to pay you slightly above what you accept here. So make sure you know that when accepting such a low starting point. If you have zero experience with a management position you might just need to suck it up and take what you can get.

SweettartRN · Mar 14, 2013

WHat state are you in? I would *only* take one of these jobs if it is your first leadership role and you need it for experience otherwise I'd keep looking. Every job you get after this will be looking to pay you slightly above what you accept here. So make sure you know that when accepting such a low starting point. If you have zero experience with a management position you might just need to suck it up and take what you can get.

Michigan, and I have five years management experience. I would never take any of these jobs for less than 68,500, which I feel is even lower than should be accepted.

I have no interest in either of these jobs because of the low ball offer, I simply feel discouraged and insulted at the clear difference between my expectations of salary and what is being offered. A DON in my area can expect to make at least $110K per year, an ADON, approximately $80-85K, just to give an idea.

MJB2010 · Mar 14, 2013

Ok, then I would counter offer. At this point, you have zero intention of taking a position at the rate they offered so you have nothing to lose. I'd counter offer ABOVE what you are willing to accept, with well thought out responses and reasons to back up your request and then see if you can negotiate to something reasonable. I do not think this will be successful but you have nothing to lose, only to gain. I would consider these not viable though, and keep looking for someplace a little more realistic with their pay. Might be a good opportunity to " practice" counter offer and negotiation.

SweettartRN · Mar 14, 2013

Ok, then I would counter offer. At this point, you have zero intention of taking a position at the rate they offered so you have nothing to lose. I'd counter offer ABOVE what you are willing to accept, with well thought out responses and reasons to back up your request and then see if you can negotiate to something reasonable. I do not think this will be successful but you have nothing to lose, only to gain. I would consider these not viable though, and keep looking for someplace a little more realistic with their pay. Might be a good opportunity to " practice" counter offer and negotiation.

Already done that. Neither would budge. Not even an inch. They said that was all their budget would allow for, even when I showed them both proof of how low-ball they were. I am counting my losses on these two, but are all organizations low-balling right now? Is it my area?

BTW- if you're a new grad and reading this, stop taking $17-18 an hour and considering that "good money." You're not only hurting yourself, you are hurting the rest of us as well.

klone, MSN, RN · Mar 14, 2013

BTW- if you're a new grad and reading this, stop taking $17-18 an hour and considering that "good money." You're not only hurting yourself, you are hurting the rest of us as well.

Interesting perspective. Until we quit churning out new grads by the thousands every year in areas that can't support them, and/or we start having unions, I can't see that changing.

beeker · Mar 14, 2013

In my area new hires ( new grad and experienced) are takin pay cuts just to get a job. That's what happens in a glut in a non union area.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Mar 14, 2013

Those are both for profits in a big way I am sure. Try getting a management job at a bigger employer with less of a corporate profit focus would be my suggestion.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2013

BTW- if you're a new grad and reading this, stop taking $17-18 an hour and considering that "good money." You're not only hurting yourself, you are hurting the rest of us as well.

I made significantly more than that as a new grad, but that's because the going rate in my area was higher than that. I had 0 room to negotiate and was running out of time I could afford being unemployed. It's not really fair to blame the individual for something that is a structural problem, frustrating as it is to see the effect it has on the wider profession.

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 14, 2013

Yeah all the above. Negotiating is not going to get you far in this economy unless you are the one accepting less. Sux but that is the way it is. Healthcare is on total downward pressure.

The carpet baggers that want to start a HH or hospice these days want the money honey and that is the only reason they are in it. You are just a means to their end, and you can bet you will have screws turned on your license to cut corners and ethics for them. Count on it. New home health and hospice are the absolute worst of the worst. You should look for a major medical practice group and try there for management of some sort. I'm talking about the groups that are growing in numbers, ususally 50 or more MDs in specialty practice to avoid being eliminated by the big hospital networks.

HippyDippyLPN · Mar 14, 2013

Don't blame newbie nurses for taking lower pay just because you have been insulted by two companies. There are too many nurses and not enough jobs as I am sure you know and many of us have babies and houses to support so $17/hour is better than $7.95 down the road at McDonald's.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2013

This is why I have never had any desire to be anything but a staff nurse. I have an accounting and business administration degree. I was told many times during nursing school that I could make more money as a staff nurse, plus not have to deal with the increased responsibility of management. I don't want to work 5 days per week; I want to do my shift and go home and forget about it. All I can say is counter offer.