Guest Blogger Lily Comba: Negotiating The Big 3: Salary, Start Date and Vacation
Here's how I got everything I wanted
If you had asked me at the beginning of my job search if I’d ever negotiate three aspects of a job offer, I probably would have laughed. Deep, loud, nervous laughter. I had no practice in negotiating and an empty barrel of confidence.
Yet after negotiating two offers, I kept the ball rolling. I couldn’t be stopped. Negotiating felt almost natural. In my third offer, I didn’t just negotiate my start date. I also asked for more money and more vacation. And I got all of it. With practice, we can all change the statistic that only 16% of women ages 18-24 get what they ask for. In my final post of this 3-part series, I’ll be discussing how I negotiated the job I ultimately took.
Job Offer #3: Media agency in Los Angeles
Salary: $30,000
Paid Time Off: 5 sick days, 10 vacation days
Position: Assistant Account Executive
What I negotiated: Start date, salary, vacation
If you’re thinking “third time’s a charm,” you’re absolutely right. When I was offered this position, I felt entirely prepared going into the negotiation. Except for one big detail: I needed to start two weeks before a week-long vacation I’d already planned. That’s where I started my negotiation.
I began by explaining the whole situation from a financial and emotional standpoint. I’d planned my trip in the spring and couldn’t be fully refunded for cancellation. I also needed time to clear my head and find balance in the new chapter of my life. When I asked to start the week immediately following my trip, I could hear the fear in their voices. The team really needed me to start ASAP. So as an alternative, but related, way to negotiate my start date, I asked for none of my vacation time to be used. I wanted to be fair to them, but I needed them to be open with me.
This caused a ripple through HR. Their policy is that you must work for 6 months before going on vacation, and I felt uncomfortable going against the “rule book.” To alleviate the stress, I asked my potential boss to help. We both decided that it was fair to not use my paid time off, so we negotiated together. Having his support helped to convince HR - they agreed to not deduct vacation time! But when the HR manager asked me if I had more I wanted to discuss, I said I needed $10,000 more in salary. No script, no thumb biting. I just went for it with a sense of confidence I can’t help but attribute to my previous practice.
When the HR manager called me back the next day, she had partial good news. She was able to offer me an increase of $5,000, but not a penny more. I cringed. A $35,000 salary a year in Los Angeles? It would have to be doable, I’d filled all the wiggle room.
So I said yes.
And I’m so, so happy I did. Negotiating an offer is only one aspect of the job. But when you find a team that has your back - commit. You won’t regret asking for what you want, or waiting for the right offer to land in your hands. You’re worth every penny and day off you ask for.
Want to share your own negotiation story? We'd love to hear it! Contact Lily at lily@askforit.co to learn more about guest blogging.
Lily Comba
Lily Comba is an Assistant Account Executive at OMD who works with a broad range of clients to strategize their out-of-home campaigns. She previously worked as a Career Consultant for two years at her alma mater, Scripps College. From her experiences in marketing and career consulting, Lily believes in making the world a stronger and better place for women. She continues to grow a network of industry leaders and influencers that share her drive to help women to achieve their goals.