Strategy to apply for a LOWER pay-grade

[mechengdude]

O.K. Hopefully the title will get some attention and elicit some good advice.

The situation is this. I work for a relatively large defense contractor. We are currently in a work up-swing. The company is actively recruiting with one of the positions being a perfect fit for me except I'm over qualified and over paid for the job. I have not applied for the job yet but I’m getting un-official requests from other employees and managers for help on the new task and encouragement that they want me for the job.

Even though I am a pay grade above what the current job description states, I am considering the strategy of applying for the job and listing a salary requirement in excess of what I currently make. There are some specific areas of expertise and security requirements that will make filling the job a challenge.

Long story short. Has anyone got any success or horror stories related to applying for an internal job as described above?

Thanks

 

[EngJW]

What? You are a pay grade higher than what the desired job pays, and you think the company will pay you more than you get now to transfer to a job where you should be getting less than what you currently make???? Or am I reading this wrong?

The only thing I can offer from experience is that once you are settled in a job, the company sees you as a non-entity and it is easier for them to hire from the outside than to look within. They see it as having two jobs to fill- the new one and yours.

 

[ash9144]

I've never done it internally, but I have applied for and interviewed for positions stating lower qualifications (and pay) than I've got. Some companies have been more than happy to meet my requirements others have said $X is the most we can pay. In cases of the latter I wish them good luck and thank them for their time and forget about it.

One bit of advice would be to make sure they aren't going to pay you above the stated salary range but put you into the lower pay grade. That would have adverse income effects for you long term.

My advice is put in for it. State your criteria. If they want you badly enough they'll accomodate.

 

[mechengdude]

ash9144 - Roger that. Assuming the position is offered to me I wouldn't accept unless the pay grade is re-classified to at or above my current pay-grade.

Our raise formaula is the traditional big company formula.
penetration into pay-grade x performace = % raise

 

[GregLocock]

Why not suggest that they expand the scope of the job to justify the the higher pay rate, and make some suggestions as to what that expansion could be?




Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[tickle]

Make sure that you are not more educated or experienced than the boss, otherwise he will resent you.

Happened to me with a boss who had worked his way up the ladder, by being there at the right time and not by aptitude. His response was to not recognise my experience and education, (to the extent of rubbishing them to my face). I was a threat that he had to cull. Long story short - I was out of there on the day the contract finished, much to his surprise.

 

[IRstuff]

I see no problem, necessarily. Often, the actual job category is flexible. The fact that you are qualified for your current job might make it appealing to hire you as a multi-disciplined person, as opposed to someone who is only qualified for that other position. Your ability to do two different jobs might make it worth the pay differential.

Sometimes we all do jobs that we're grossly overqualified for. Last night, I cranked some Photoshop pictures for a proposal, for which I'm overqualified for, but we save on not having a full-time tech pubs person.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[livingston]

If nothing else, you should be able to get your same pay for the new position. Be cautious though that they don't just add the responsibilities of the new position to your current position! Present your experience as a benefit in the new position. My current position has nothing to do with my previous experience or my degree but allowed me the opportunity to reposition myself in the corporation.

Good luck.

 

[BigInch]

If you have long term plans, your eye on an eventual job a couple of notches higher up form where you are now for example, there could be some effects, such as reentering and running through the level you're already at now. From the perspective of "level" as being roughly associated with pay level, watch out for AIG - "age in grade". IT might be a trigger for a passover by some HR type reviewing files in the future shortlisting promotions, or make a 2-level + uplift more difficult.


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[plasgears]

I worked for a rank organization that routinely hired at present salary - 5/10%. It was the worst job I had. After several years I reached parity. I got a lot of pats on the back, but upper mgt was dominated by sales, and we had some bad sales characters.

One would take frequent jaunts to Europe with the goal of selling products. All that expense came to nought. Also, we made short run production samples that were never paid for. Another sales guy resisted proposing a cost reduced version for the customer.

Another stinger: sales had superior health insurance; engineering had a bad HMO. I hired a lawyer three times to force the HMO to pay their bills.

The company is now on the skids after an old sales mgr formed a competing company.