Turning down a job due to salary

[Otto Pilot]

What's the most polite way to turn down an opportunity? In the past I have turned down some interviews and feel like my resume will and has never been considered again. How would you tell the person the salary doesn't do the job justice without hurting feelings and sounding like an absolute plug? Especially if the company is somewhere you would want to end up later in life.

[Otto Pilot]

Realized I posted this in the wrong department. Meant general...

[kevind]

Just be honest with them...maybe they will up the offer.

Not aviation, but IT. Was offered a full time position at a place were I was temp. It was 2008 during that downturn. They made me an offer, at the same time I was offered another contracting job. The full time place upped the offer but was still $25.00 per hour less than the contract job. Even accounting for benefits the contract was a better job. They tried their best but could not come close enough.

Interestingly, the person who offered me the job went to the same company I moved to 6 months later.

I turned down another job during that time because the salary was just barely min wage and expected me to drive my own car to clients with no auto expenses. I told them that salary was the reason, the job was being advertised for months.

[RedAndWhiteBaron]

Just be honest with them...

+1

I've turned down offers (okay, maybe just one) because of salary before. The way I look at it is that salary is a proxy for just about everything else. Maybe they expect a standard of living below what you're willing to accept, or maybe they don't value your experience the same way you do. Maybe you think they're lowballing you, or maybe they think you're overselling yourself. Perhaps you're overqualified, or perhaps they can't afford you, and you don't think that should be your problem. But in the end, the specific reasons why you're far apart on salary expectations are irrelevant and it doesn't matter who's in the right.

If you can't agree on something somewhat close, there's clearly a mismatch, and any further discussion just ends up wasting everyone's time. Professionals will accept that and there will be no hard feelings. If they get butthurt over it, well, you probably don't want to work there anyway.

So to answer the original question, the most polite way to turn down an offer (IMO) due to salary is simply "With all due respect, I feel I must decline this offer, as our salary expectations are too far apart." - and leave it at that.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

What's the most polite way to turn down an opportunity? In the past I have turned down some interviews and feel like my resume will and has never been considered again. How would you tell the person the salary doesn't do the job justice without hurting feelings and sounding like an absolute plug? Especially if the company is somewhere you would want to end up later in life.

Just be honest, I’ve done the same thing SEVERAL times. You have to realize that it’s just business, right now it’s an employers’ market. Know your worth and what ever you do don’t take something beneath your skill set if you can help it. If everyone would stick to their guns and just say no the pool will drain to the bottom and they’ll have to pay for experience. That said, it’s easier said than done.

[PitchLink]

What's the most polite way to turn down an opportunity? In the past I have turned down some interviews and feel like my resume will and has never been considered again. How would you tell the person the salary doesn't do the job justice without hurting feelings and sounding like an absolute plug? Especially if the company is somewhere you would want to end up later in life.

That’s a tricky thing sometimes, some people really take offence to a job offer being rejected due to salary. I too have done it and probably burned a bridge for doing it, that said is it really a place you want to be if they’re paying crap? As others have said, realize your value and what you can contribute, be honest with yourself, and if it is truly too low just tell them. I personally would respect being told the truth rather than being fed a line or two to soften the blow. That’s just me, my 2 cents, be cordial but direct to the point.

[frog]

It is funny how it could be considered rude to decline a job but quite all right to get PFO'd after an interview.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

It is funny how it could be considered rude to decline a job but quite all right to get PFO'd after an interview.

No kidding

[ToolShed]

Just a question....

Did you not know the Salary Range before you interviewed?

[AirFrame]

Did you not know the Salary Range before you interviewed?

I was kind of wondering this myself. At the very least, didn't it come up during the interview?

In my experience, salary range usually comes up in the interview if it wasn't published with the job posting. If the offer is within the range discussed, there would need to be other factors to make you want to decline.

I do remember interviewing at one company, first by phone, then two in-person interviews. This was over a couple of months as well. In each of the three interviews salary ranges were discussed, and my request was the same in each of them. When I got an offer, by phone, it was $10K below the lowest end of the range (and $5K below what I was being (under)paid at the time). I responded "It sounds like you don't really want to hire me." I suggested a 6 month probation at their offered salary and if I passed then a raise to the middle of my range. They thought about it but decided against it. Probably a good thing to be honest, it would have been a good company to work for, but not a good one to go broke working for.

When they undercut your first salary offer, it's a warning that the company may not want to pay salaries that are fair to market... Think what that means when you want to ask for a raise a year or two down the road, you'll probably be undercut then as well.

[digits_]

Just a question....

Did you not know the Salary Range before you interviewed?

The majority of the jobs on avcanada are advertised without a salary range. Even if there is a range, you might be happy with the high limit, yet the company will probably offer the lower limit.

[schnitzel2k3]

Did you not know the Salary Range before you interviewed?

When they undercut your first salary offer, it's a warning that the company may not want to pay salaries that are fair to market... Think what that means when you want to ask for a raise a year or two down the road, you'll probably be undercut then as well.

This speaks to knowing your value. A lot of business is done when decisions and budgets are manufactured without the prospective employees input. Then 1 of 2 things shatters during the interview process - the budget or the interviewees self worth.

Lots of videos online non-specific to aviation define great strategies to put you in the power seat when it comes to generating the salaries (revenue) you expect from a particular employer.

https://youtu.be/DjgVwN_k_88

These strategies apply to every non-airline interview where you define a salary range. Big thing is you have to be realistic and ready to walk when a position fails to fulfill your expectations or needs.

[Otto Pilot]

Just a question....

Did you not know the Salary Range before you interviewed?

The majority of the jobs on avcanada are advertised without a salary range. Even if there is a range, you might be happy with the high limit, yet the company will probably offer the lower limit.

The salary was no where to be found! I also had no contacts to ask. The salary did come up at the end of the interview when I had asked about it. It sadly was significantly lower than where I'm at now. I figured I had an idea around where the mark was, but I was fairly off. ( I was going off what other operators were doing). Thanks to all who replied. Good to hear from multiple people and their experiences with the subject.

[SelmaAdam]

Heard some people saying that first salary doesn't matter.Though it's entry level,it does matter.

[Eric Janson]

Heard some people saying that first salary doesn't matter.Though it's entry level,it does matter.

Well - while I agree salary matters getting your foot in the door (first job) is important as well.

For my first job I took the first job that was available - salary was just enough to live on.

Basically because I was an unknown quantity this was also a test to see how dedicated I really was - the Owner himself told me that later. He wanted to see who I was and whether I was worth investing money in.

When I left I got a 2 page letter of reference that is part of my CV. I never asked for it as I didn't know about things like this at the time.

[Launchpad1]

Well - while I agree salary matters getting your foot in the door (first job) is important as well.

For my first job I took the first job that was available - salary was just enough to live on.

Basically because I was an unknown quantity this was also a test to see how dedicated I really was - the Owner himself told me that later. He wanted to see who I was and whether I was worth investing money in.

When I left I got a 2 page letter of reference that is part of my CV. I never asked for it as I didn't know about things like this at the time.

Absolutely. I think most people accept that for the very first job there is an element of just sucking up the salary and trying to survive long enough on it to prove yourself, get some experience, then move on. Unfortunately in aviation that is the way it is. To many people want to do it and there's to few jobs. Supply an demand.

At some point though a company has to understand that they have to pay a reasonable salary for someone who is at the end of the day a highly trained professional.

[PitchLink]

Well - while I agree salary matters getting your foot in the door (first job) is important as well.

For my first job I took the first job that was available - salary was just enough to live on.

Basically because I was an unknown quantity this was also a test to see how dedicated I really was - the Owner himself told me that later. He wanted to see who I was and whether I was worth investing money in.

When I left I got a 2 page letter of reference that is part of my CV. I never asked for it as I didn't know about things like this at the time.

Absolutely. I think most people accept that for the very first job there is an element of just sucking up the salary and trying to survive long enough on it to prove yourself, get some experience, then move on. Unfortunately in aviation that is the way it is. To many people want to do it and there's to few jobs. Supply an demand.

At some point though a company has to understand that they have to pay a reasonable salary for someone who is at the end of the day a highly trained professional.

Owners couldn’t give a s$&t about experience. There’s tons of experienced guys out there they just want your certification and basic potential for 99% of the work you’re doing (fixing and flying alike). There has never been and there never will be a shortage of pilots or ames. Someone will always do it for less, like you said supply and demand. It’s only during boom years that they really have to pay because the talent pool WILLING to still do this is so shallow