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» Take Charge of Salary Questions
Once a prospective employer starts talking money, as in how
much you currently earn, it's hard not to panic. And while
it may seem like the only option is to simply answer the question,
this is the time to choose your words carefully. In fact, how
you respond to those initial salary questions plays a crucial
role in determining whether your final pay package is excellent
or just enough.
Employers use salary information to decide how much they need
to offer to get you to consider the job. By providing salary
information to a potential employer, you limit your ability
to negotiate a compensation package that reflects your true
market value. If you are currently underpaid, providing that
information will ensure that you remain so.
The best way to deal with the salary issue is to avoid it.
However, you need to do that tactfully and in a way that will
not upset your prospective employer. At the same time, if you
handle it correctly, an employer trying to recruit you will
not want to press the issue for fear of angering you.
If you can delay discussions about salary, or keep them vague,
until an employer wants to hire you, you can often get an offer
without providing detailed salary information at all. If hiring
managers do not have that information, they will be forced
to base their offer on your market value rather than your current
salary.
The following are
various scenarios when your salary history
may be requested and possible ways you can respond:
Salary Information Requested on the Application
The issue of what you are earning is likely to arise before
you even start the interview process, when you are asked to
fill out an application. Most applications have a section that
asks for salary history. Many online job postings and ads in
newspapers also ask for this information. Some even warn that
you won't be considered if you don't provide salary information.
Sometimes you can get away by simply ignoring the request.
Another way to deal with this question is to state that you "will
discuss it in person." Occasionally, you will not be considered
for a job if you do not provide this information; more often
than not, though, if you have marketed yourself well, you will
be able to get an interview without disclosing your current
salary.
Questions About Salary from the Interviewer
When the interviewer asks you about your salary, your goal
remains the same -- delay talking about it or keep the discussions
vague. You might try saying something like, "It is not
about the salary; it is about the job. If it's the right job
for me and I am the right person for it, salary won't be an
issue." Then you can turn it around and ask what the employer
has budgeted for the position. If you have to talk about compensation,
be general and talk about your total compensation. For example,
if your salary, potential bonus and stock options are worth
$46,000, maximize it by saying something like, "My total
annual compensation is in the mid-five figures."
When the Recruiter Asks
Recruiters generally seek salary information for a different
purpose. Since they usually are paid based on a percentage
of your first year's compensation, it is in their interest
for the offer to be higher. They want to know your salary to
avoid recommending a candidate, only to find out later that
the company and the candidate cannot agree on salary. Therefore,
the tactics that work with companies to avoid discussing salary
will not work with most recruiters. They will insist on having
salary information. Providing the information to the recruiter,
though, will hurt your ability to negotiate. Remember the recruiter
works for the company and whatever you tell the recruiter will
usually be passed on to the company.
Even though a company generally has a salary range for a position,
it is never set in stone. Once a hiring manager has decided
you are the best candidate, he will find ways to pay more,
if necessary. The goal is to get all the key players to really
want to hire you before talking about salary.
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