Five ways to respond to prospective employer’s salary-requirement question
Dear Sam: When applying for jobs, I’ve noticed that companies sometimes ask for salary history and/or salary requirements. I’ve been self employed for the last few years, so my income has fluctuated and I don’t quite know how to word it. And when newspaper ads ask for salary requirements, I’m never comfortable. In the past, I’ve said “in the range of” but then stated that it was negotiable. I’m afraid of pricing myself too high and being pushed out of the running, or stating a figure so low that I’d have a hard time living on it. I also don’t want to sound like I’m not worth a good salary; my skills and experience have value. — Pat
Dear Pat: You can certainly state that your requirements are flexible, but of course you risk elimination, as you haven’t really answered the employer’s question. I’d try to avoid providing a salary history if possible, strictly because of your self employment and salary fluctuations. If you must provide a salary history, you may want to present it in your cover letter instead of the traditional technique, which is to list it on your resume. This would allow you to explain that your salary history while self employed varied greatly and is not indicative of your current needs. When asked for a salary requirement however, there are a few standard approaches, five of which I have detailed below along with their associated risks. Remember to include this information on your cover letter, usually towards the end to minimize any negative impact it may have. Never offer salary requirements unless specifically requested. Before responding to a salary-requirement question, you need to know what you want to be paid, what you are worth and what the trends are within the industry, employers and geographic location in which you are applying. If you are relocating, you’ll also have to do some research on whether the cost of living differs from your current location. Do as much research as you can in order to make an informed decision when stating your requirements.
Response One
Tell the hiring manager what you want to earn. If you have a base salary requirement, state it as such; this will let the hiring manager know that you probably expect a little more. The risk in using this approach is that you will be immediately disqualified if your amount is too high or too low.
Response Two
Give the hiring manager a wide range, such as “mid $50s” or “$50-$60K.” Most employers have a salary range for each position, and the hope when using this strategy is that your ranges overlap at some point. The challenge is to not present a range where your lowest amount is their highest available compensation or vice versa. You could secure a job earning $50K instead of $56K just because you put your range as $5060K. Hence the first strategy of “mid 50s” might work more to your favor.
Response Three
Avoid the question by stating that you are seeking competitive compensation for someone in your field, or are flexible, depending on the total compensation package. By doing this you avoid disqualifying yourself because of a number, yet you answered the question to a certain degree. By using the second approach, you also let the hiring manager know that you realize that there is more to a compensation package than just your salary. Attractive benefit programs, a great work environment, flexible schedules, etc., also contribute to your total compensation package. The risk here is that you will be eliminated anyway because you didn’t give the hiring manager a hard number.
Response Four
Say that you would love to discuss your salary requirement once a mutual interest has been established. This gives you the opportunity to assess the functions of the position for which you are applying, and fairly evaluate what you should be compensated for such an engagement. Again, the risk is that you will be eliminated for avoiding the question.
Response Five
Don’t respond to the question at all. A lot of candidates take this approach and hope their experience, accomplishments and skills will pull them through despite avoiding the question entirely. Unfortunately, if you disregard their request, you resume might also be disregarded. At the end of the day, you have to make an educated decision on which strategy you want to employ, and whether the risk involved it worth taking. — Samantha Nolan is a certified professional resume writer and the owner of Nolan Branding, a full-service resume-writing firm. Email resume or job-search questions to dearsam@ nolanbranding.com. To find out more about Nolan and her services, visit www.nolanbranding.com, or call 614-570-3442 or 888-952-3928.