Should You Accept A Lower Salary If You Really Need A Job, Or Should You Wait?

Be open minded when it comes to the opportunities presented to you

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

Jobs are hard to find these days. Unemployment is surging and demand for employees is plummeting.

But there are still plenty of jobs being offered and employment being accepted. Believe it or not, some job offers are not being accepted.

There are lots of reasons that people may decide not to accept a job, even though millions of others would accept the position.

Here are some examples:

• The pay is too low
• The commute is too long
• There is a mismatch between skills and the requirements of the job
• There could be a personality conflict or culture clash
• There are no benefits or the benefits are below expectations

Even though a person might really need a job, sometimes the offer of a salary that is a lot lower than one’s previous compensation becomes too big of a hurdle. It is easy to get caught up in thinking that a person is worth a certain amount of money for their time and talents.

Here are some reasons why an offer that includes a reduction in pay could lead one to walk away:

• Someone has as a target pay level in mind and they are focused on that number above all else
• They don’t want to spend years getting back to the same pay level as when they left another company
• They know their own value and what they can bring to the organization

What should you do if you receive a job offer with a salary that is below what you want or need?

• Consider the importance of having a job
• Think of the new opportunities the position can present to you
• Evaluate the other ways you will be compensated, such as benefits and retirement programs

Consider a lot things when you receive your next employment job offer. Sometimes the salary level doesn’t have to be as important as you believe it to be.