What Salary Are You Seeking?
Although most of the questions in a job interview are designed to see if you would work well within the company culture, there are also practical questions. There has long been a pervading idea that discussing salary is somehow crass, as if the primary reason people work is something other than being able to support their families and pay their bills. In previous years, it was considered bad form for a candidate to inquire about the salary for the position. Thankfully, this has changed.
The amount of money you will be making is important. The potential employer knows that you want a fair salary that will compensate you well for the work you will be doing. However, salary remains a sticky subject for many people. Please listen to what I’m about to say: employment is a business transaction. You are exchanging your services for payment, just as any company exchanges its goods and services for payment. You should not be shy about discussing what that payment will be.
With that being said, how do you bring up the question of salary, or how do you answer it when it’s posed to you? Compensation should be one of the first topics discussed in the recruiting process because it is the ONE factor that can immediately eliminate your interest in the position and vice versa.
To effectively discuss salary, you need to know your worth. What are comparable salary ranges for someone in your industry, at your level, with your background? Similarly, the hiring company should have done its due diligence and conducted industry benchmarking for salary. This doesn’t always happen. Companies often rely on lazy recruiting tactics and don’t research salary before talking to candidates. This is part of the reason many of them want to know your salary history. Not only is basing salary on previous earnings bad business, but it is also illegal in many US jurisdictions.
It is perfectly appropriate for you to inquire about the salary range during an initial screening interview. “Could you let me know the budgeted salary range for this position?” Give them a range if they push back and want you to name a number first. “I am seeking something with a salary in the range of $X and $Y, and will also consider other benefits that come as part of the compensation package.” You might think that giving a range tells the employer the lowest salary you will accept. That’s not entirely true. You’re saying you have flexibility along a finite continuum and will look at the whole comp package to review any offer.
The bottom line is that it is acceptable and becoming more expected on both sides of the desk and that salary range is an initial discussion point. I would caution anyone not to look only at the base salary being offered but to consider other forms of compensation the company might offer. Before accepting any offer, it is incumbent upon you to analyze not only the base salary but also any variable pay component, cost of medical/dental benefits, and any retirement plans, among other things.