Is it too late to ask for a signing bonus?
A few weeks ago I accepted a job offer. Because I'd been out of work a long time and have a lot of debt, I considered asking for a signing bonus, but my spouse was afraid that trying to negotiate anything would jeopardize the offer.
Now, two weeks before the job begins, it looks like I'll need the extra money more than ever. Is it possible to ask for a bonus at this point, or is it too late?
Alternately, is there a way to ask for a salary advance? That would take a little financial pressure off.
job-offer hiring-process negotiation bonus
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
A few weeks ago I accepted a job offer. Because I'd been out of work a long time and have a lot of debt, I considered asking for a signing bonus, but my spouse was afraid that trying to negotiate anything would jeopardize the offer.
Now, two weeks before the job begins, it looks like I'll need the extra money more than ever. Is it possible to ask for a bonus at this point, or is it too late?
Alternately, is there a way to ask for a salary advance? That would take a little financial pressure off.
job-offer hiring-process negotiation bonus
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Sounds like a terrible idea. Either you do it right away when discussing the contract, or you don't. What would you think of if they had at the time promised you a signing bonus just to two weeks later change their minds? Regarding the salary advance, that should have been asked at the right moment (when interviewing / before signing the contract)..
– devoured elysium
11 hours ago
It probably doesn't matter, but I didn't sign a contract; I responded "Yes I accept" to their e-mail. I don't know if that's closer to "verbal agreement" than "implied contract" or what. They haven't completed the background check, so technically they haven't committed to me either.
– user97436
11 hours ago
1
It sounds like you gave a verbal commitment and the company is drawing up the contract. You can still negotiate if you haven't signed the contract, but it's bad etiquette to do so unless you have another competing offer and you want the company to match or top the other offer.
– jcmack
11 hours ago
You haven't signed anything yet, so you could try to ask for a signing bonus. But, you also haven't signed anything yet, so they could say "thanks but no thanks, we'll hire someone else." Food for thought.
– Steve-O
10 hours ago
add a comment |
A few weeks ago I accepted a job offer. Because I'd been out of work a long time and have a lot of debt, I considered asking for a signing bonus, but my spouse was afraid that trying to negotiate anything would jeopardize the offer.
Now, two weeks before the job begins, it looks like I'll need the extra money more than ever. Is it possible to ask for a bonus at this point, or is it too late?
Alternately, is there a way to ask for a salary advance? That would take a little financial pressure off.
job-offer hiring-process negotiation bonus
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
A few weeks ago I accepted a job offer. Because I'd been out of work a long time and have a lot of debt, I considered asking for a signing bonus, but my spouse was afraid that trying to negotiate anything would jeopardize the offer.
Now, two weeks before the job begins, it looks like I'll need the extra money more than ever. Is it possible to ask for a bonus at this point, or is it too late?
Alternately, is there a way to ask for a salary advance? That would take a little financial pressure off.
job-offer hiring-process negotiation bonus
job-offer hiring-process negotiation bonus
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
edited 20 mins ago
Fatal Error
1036
1036
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
asked 11 hours ago
user97436
1
1
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
user97436 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Sounds like a terrible idea. Either you do it right away when discussing the contract, or you don't. What would you think of if they had at the time promised you a signing bonus just to two weeks later change their minds? Regarding the salary advance, that should have been asked at the right moment (when interviewing / before signing the contract)..
– devoured elysium
11 hours ago
It probably doesn't matter, but I didn't sign a contract; I responded "Yes I accept" to their e-mail. I don't know if that's closer to "verbal agreement" than "implied contract" or what. They haven't completed the background check, so technically they haven't committed to me either.
– user97436
11 hours ago
1
It sounds like you gave a verbal commitment and the company is drawing up the contract. You can still negotiate if you haven't signed the contract, but it's bad etiquette to do so unless you have another competing offer and you want the company to match or top the other offer.
– jcmack
11 hours ago
You haven't signed anything yet, so you could try to ask for a signing bonus. But, you also haven't signed anything yet, so they could say "thanks but no thanks, we'll hire someone else." Food for thought.
– Steve-O
10 hours ago
add a comment |
2
Sounds like a terrible idea. Either you do it right away when discussing the contract, or you don't. What would you think of if they had at the time promised you a signing bonus just to two weeks later change their minds? Regarding the salary advance, that should have been asked at the right moment (when interviewing / before signing the contract)..
– devoured elysium
11 hours ago
It probably doesn't matter, but I didn't sign a contract; I responded "Yes I accept" to their e-mail. I don't know if that's closer to "verbal agreement" than "implied contract" or what. They haven't completed the background check, so technically they haven't committed to me either.
– user97436
11 hours ago
1
It sounds like you gave a verbal commitment and the company is drawing up the contract. You can still negotiate if you haven't signed the contract, but it's bad etiquette to do so unless you have another competing offer and you want the company to match or top the other offer.
– jcmack
11 hours ago
You haven't signed anything yet, so you could try to ask for a signing bonus. But, you also haven't signed anything yet, so they could say "thanks but no thanks, we'll hire someone else." Food for thought.
– Steve-O
10 hours ago
2
2
Sounds like a terrible idea. Either you do it right away when discussing the contract, or you don't. What would you think of if they had at the time promised you a signing bonus just to two weeks later change their minds? Regarding the salary advance, that should have been asked at the right moment (when interviewing / before signing the contract)..
– devoured elysium
11 hours ago
Sounds like a terrible idea. Either you do it right away when discussing the contract, or you don't. What would you think of if they had at the time promised you a signing bonus just to two weeks later change their minds? Regarding the salary advance, that should have been asked at the right moment (when interviewing / before signing the contract)..
– devoured elysium
11 hours ago
It probably doesn't matter, but I didn't sign a contract; I responded "Yes I accept" to their e-mail. I don't know if that's closer to "verbal agreement" than "implied contract" or what. They haven't completed the background check, so technically they haven't committed to me either.
– user97436
11 hours ago
It probably doesn't matter, but I didn't sign a contract; I responded "Yes I accept" to their e-mail. I don't know if that's closer to "verbal agreement" than "implied contract" or what. They haven't completed the background check, so technically they haven't committed to me either.
– user97436
11 hours ago
1
1
It sounds like you gave a verbal commitment and the company is drawing up the contract. You can still negotiate if you haven't signed the contract, but it's bad etiquette to do so unless you have another competing offer and you want the company to match or top the other offer.
– jcmack
11 hours ago
It sounds like you gave a verbal commitment and the company is drawing up the contract. You can still negotiate if you haven't signed the contract, but it's bad etiquette to do so unless you have another competing offer and you want the company to match or top the other offer.
– jcmack
11 hours ago
You haven't signed anything yet, so you could try to ask for a signing bonus. But, you also haven't signed anything yet, so they could say "thanks but no thanks, we'll hire someone else." Food for thought.
– Steve-O
10 hours ago
You haven't signed anything yet, so you could try to ask for a signing bonus. But, you also haven't signed anything yet, so they could say "thanks but no thanks, we'll hire someone else." Food for thought.
– Steve-O
10 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Both will be difficult.
It's perfectly okay to ask for a sign on bonus, but the time to do this is during the offer process when you are negotiating salary, benefits, relo, and any other conditions of employment. Once you accepted the offer, it's pretty much over. It's a contract that both parties have agreed to.
You can ask for a salary advance, but it it's not a great way to start a new job and creating good first impressions. It may also simply not be possible because of company policy and/or local law. How exactly this will be perceived depends a lot on the location, local culture and company culture.
Your best shot is to ask "discreetly" if that's possible. Contact one person that you feel is most likely to keep this private: hiring manager, recruiter, HR person. Just be open and politely ask, but do not demand or be pushy. Be prepared to accept "no" as an answer.
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
add a comment |
Ask if you can start early. In some places that is possible, in other places it isn't. One advantage for them is that you might be able to meet with the person you are replacing before their last day. That early start could put a few hours into the previous pay period, and get some money a few weeks earlier.
Asking for an advance won't be approved, because they would be taking a risk that you wouldn't show up. The signing bonus should have been negotiated in advance. In places where they did give a bonus it wasn't actually given to the person until they started working. It just made the first check bigger, it didn't get the money weeks or months before the start date.
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "423"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
user97436 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworkplace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f125740%2fis-it-too-late-to-ask-for-a-signing-bonus%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Both will be difficult.
It's perfectly okay to ask for a sign on bonus, but the time to do this is during the offer process when you are negotiating salary, benefits, relo, and any other conditions of employment. Once you accepted the offer, it's pretty much over. It's a contract that both parties have agreed to.
You can ask for a salary advance, but it it's not a great way to start a new job and creating good first impressions. It may also simply not be possible because of company policy and/or local law. How exactly this will be perceived depends a lot on the location, local culture and company culture.
Your best shot is to ask "discreetly" if that's possible. Contact one person that you feel is most likely to keep this private: hiring manager, recruiter, HR person. Just be open and politely ask, but do not demand or be pushy. Be prepared to accept "no" as an answer.
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
add a comment |
Both will be difficult.
It's perfectly okay to ask for a sign on bonus, but the time to do this is during the offer process when you are negotiating salary, benefits, relo, and any other conditions of employment. Once you accepted the offer, it's pretty much over. It's a contract that both parties have agreed to.
You can ask for a salary advance, but it it's not a great way to start a new job and creating good first impressions. It may also simply not be possible because of company policy and/or local law. How exactly this will be perceived depends a lot on the location, local culture and company culture.
Your best shot is to ask "discreetly" if that's possible. Contact one person that you feel is most likely to keep this private: hiring manager, recruiter, HR person. Just be open and politely ask, but do not demand or be pushy. Be prepared to accept "no" as an answer.
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
add a comment |
Both will be difficult.
It's perfectly okay to ask for a sign on bonus, but the time to do this is during the offer process when you are negotiating salary, benefits, relo, and any other conditions of employment. Once you accepted the offer, it's pretty much over. It's a contract that both parties have agreed to.
You can ask for a salary advance, but it it's not a great way to start a new job and creating good first impressions. It may also simply not be possible because of company policy and/or local law. How exactly this will be perceived depends a lot on the location, local culture and company culture.
Your best shot is to ask "discreetly" if that's possible. Contact one person that you feel is most likely to keep this private: hiring manager, recruiter, HR person. Just be open and politely ask, but do not demand or be pushy. Be prepared to accept "no" as an answer.
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
Both will be difficult.
It's perfectly okay to ask for a sign on bonus, but the time to do this is during the offer process when you are negotiating salary, benefits, relo, and any other conditions of employment. Once you accepted the offer, it's pretty much over. It's a contract that both parties have agreed to.
You can ask for a salary advance, but it it's not a great way to start a new job and creating good first impressions. It may also simply not be possible because of company policy and/or local law. How exactly this will be perceived depends a lot on the location, local culture and company culture.
Your best shot is to ask "discreetly" if that's possible. Contact one person that you feel is most likely to keep this private: hiring manager, recruiter, HR person. Just be open and politely ask, but do not demand or be pushy. Be prepared to accept "no" as an answer.
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
answered 11 hours ago
Hilmar
25.9k66278
25.9k66278
add a comment |
add a comment |
Ask if you can start early. In some places that is possible, in other places it isn't. One advantage for them is that you might be able to meet with the person you are replacing before their last day. That early start could put a few hours into the previous pay period, and get some money a few weeks earlier.
Asking for an advance won't be approved, because they would be taking a risk that you wouldn't show up. The signing bonus should have been negotiated in advance. In places where they did give a bonus it wasn't actually given to the person until they started working. It just made the first check bigger, it didn't get the money weeks or months before the start date.
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
add a comment |
Ask if you can start early. In some places that is possible, in other places it isn't. One advantage for them is that you might be able to meet with the person you are replacing before their last day. That early start could put a few hours into the previous pay period, and get some money a few weeks earlier.
Asking for an advance won't be approved, because they would be taking a risk that you wouldn't show up. The signing bonus should have been negotiated in advance. In places where they did give a bonus it wasn't actually given to the person until they started working. It just made the first check bigger, it didn't get the money weeks or months before the start date.
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
add a comment |
Ask if you can start early. In some places that is possible, in other places it isn't. One advantage for them is that you might be able to meet with the person you are replacing before their last day. That early start could put a few hours into the previous pay period, and get some money a few weeks earlier.
Asking for an advance won't be approved, because they would be taking a risk that you wouldn't show up. The signing bonus should have been negotiated in advance. In places where they did give a bonus it wasn't actually given to the person until they started working. It just made the first check bigger, it didn't get the money weeks or months before the start date.
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
Ask if you can start early. In some places that is possible, in other places it isn't. One advantage for them is that you might be able to meet with the person you are replacing before their last day. That early start could put a few hours into the previous pay period, and get some money a few weeks earlier.
Asking for an advance won't be approved, because they would be taking a risk that you wouldn't show up. The signing bonus should have been negotiated in advance. In places where they did give a bonus it wasn't actually given to the person until they started working. It just made the first check bigger, it didn't get the money weeks or months before the start date.
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
answered 2 mins ago
mhoran_psprep
43.6k566155
43.6k566155
add a comment |
add a comment |
user97436 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user97436 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user97436 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user97436 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to The Workplace Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworkplace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f125740%2fis-it-too-late-to-ask-for-a-signing-bonus%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
2
Sounds like a terrible idea. Either you do it right away when discussing the contract, or you don't. What would you think of if they had at the time promised you a signing bonus just to two weeks later change their minds? Regarding the salary advance, that should have been asked at the right moment (when interviewing / before signing the contract)..
– devoured elysium
11 hours ago
It probably doesn't matter, but I didn't sign a contract; I responded "Yes I accept" to their e-mail. I don't know if that's closer to "verbal agreement" than "implied contract" or what. They haven't completed the background check, so technically they haven't committed to me either.
– user97436
11 hours ago
1
It sounds like you gave a verbal commitment and the company is drawing up the contract. You can still negotiate if you haven't signed the contract, but it's bad etiquette to do so unless you have another competing offer and you want the company to match or top the other offer.
– jcmack
11 hours ago
You haven't signed anything yet, so you could try to ask for a signing bonus. But, you also haven't signed anything yet, so they could say "thanks but no thanks, we'll hire someone else." Food for thought.
– Steve-O
10 hours ago