High stakes
Assertiveness key when discussing salary expectations during job interview
With any job interview, it’s always a good idea to anticipate the questions you’ll be asked and practice your answers to the point they become automatic.
During the interview, you’re doing fine. After all, you’re prepared. But there is one question you didn’t anticipate, and one that may be the most important for your personal finances – what are your salary expectations?
Kim Murphy, co-chair of the Career Development Association of P.E.I., said preparing to discuss salary expectations is similar preparing for the job interview in that you have to know your qualifications and practice communicating those qualifications to a potential employer.
The non-profit organization works with its estimated 120 members that are involved with providing career services and information to clients.
An issue in salary discussions is that some applicants can be modest about their skill set.
“The biggest thing I hear back from clients is: ‘I don’t want to brag about myself,’” she said. “We certainly aren’t ones to shout into the rafters about ourselves. It’s a very uncomfortable thing for a lot of people.”
The keys to communicating salary expectations are to take the situation seriously, but moreover, be assertive.
“I think that’s a skill that not everyone has – they feel sometimes it’s a little too forward,” Murphy said. “What we encourage is for everyone to really learn to speak about their skills so it’s coming across as confident and not necessarily as aggressive.”
The CDA and its members help clients prepare for salary discus- sions through a simulation or “role play” of the process in order to help people be more comfortable about talking about the value of their skills.
“Because once you get nervous sitting in front of your employer, that’s where things go out of your brain,” she said.
Another issue is proposing a salary (or a raise) that is above what the employer is interested in paying.
“You don’t want to hit too high and sort of count yourself out of the whole thing altogether,” she said.
In terms of framing salary expectations for a new job, Murphy noted that public sector salaries can be researched to help make the salary proposal within limits. As well, the Government of Canada’s job bank has information about occupations and salaries by province and region from both private and public sectors.
With younger generations, Murphy said that once they get the information they need, they’re more comfortable discussing a salary compared to older generations. But the concern with younger generations is that they tend to be (or are labelled as) too confident during negotiations. As well, their salary expectations may be unrealistic.
“A stereotype of the millennials is that, coming in they want a raise after the second day,” she said. “I think they expect things are going to happen a lot faster. And then, you have an employer that may be from that older generation that are thinking – ‘Well, you’ve got to be working here a while before you build up any kind of credibility.’”
With requests for pay raises, Murphy said employers need to recognize staff members that are working hard for the company.
“And, I think in your small- and medium-sized business, if you want to keep good employees you have to be in the habit of recognizing the folks that are going above and beyond. Sometimes people can take that for granted if they’re not looking at the longterm.”
Detry Carragher, principal with Carvo Group and a P.e.i.-based chartered professional in human resources, agreed that applicants need to do their research, especially with the market rate for the position’s salary. With that information in hand, applicants can cite that as an answer to salary expectations as well as why they should be paid above that rate based on their qualifications.
She also said applicants that shoot too high with a salary expectation could disqualify themselves from consideration. But the conversation should always leave it open for flexibility and further discussion. At the other end, there are times that an employer may scare away a preferred candidate with a counter offer that is too low.
Other factors are whether the applicant is already employed or has been without work for a while.
“You have nothing to lose because you are employed versus the person that has $5 in their bank account. Well, I’ll take any job because I need money,” she said.
“It comes down to this power imbalance and who has the power in that situation.”
As well, if a company is desperate to fill a certain skilled position, the power to negotiate a salary would lie with the applicant.
There are also situations when applicants propose a salary that is undervaluing their qualifications or are below their previous salary.
“I know some employers will take advantage of that and say: ‘Perfect. We have somebody who will take $50,000. Why would we offer them $100,000?’ So, it’s a bit of a poker game, kind of call each other’s bluff, sometimes.”
Carragher said that situation of an applicant being willing to take less may involve the fact that they were unhappy in their previous position and are looking for a better opportunity.
“It’s not always about money,” Carragher said. “I just think employers need to be careful if they ask that question, and the person is outside that pay range – are they going to use that as a deciding factor ( whether or not to pursue that person any further)?”