Benefits: The employer trick that lowers your job offer[html]
In the November 28, 2017 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader interviews for a job at an acceptable salary, only to learn the employee benefits would mean a 20% reduction in compensation. Question Well, thanks for hitting me between the eyes… again. I'm talking about your recent column, More Money: What to ask for in a talent shortage. I was rationalizing a pursuit of a job offer.
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Darn it... and it was a good one, too, about what to do if the benefits package means a lower net compensation for the job under consideration.
Short version: don't take that job, don't proceed with the interview. Let the recruiter know, quite honestly on your part, that the overall compensation is a step down and you're not prepared financially for such a move. If there is a way to fix that, most likely through increased base pay or guaranteed annual bonus, then you can keep going with the interview.
I know from experience that shaking your head and showing honest disappointment is one of the strongest negotiating positions. Don't get mad. Get sad, shrug shoulders, sigh, look resigned, slowly start to turn around. If there's nothing that they can do, then there's nothing that they can do. But most people really try hard to do something at that point, and that's where you make progress towards the win-win.