Hi! So I had been interviewing for a startup and I finally heard back from them with an offer but the numbers are way below my expectations. I had quoted a 25% raise from my prev pay of 1.5 years — which I know from folks around would have been their budget for the role as well.
But they have lowballed me offering me a 10% increase on my base pay + no ballpark on the variable bonus. Now I am confused about a few things
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They said they normally just offer a 10% hike on prev salary to all new joinees (which is a little shady to me bec I’m sure they had a budget of their own for each role)
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They are saying my year end bonus will be based on performance but are not even giving me a ballpark (bonus could be a 10K INR also and a month’s salary also. The range is huge)
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They are saying the reason they don’t offer market standard right on joining is because in the past even after rigorous rounds of interviews, they have seen poor performers in the team despite the good pay.
(My question is: how is that my problem and not your hiring manager’s? Because you have been historically bad at setting up a good hiring process and judgment - is not MY PROBLEM. This just reeks of your low trust in me even before I have joined. And I don’t know if that’s a great thing)
Final question: is this giving 🚩🚩? Please help me assess + also any other reccos on how to handle or negotiate this bec as much as the role is exciting to me, the numbers are just not pleasant