I just turned down a job offer.
Based on recommendation, I was referred a remote role with an organisation based in the US (Name witheld).
I was happy. Already in conversation with the founder about the terms before getting started.
We agreed on pay, and I had drafted out my signed brief including all terms agreed upon. With delight and joy, I was happy to get started, infact I had already started working while waiting for prerequisites that would take my stuff live.
Anyways I got a call from one of the team members, probably 'Legal' with his concerns about the context of my terms of service. He offered some alterations which I was fine with.
But the conflict came from the remuneration part.
Let's say for example, I asked for 500btc initially and it was negotiated to 200btc which was kinda below my threshold, so in order to make it go higher I decided offer an extra service: I would help re-establish the brand's identity and curate a full-fledged BrandBook.
Given that this new offer was equally valuable, the agreement was 200btc on the first month and 250btc thereafter.
Now back to the Legal guy, he stated that I don't have the power to state when the pay would be increased and they would be doing so at their own discretion, and he wasn't calling to negotiate. That he hasn't seen my work so I can't negotiate my price.
He said would send the new terms in writing and I am free to accept it or not, I said okay, and the call ended.
Now in this scenario I may be wrong, infact I would be happy to be wrong. And this was a red flag for me.
Because I wasn’t in liason with him, neither was he the one that referred me, I was only told there one team member and there was no introduction.
I believe since there was no transparency or mutual comprehension across everyone involved.
I discussed terms with the founder only, and apparently he made his terms from an uninformed premise, while being strict about it.
What I expected was that he asked to see my portfolio and also ask me what my previous discussion with the founder was about. After then he can now scrutinize my demands.
I may be turning down this offer, not because of the reduction but because of manner in which it would be imposed. It's literally dictated.
But I really need this job though. Because account balance = LMA0.00
But I have principles I apply when in comes to working with people, but this just fell in my radar of red flags.
His words meant that I was in no position to make demands. This is what I would attempt tackle.
I believe I may have the upper hand, because I have already started work and the founder is impressed with what I've done so far, and also if I turned them down finding and evaluating another competent designer would take time. A new month begins tomorrow.
But before I make any final decisions, I believe it's my duty to now inform everyone involved in this process, clearly state and define my terms. For example if I would agree to his stated price it means that my bonus offer is out of the package, and if I would do it, it would be charged and executed as an outsourced gig.
Hopefully we would finally reach a mutual understanding. Because I know y'all know that trusting an employee to increase your pay at his\her discretion is an extreme sport. I believe a payment increase schedule must be something with clear criteria put in writing and bound as a contract.
This is already getting too long...
Wish me luck 💙
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