Salary - when it comes up in an interview Nowadays, this comes up in the interview usually first round.
I've had some interesting reactions & discussions with the recruiter/ HR manager when it comes to this. I've answered their question in different ways but usually my ask is more than their range. I'm open to negotiation though & I do let them know that, as I'm realizing not all industries pay the same. But I've realized they really aren't the best at negotiating. Anyways, I have a couple more interviews coming up so curios as to how you all handle this question when it comes up.
Brigette Wilds
Compliance Director in North Carolina
326
09/15/21 at 12:01PM UTC
I’ve not done it but I have always wanted to say, “Tell me mid range for the band and I’ll let you know if that works.” The worse they could say is “No.”
Terri HallDigital marketer that codes!
67
09/13/21 at 3PM UTC
I find this a lot now in my job search. If I come in to high then I never hear from them again. The more I interview the more I realize this whole process is flawed. I think its fair to say that you are open to negotiation, but again it doesnt seem its about brining value to a company but more about what you are taking from their bottom line.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
21.48k
09/14/21 at 3:13AM UTC
It has absolutely nothing to do with "what you are taking from their bottom line".
It has to do with SALARY BANDS. At virtually every company besides very small ones, every single position or group of positions in the company are placed in a salary band. That salary band has a corresponding salary range. Recruiters must work within the salary range for the position.
If you're interviewing for a position that has a salary range of $90k to $110k and you tell the recruiter that you want $125k, what exactly are they supposed to do with you? Please be specific.
Anonymous
09/14/21 at 6:24PM UTC
Ok, how about this interview I had yesterday. Recruiter said that the salary was $94k. I told her sorry, my range would be $130-140k and to keep me in mind for other positions because I really loved the mission of the company. She said, oh well that's the top end of the range - am I still interested?
I said yes, but then sent an email that I was withdrawing my interest. I did not like how the salary was presented at all.
Was I off? Or, was she? She did say that she's always trying to improve her skills as a recruiter. I'm not sure if that was just a generic response or she is really new at recruiting.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
21.48k
09/14/21 at 6:56PM UTC
That's literally the definition of what I mean when I say "It has to do with SALARY BANDS".
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "Was I off? Or, was she?"
Can you elaborate?
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User deleted comment on 09/14/21 at 6:54PM UTC
Anonymous
09/13/21 at 10:09PM UTC
Yes, this is exactly what I have been experiencing! I'm going to try a different approach this time around and see how it goes.
Cheryl Neas
1.45k
09/13/21 at 1:11PM UTC
It is sometimes helpful to have conversations about the total compensation package. If one company makes a significant contribution to the cost of family healthcare, and another offers only a high-deductible plan with no other support, that can easily be a difference of $10K! If working remotely is important, not commuting can save you a lot of money. So, as someone else said, try not to be the first person to give a number. I say, "My requirements are negotiable based on the full compensation package, and if you can share the range and give me an overview of the benefits, I can let you know whether we're in the same ballpark. I can't really give you a salary number without knowing more about the total package."
In the end, what you are worth is what you are worth. But those are ways to think about negotiating if they can't meet your salary number.
Anonymous
09/13/21 at 10:07PM UTC
Thank you for sharing how you approach it, definitely will keep this in mind when the question comes around bc you're absolutely right it really depends on total comp especially when you're in the generating demand function.
Anonymous
09/13/21 at 3:34PM UTC
I agree here. I don't give a number anymore. I have found that one job title can vary in salary range by $100k. So if they ask first I often say I am flexible and ask them to explain the range and package.
Jamie Lightner
28
09/13/21 at 11:40AM UTC
Nowadays I will tell them starting wages or no less than 12.00 an hour
Anonymous
09/13/21 at 1:03PM UTC
$12/hr? You're leaving money on the table.
Jacalyn Staten
479
09/12/21 at 10:12PM UTC
Do your homework and find comps online from reputable companies and preferably from a similar industry as the job you are considering. You know what you are currently earning and I assume you are wanting to earn more since you are making a change. Go into an interview with a strong idea of what you need to earn and are willing to take. It may be the perfect job but if they are offering less than you need then it is not the perfect job.
I have been reading a lot recently that in the near future employers will start advertising a pay band with their job listing. Won't that be great!
Casey EricksonExecutive Recruiter and Leadership Coach
32
09/24/21 at 1:24PM UTC
This!!! Amazing advice to be shouted from the rooftops. As a recruiter, we are constantly presenting market data to hiring managers about ranges, only if they're willing to listen. But once they start realizing that every candidate is out of their range, is when the recalibration begins. If you come into an interview prepared it's possible that they could silently go back with that intel and recalibrate before cutting you loose.
Anonymous
09/15/21 at 12:03PM UTC
Yes! I have wasted so much time of late looking at candidates who want well over our range for the role.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
21.48k
09/12/21 at 9:02AM UTC
I have to work with very narrow salary bands. I don't really have room for negotiation. You're either ok with what I can pay you or you're not.
Yes, I have that conversation with candidates in the first conversation. It's not a big deal - I ask them what they're looking for and then we see how close we are.
Anonymous
09/13/21 at 6:20PM UTC
But if you have a narrow salary band and little room for negotiation, why are YOU not sharing that in the first place? Why do you start the conversation asking the candidate instead of saying, "Here is our range, are we close?"
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
21.48k
09/14/21 at 3:09AM UTC
Because I will have a different conversation with them depending on what their answer is.
Say my target salary is $85k and they tell me they're looking for $80k, I will say "So I have some good news for you - I think we can do even better than that, we're looking at a target of about $85k for this position."
If they tell me they're looking for $90k, I'll say "I will always try to get you as much as I possibly can (because that is 100000% true) and we're in the ballpark but the best I can probably do is around $85k. You know we're a non-profit and you're never going to make as much working here as you would at a private clinic - we have a great benefits package, as you've seen. Is $85 something you can work with?"
Jacalyn Staten
479
09/14/21 at 6:10PM UTC
I also work for a non-profit and this is definitely the conversation. The bands are very narrow and there is very little anyone can do to affect that number.
I do remember that my father once told me "they weren't willing to give you X% raise but they are willing to give X% raise to someone else." That statement caused me to reflect on why that is. It also just causing me much frustration. LOL
Anonymous
09/12/21 at 6:03PM UTC
Hi Joan,
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I guess what I should have mentioned is in these scenarios I was the one to share my # first & then I feel the recruiter writes me off / stops considering me after I say my ask, even if I say I am open to negotiation. They eventually share with me their range and it's usually $10K-$20K off from my ask.
I'm glad you work with the candidates to see how close both parties can get so everyone is happy. I wish more would do this.
Do you think the ask being off by $10K-$20K is a lot?
Thanks for your input.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
21.48k
09/14/21 at 2:19AM UTC
I'm going to preface my answer with a reminder that this stuff is all my opinion - I'm sure you could ask 4 other recruiters and get 4 other different opinions.
So, personally, I try not to either low ball or high ball myself. Money is important - there's plenty of places I could be doing volunteer work if I wanted to - but it's not the end all and be all for me. I do want to get as much as I possibly can but it's not the only thing I base my decision on.
You want to try to get them to tell you the comp first.
There are a couple of different ways you can go about this. You can ask them about the comp before they ask you. You can ask "what is the salary range for this position" and then you can ask "what is the target salary" (they're not the same thing) or you can just ask what the target is.
Say the salary range is $80k to $120k - HR usually never lets an offer go out above the midpoint of the range, so $100k. The target might be $95k.
Or, my preferred method is to wait for them to ask me what I'm looking for and instead of telling them, I ask them the questions above. I say "what's the range for this position?" and then shut up. Do not say one word until they tell you.
Then you can have whatever conversation you want with them.
The reason this is my preferred method is, if you ask them first, then they can come back with "how much are you looking for?". And unless you want to ask them again what their range is, you'll probably kind of have to answer that question about how much you're looking for first.
I will say, that I have pushed back - especially with the offshore recruiters that call me from India every day - they'll ask me what I'm looking for and I ask what the range is and they'll say "well what are you looking for?" and I say "what is your range? I know you have one, what is it?" I don't know that I'd be that blunt with an internal recruiter from a company that I really wanted to work at, but it's good practice - for having that conversation about money and being fearless about it. Sometimes I by the time I get to that point in the conversation with the offshore people, I already know I have zero interest in the position - but it's a recruiting position, so I still want to know what they're paying. Again, it's good for practice.
Now to your other question. It sounds like you're consistently coming in high on the comp. Why is that? It is that you're already making pretty good money and you're getting near the top of the salary range for your position in most places? Other reasons?
Being off by $10k to $20k is a pretty good amount to be off by, but it depends on the position too. If we're $10k off on a position that pays $250k, that's not so far off. If we're $20k off on a position that pays $80k, we're pretty far off. And if we're 20k off on a $80k position (that means you're looking for $100k), even if I can get you to accept the $80k comp, how long are you going to be happy with that? I have had clients decide not to make offers to candidates based on that alone even though the candidate swears up and down they'll be happy with the lower comp.
I know you're probably reading on this site every day about how "I gather my research, present to them how much I think I'm really worth and that I want to negotiate higher comp for myself" - hell, there's probably some of those in the answers right here in the comments on your post - but that's just not the reality I and many (most?) recruiters live in. We want to get the candidates as much as we can. First because it's the right thing to do and second, so they accept the offers we get them.
But unless you work in a really, really small company, we're working with salary bands. Even when I worked for other clients who had a bit more flexibility, you're still working with salary bands and with trying to maintain internal equity.
So more power to those folks if they are able to gather their research and negotiate more for themselves but that's not happening with the majority of companies.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Anonymous
09/14/21 at 2:58AM UTC
First off Joan, if I could I would give this comment a 1,000 likes! And thank you for taking the time to write out this with all the details and breaking it down & sharing your experience. This is the insight I needed from someone who specializes in this function. So regarding the high comp, it's bc I work in sales so that was total comp and I should have broken it down, as you said the more practice the better one gets and then has an understanding of what other organizations pay. As I had only been in one organization straight from college. Also, I'm no longer going to give my number first. I'll ask them for their range & go from there. Thank you for answering my question about how being off by $10K or $20K could be perceived, as I had heard otherwise, by someone who wasn't an expert in this area. Once again really appreciate you taking the time to respond & providing details.
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User deleted comment on 09/12/21 at 6:02PM UTC
Kristie WhiteHRPMO Inc.
2.22k
09/12/21 at 3:51AM UTC
Be aware that in negotiations, the first one who mentions the actual dollar amount loses control. Try to get them to name the range. And nothing is written in stone, there is always room for them to pay your reasonable ask.
Anonymous
09/12/21 at 12:07AM UTC
I usually do my research first for the title, responsibilities and industries I think are fair comps.
The I come armed with that market value information as well as a range I feel comfortable sharing. I usually include something like ..."and give. My experience, education and skill set I place my value in the neighborhood of $x , but of course we can discuss this"
Anonymous
09/12/21 at 6:04PM UTC
Thanks so much, I love how you word this, will use if the question comes up in these interviews.
Taylor721
14
09/12/21 at 12:03AM UTC
It is always hard to answer this question! I try to do my homework and find out what the company may be offering in similar positions or what they offered previously on old job posts.
I then also give a "wide" range with stipulations. Normally I say something along the lines of "I am open for negotiation based on the position's responsibilities, schedule and benefits offered."
If you are asked to provide a specific number range make sure you answer the question! When answering, give a range of $5-$10 per hour or $7-$10K range based on what you are willing to accept. Then take into consideration the information you are able to gather online to be competitive. I hope this helps!
Anonymous
09/12/21 at 6:06PM UTC
Yes, it really is difficult to answer especially in an industry you've never worked for, even with doing research.
I definitely like how you word that, noted. Thanks!
