There was an interesting article on Yahoo today by Jane Porter titled:
The article brings up some really good points. For instance it suggests the following:
- Don’t sell yourself short and make sure that you take your benefits into mind when thinking about your salary needs
- Have a range instead of a single figure
Both of these are excellent suggestions. That said I really disagree with some of the other suggestions made in the article. Here’s why:
Avoid Talking Numbers Early On
I personally believe that companies are sick and tired of the gamesmanship that goes along with this situation.
Interviewer: What are your salary expectations?
Interviewee: I’d like to think that salary is one of many things that motivates me. Can we talk about something else?
Nothing pisses someone off more than answering a question with a non-answer. Why are we so afraid to discuss salary in this world? If you salary needs are way out of line with what the company wants to pay one of three things will happen. They will not hire you because they can’t afford you. They will be so impressed with you that they will try to get more money in the budget. They will be so impressed with you that they will try to talk you into taking less money. I have never once heard an employer say that they hired someone because they were successfully evasive about the salary question.
In my estimation you should be honest and give a fair range with a justification for your needs. Use statements like:
- In my most recent position I was making X, I realize that it is competitive out there and because of this I have some flexibility?
- I’m currently making X, I’d really like to be in this range as incentive to make a move.
I truly believe that people never make moves because of compensation but most definitely don’t make moves because of it. If you are honest about what you want and need at the beginning you have a higher likelihood of getting what you want and need.
Remember Where you are Coming From
In all this one isn’t so bad except for one statement. You most definitely should be realistic about your situation. If you are unemployed and have been for awhile you should be prepared for a cut in this economy. This is not a hard and fast rule and depends on your skill set.
However, the article quotes Don Huerzler, someone who must be very well respected, as saying that if you are employed you should accept no less than a 20% increase in salary to make a move. Let this sink in for a second…
20%
This kind of thinking is asinine and the kind of advice that stops people from furthering their career. If the only reason you are making a move is for the money then you have your priorities wrong. You should be making a move because it puts you in a positive financial situation and a better situation overall. That said – most of the companies I talk to are usually comfortable with increases in the 10% range.
Handling the Low Ball Offer
This is an antiquated notion. Most companies I work with really try to put their best foot forward. I’m sure that there are some organizations that make offers expecting someone to negotiation back and forth but the reality is that people want to get this done so that they can start doing business. So if you are not happy with an offered salary – you can definitely go back and negotiate. However, you need to have reasons to do so. Back up your argument with statements like:
- When I take this job X will change about my life and I will need X to make it work out financially
- I haven’t had a raise in x years and feel that my salary needs to be at X to be more in line with the market
Also remember that only in vacuum is an offer solely representative of the companies estimation of your worth. There are other factors that include budget, salary equity and other things. It is really dangerous to approach an offer thinking that the company expects you to counter. I have worked with several places that will just pull the offer rather then negotiate.
Taking Time to Decide
I don’t really take exception here. I just have my own thoughts to add. You most definitely should take your time with making a decision. That said I believe that companies typically expect to hear from you within 24 – 48 hours. However, the timing isn’t as important as definition is. When you get an offer you should set expectations about when they can hear from you – if it is longer than a couple of days you should give a reason why. Taking too long to make a decision gives the impression that you are waiting on something else and noone likes to feel like they are the second choice for prom.
Well – there’s my rant for this week. As always if you have any comments or suggestions you can leave them below or email me at sthompson@insurance-csg.com
Check out some of my recent articles on the blog here:
No comments:
Post a Comment