abi31

Hi all

Hubby has been offered a job in Abu Dhabi. I see from here that it is very normal and expected to negotiate quite strongly for improvements to the offer. However:

a) He is pretty happy with what he's been offered; and
b) The company management seems solely western.

My opinion is that if you don't ask you don't get so I think we should be (in a nice, non-combatative way) asking for more - he's a bit scared they'll whip the offer out from under him (though I pointed out that if they're that easily wound up he may not want to work for them anyway).

But I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the 'expectation of negotiation' where it is a western company? Is it ever expected that you just take what they offer?

On a side issue - what does EOS stand for and is this a standard-ish benefit?

Thanks

Abi

flares

EOS is 'End of Service' benefit.

abi31

So annual 'loyalty' bonuses aren't the norm?

Thanks

busybee2

it depends on your industry, but no its not the norm. you get your eosb at the end of your contract.

TopNik

Hi Abi,

If he is happy with the offer why risk the offer being withdrawn by asking for more.

Obviously if he is happy to risk that then by all means ask for more but you can always ask for an increase once he has got his foot in the door and proven himself.

Just a thought ....

csdf

If the company has offered him the job, then they want him to join. Also, unless the company is incompetent they will offer the bare minimum they think your husband will accept. A polite investigation of the flexibility of their offer is entirely normal almost anywhere in the world and I would highly recommend he try.

scrubbedexpat141

Not always.

csdf

Are you saying that companies are not always competent?

scrubbedexpat141

No I'm saying that companies don't always just offer the absolute minimum.

csdf

I didn't mean that they offer the absolute minimum. I meant that they offer the minimum they think the candidate will accept and be happy about.

Millhouse

I would say that he should seek a little more. My experience is that they will always come up 10%.

BTW - don't think that your current salary - tax free- is a good deal. It probably isn't (unless it's a large salary to start with).

scrubbedexpat141

Again, not always true, but nevermind. Pointless argument because it's just irrelevant to anything.

csdf

Why should that stop us?

Bahtatboy

I've been on both sides of the negotiating table (as well as in the middle, a la Scamp) many times, and offers have ranged from:
*the maximum the company can afford, but still below the candidate's minimum expectation, with no margin for negotiation;
*the lowest the company thinks the candidate will accept, based on the candidate's current salary, and below the market rate;
*the market rate, irrespective of what the company can afford and the candidate's current salary and expectation;
*exactly what the candidate requested;
*the absolute maximum they can afford / max banding, irrespective of the candidate's current salary (which is, happily, my current position).

Having said all that, it is extremely unlikely that a prospective employer, after having gone through (usually) the pain and time of identifying the candidate they want, will then reject him merely for politely trying to negotiate the offer (although we all know managers and HR personnel who are complete tossers, so nothing's certain). Precisely how best to do it depends on the context, but keeping it polite and professional shouldn't cause shockwaves.

Good luck.

scrubbedexpat141

This is the one that hurts me the most.