midget1500

hi

i'm currently working under a 12 month contract as a software developer with a major accountancy firm. i'm 6 months into it and they've just offered me a full time contract (obviously doing something right!). however, the salary is totally unreasonable, i.e. 50% of what it should be and i know they wont negotiate. based on this i'm going to decline the offer and simply work to the end of the original one (assuming they dont get annoyed an end it early). a bit of risk on my side as i need to find another job within 6 months but there is no way i'm accepting their offer (i love working here and i'm totally gutted that i'm having to do this). the problem is that once i tell them they'll know i'm going to be leaving so how the heck do you get time off for interviews (assuming i get any!)? i'll be trying to book days off here and there and they might not grant them (i am very busy at the moment so i wouldn't take time off normally). would it be foolish/unreasonable to ask anyone who offers an interview to conduct it at over a lunch hour or at 5pm?

cheers, steven

boxst

Hello

It's certainly okay to ask for an interview after 5pm. I have been going to interviews recently (and have interviewed people) up to 7pm.

Steve.

Dracoro

What about going to interviews on the days that you are off ill?

ajm

What are the terms of your contract? Are you being paid holiday? If you are not being paid for the days you take off I can't see how they can reasonably stop you taking them!

type-r-stan

If you tell the person interviewing you it needs to be out-of-hours then they are likely to be impressed that you are sooooo committed you wouldn't throw a sickie or leave others at your job in the lurch. it is hard to get good people these days and they will probably see you at your convenience.

gavnnik

Mmm - it's actually still pretty easy to get good people these days. IT has bounced back a little but not that much!

If you are only on a contract it shouldn't be a problem to take time off to do interviews.

Why do you feel that salary is 50% lower than what you are worth? How comparable is it to your rate for a 12 month contract? Have you used a salary survey type toll to check out the current market rate for your skills. Remember that a perm salary is never going to compare to contract rates.

midget1500

gavnnik - the salary is 10% more than the contract one.

i know what the going rate for full time programming jobs with my level of experience is in the area (i.e. what friends earn etc). i took this job on the basis that the salary is low because they want to know if the work is there and have a chance to "try me out". well, the work is there, they bill me out at silly rates v. what i get, i.e. x10 and more. the problem is that being an accountancy firm they pay all their junior staff **** all. but i'm not an accountant, dont need training/exams etc but they wont bend. i now realise that they will milk me to death and not pay for it, so it might shock their system when i dont except the full time offer. i know they wont wise up and pay me a fair salary so i've accepted i'll have to leave and return to an IT company. gutted.

camk

What you're billed out at is not really a factor in what your salary will be, unless you are really difficult to replace. The best indicator of your salary expectations is if you can find something at your 'expected rate'. I wouldn't let them know you're looking and arrange any interviews out of hours. You may be at risk if you knock back the perm position and they might just end the contract. If the salary is more than the contract then just take the perm position and keep looking, when you go for the new job just say you are still on contract and looking for something perm.

gavnnik

The other option is to accept in and carry on looking

Better to be looking for work from a position of strength (employed rather than not).

fast bloke

If you are getting more on the perm job, take it and keep looking for another job - you are allowed to leave permie positions you know

midget1500

yeah but if i take it i can't get a salary review for another year and they'll think i'm happy with the current offer. i know i should except it with a view to leaving but i want to make it clear i'm not happy with the current offer.

camk - difficult to replace. no, not really. difficult to replace at this salary = mission impossible and they know it (hence the full time contract 6 months into the 12 months - they dont want me to leave).

camk

Midget,
You need to negotiate a better deal, tell them you really want to take it and want to stay permanent but want more salary, even if you only get a 6 month review agreed you're better off.
The main issue you have is that essentially they are offering you a 10% increase on top of the permanent benefits. The managers will be restricted by what HR will allow. Worst case you take it at the offer they make and continue to look for something else. They will be unlikely to pull the offer if you say you want to negotiate the salary. I don't think you can say that they won't find someone else at that price, if you took it someone else will.