Belfort

Lowball Offer - what to do?

Greetings Sales-savages of the War Room! I'm here humbly looking for your advice.

I just received an offer for the position as Senior Large Enterprise AE after a rigorus process (known to be one of the hardest reqruitment processes out there) from a 30 000+ employees technology company.

Upon receiving this offer I was chocked, their offer is 120k $ OTE..

I'm currently Mid-Market AE for a SaaS-company of similar size and make about twice that.

I'm asking for your advice on how to approach this? I really want this job since I belive in the product and it would give me experience closing deals with C-levels at Fortune 500 companies but getting this offer really put me off.

All advice will be greatly appreciated.

🚀 Career Goals

🤝 Interviewing/Offer

24 comments

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Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

It's a hard pass. I wouldn't take that offer as is.

That said, since if you are me and you're not taking the offer as is, you can say "I currently make 2X that, so regrettably, unless you at least match the offer, I'm going to have to decline".

The worst they can do is decline to match the offer, but since you weren't taking the lowball anyway, that's not changing the result.

Best case, they match, and you're on your way.

You basically have nothing to lose. Honestly, you're doing fine as is, you know you have the chops to get through a tricky interview process with a big player, but they lowballed you, and you shouldn't take a huge pay cut for the experience.

Belfort

Fire Starter

Thanks for the advice and motivation!

I will jump on a call with them tomorrow and express my concerns to see how much they are prepared to match. However if they are able to double their offer it will still leave a bad taste in my mouth that they tried to pull that off..

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

You'll be able to see how much of this is negotiation tactics, or how badly they've misread the market. I hope you provide an update!

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

What did you say your salary expectation was from the beginning interview with the recruiter?

I am surprised this happened since usually it wont be that off if they have you move on from the HR interview.

Either ask to interview for the enterprise since that might be closer or decline. If you are actually making double and not itching to move, might be better to stay since no one would want their next w2 to go down by 50%

Belfort

Fire Starter

Thanks for your reply!

In the initial HR-screening I shared what I'm currently making and mentioned that my primary motivation for this role was not to maximize my earnings but that I would expect to earn at least as much as I do today.

This is offer was for Large Enterprise (their largest strategic customers).

I guess everything points towards passing but I'm itching to move so probably should start replying to some other recruiters to find a better opportunity instead..

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

I would say pass too, annoying they waisted your time

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

Rolling 20's all day

In the future I would not be keen on sharing what I currently make. The old "whoever blinks first loses" rings true in salary negotiations from my experience.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

But the weird thing is he was making double, so it should have disqualified him. But majority of the time you are right , don’t say current salary. They is just add 5%

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Either they can negotiate or you can thank them for their time and walk away.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Yeah, that’s a terrible offer. Follow @Pachacuti and reach out to your to-be boss.

This just seems crazy to me that they would offer something so low.

dwightyouignorantsale

Politicker

Account Executive

for a strategic enterprise role, this is so low, especially for such a large company who generally has big pockets.

go back with what you are willing to accept and if they don’t play ball, then walk away.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

I can't imagine they'll double, so you'll probably have to cut and run.

That just ain't right.

YoursTruly

Politicker

Account Executive (SaaS)

How did you go the entire process without knowing the OTE?

SalesMama

Executive

Senior Account Executive

Feels to me like the opp is not what they’ve promised you…. That comp range is so wildly off that they could not possibly hire the right talent. Feels to me closer to some inside support role for a Large ENT/strategic seller.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

Rolling 20's all day

Even trying to negotiate will just be a moot point. They've lowballed this hard that even coming up to 200k or whatever you make now is a HARD ask and they will view it as a slap in the face (even though its you who is getting slapped).

How did you get this far in the process without clarifying OTE? That's usually in the screening call. Couldn't you see from glassdoor or repvue what OTE was if the company is 30,000 employees strong?

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

I had that happen at my current company. HR made the lowball offer and I called the guy who’d be my boss and told him it was insulting. He ran with it and they came back with a MUCH better offer.

Don’t be afraid to call them out on a bad offer.

DevSomeBiz

Valued Contributor

Senior B2B Sales Guy.

Ask for the amount you want. If they won’t budge, it’s not your place.

saaskicker

Celebrated Contributor

Enterprise AE

Doesn't seem right. They know the market rate. If you're really excited about it, I'd negotiate and you have plenty of leverage. If they don't budge, walk.

Other red flag is that if this is the true pay band at this company and you get double you are the highest paid, first to be on the chopping block if things go south. If you're comfortable with that - respect, but can see how this would be nerve racking for most.

raidernation39

Catalyst

Account Executive

I’d point blank say your expectation again and make it about 10% above your current and walk if they don’t

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

if you really want the job then take it.

but i think this is really low.

I would tell them that this is way under your expectation and then give them the number you want.

if they cant match it then you have to decide to walk away or take it.

pretty simple

diet75

Big Shot

Enterprise AE

I had this happen with a Seattle-area ecommerce company of the larger variety.

Turned out the recruiter got something wrong and submitted me for a different role she was working on.

Explained why my whole loop was confusing....

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

That seems SUPER low. Looks like you had a call with them today, any update?

Mamba

Executive

SDR

Agree with all of this. Pass it up.

SnickerZ

Good Citizen

Director Business Development

120k OTE for an AE position in their largest "strategic" segment of such a big company is a joke tbh...

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Belfort

Lowball Offer - what to do?

24 comments

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