From: ruthless@panix.com (Ruth Ditucci)
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.contract
Subject: accepted an offer which was ridiculously low and I'm not happy...
Keywords: job, getting screwed, accepting offers when you're tired
Date: 11 Oct 92 03:32:10 GMT
Organization: Panix, NYC

I took a temporary position as an Office Manager until they found someone
suitable for the post.  While fulfilling the role myself, the Regional Director
(of which this company has only four nationally) found that I was doing a 
great job and he's stated repeatedly that I'm a "perfect fit" for the job.
He's been dealing with an employee from another office whose claimed she'll
sue if she's not offered another post since her's has been closed and she
happens to be married to a lawyer.  She applied for the job I'm doing now
and after a three hour (very vocal and loud) discussion with the Regional
Director, conceded that this job was not for her because it required Managerial
experience and would involve constant interaction with the Regional Director
(they don't get along) which might cause her further stress.  Immediately,
after their three hour marathon meeting, they both came out of his office,
and he told me in front of her that he wanted me to fill the post.  After,
she left- he told me he wanted my paper work in the Corporate office in
California that evening because he wanted an offer letter signed by me
ASAP.  

The entire office staff had spent the total of those three hours sitting outside
that office listening to these two people yell at each other!  He offered me
the job and I told him I wanted it and accepted it at a ridiculously low wage
and I know I won't sign the offer letter when I get it this week.  

He told me that he had to give me this very small wage because that's what he'd
been paying her for her position.  That if she ever chose to follow through with
her suit- that he'd have to be able to show that he was not paying anyone any
more than he'd been paying her.  The position she holds requires very little,
in fact, it was due to her job's insignificance that it was shut down because
they couldn't justify paying someone a full time wage for doing so very little.
The position I'd be responsible for involves the supervision of the secretarial
staff, facilities maintenance and renegotiation of cleaning contracts.  Processing payment for outstanding bills which have been neglected for the three months
in which the position was neglected by my predecessor because he and the Director didn't see eye to eye on very much so the responsibilities were ignored.

I resent having had my negotiation somehow contingent on the possibility of
her suing the company.  My position is different, my skills are a match for
the job in both manegerial and supervisory experience.  I feel "duped" and
I believe that if I go ahead with this deal- he won't respect me in the
morning because he'll assume that whenever I represent the office in a
negotiation- I'll use the same poor judgment I used when I accepted his
offer at the end of listening to three hours of grueling yelling and
arguing.  I feel "bullied."  Now, give me some advice and be straight...

It's a good job with a great company.  They were just cited 10th in the
100 fastest growing companies in US by NEWSWEEK.  They showed record earning
profits for seven years in a row.  Their stock went from 22 to 41 in three
months and it's expected to be over 70 by December.  I believe there's no
reason for him to have made me such a low offer.

Give me some logic to support my argument when I go re-negotiate this.

Thanks in advance.
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.contract