April 11, 2008 at 7:18 am
I would never volunteer what I made at previous jobs. When asked that question I would respond with a salary range and tell them I am flexible and interested in the job responsibilities and duties as well as the total compensation package.
Total comp being things like healthcare, vacation, life insurance, holidays, short/long term disability, dental, vision, 401k, matching of 401k, profit sharing, bonus, etc.. (in no particular order).
If I was unsure about a job level, I would ask them the level so that we don't end up interviewing for a job that we have no intention on taking because the salary is way off.
April 11, 2008 at 7:23 am
Trader Sam (4/11/2008)
Once when I was moving from a state that had state income tax to one that didn't, the person trying to hire me was using that as an excuse to not increase my salary over the present. He said, 'you won't have to pay state income tax so that is like getting an automatic 7-8% raise if you come in at your current salary'. I politely told him that income taxes had nothing to do with my market value.
I recently moved to Dallas Tx and got that response repeatedly that living here was like an 8% immediate raise. I replied, "That's true Sir. However, you also have 2.5% higher sales tax, vehicular inspections and taxes, toll roads, higher costs of living in housing, food and other necessities."
Almost to a person, they were surprised I was ready for that "argument."
April 11, 2008 at 7:25 am
Interesting commments and I definitely think you should avoid giving it to them first. If they ask, ask what the range for the job is and you can give a "I'm in the range now" answer or something like that.
While I don't give it to companies for a job, I do usually fill out salary surveys. I think these are one way we get more money over time. If HR departments see that salaries are going up, than they start to offer more.
And hopefully you ask for more when you apply! š
April 11, 2008 at 7:27 am
jjarupan (4/11/2008)
In the process,
First you submit resume,.
Second you fill the form that need to input salary information.
Note: If you go by Head Hunter, your salary history will be there.
If you go direct to customer, they will ask you fill the form that expose previous salary.
Around here, not too many companies require you to fill out a form. They tend to rely more on a phone screening and the interview.
April 11, 2008 at 7:33 am
No, I have never and would never include or offer a salary history. It's really none of any prospective employer's business.
What IS important is your ability to demonstrate compentency in the job for which you are applying, and your prospective employer's ability to quantify it. If they want real candidates for the stated requirements, they will be offering a competitive rate. Unfortunately, I have seen too many positions that want every skill imaginable and offer $40k. This always makes me laugh.
I have even been on interview panels where candidates coming from higher paying areas were thrown out early in the process because panelists "assumed" they would be asking for or expecting more than we could offer. Word to the wise - don't assume you know your applicants' motivations. As was stated, some are intentionally looking for normal hours and understand this comes with less pay, so don't overlook them.
That being said, if you DO include a salary history or salary requirements on your resume, DO expect to be judged by it in ways you didn't expect.
April 11, 2008 at 7:35 am
I have never heard or seen anyone provide a salary history. When negotiating salary I also never make the first offer. If asked what do I expect, I respsond with what are you willing to pay? (assuming the range or salary was not advertised) If I were to say I expect $80,000 and the company is willing to pay $100,000 I am just shortchanging myself. The company must make the first offer. In one case a number of years ago I remember being offered $55,000 and it was made clear there was no negotiating. I refused the job in part because a lack of flexibility right from the outset is not a good sign. Salary is negotiated only when the company is ready to make the job offer. Without a firm signal that the company is ready to make a job offer there is no discussion of money as far as I am concerned. If they want me then we will discuss salary to see if we can agree. Only at the point of a job offer will I discuss terms -salary, vacation etc.
My 2 cents
Francis
April 11, 2008 at 7:36 am
I have worked for several companies and never provided salary history on my resumes. However, I reluctantly give a salary range when asked, so as to not give the impression Iām hiding something. It has been my experience employers always base their offer on your previous pay, and not on experience or market value. As I get older and supposedly wiser, my inclination would be to not give any salary history and be firm in negotiating a fair market price.
April 11, 2008 at 7:45 am
At some point, you're probably going to have to provide some info and not be excessively secretive, but I wouldn't think it's a good idea to put that in the initial contact. Once you've been face to face is a better time to start those discussions.
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-- FORTRAN manual for Xerox Computers --
April 11, 2008 at 7:54 am
I have a question for all the experts out there, if a job is offering a high sallary, doesn't that implicate they want you to do more on the job? ;like do xtra work? or is that not related? are the expectations the same whether they pay 70,000 or 100,000 for the same job?
thanks
April 11, 2008 at 8:04 am
A higher salary might be more of something. It could be more responsibility (junior reports, mentoring, more servers, more data), it could more pressure (24x7, 5 9s, etc), or it could be a bigger company.
Salaries are something like houses. They isn't an exact price for either. You can't say a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house costs xxx. It depends on the condition (or experience), the location, the attitude (or current market), and more.
I've gotten more money for less work and vice versa, but it does often seem that if you are paid more, they want more (work or experience).
April 11, 2008 at 8:07 am
Higher salary doesn't necessarily imply higher expectations, it may be a geographical thing. Salaries in high cost cities, New York , Tokyo, Paris might pay more just to attract people. Having said that though a higher salary is usually offered to a candiadate that may be capable of providing more knowledge or to a position where the expectation is higher. They may already have a couple of junior DBAs and would like someone with more experience capable of more debugging or guidance with their issues. Some companies have fairly open ended requirements- they need a DBA and if you are very experienced they pay fairly high and if you are more junior they will offer less. Other companies may be more rigid (eg goverment) and they might have a DBA level 2 position with a range of x-y and they best you can do is negotiate a start value that isn't the bottom of that range. The interview helps them to figure out if you are really a DBA level 2 and would fit or if you are much more senior and therefore would not be happy; or conversely if you are more junior and can't fulfill the requirments.
Francis
April 11, 2008 at 8:12 am
Salary history can help or hurt you. My husband (C++ developer) in 2000 was at a position where he was underpaid and the job market was hot. He refused to reveal salary details and got a new position (same locale) paying 62% more. The next two times he changed jobs it was not for money so he revealed his salary, arguing that he was worth at least that much.
I always revealed my salary because I hate leaving the blank empty on the employment form and would probably cave if asked point-blank anyway. It hurt me, I know. I have always made less than my husband in the same industry, same market and, twice now, at the same company.
But the last time I applied for a job, revealing my previous salary was beneficial because I had been a stay-at-home mother for 4 years and needed to prove that my rusty skill set was worth something! Now, 2 years later, I am in a situation where I deserve a market adjustment but don't want to leave the company. That's a subject for another editorial...
April 11, 2008 at 8:24 am
Having been a contractor the last 12 years, (But now a direct hire.) I would allow that I had been averaging n $ per hour when talking with the brain pimps. On direct 1099 work I would set a flat rate and stick to it on a time and materials/expenses basis. When filling out those silly application forms I usually state a total earnings per last fiscal. When asked how much I want, I tell the man that 'I will gladly entertain your strongest offer'.
April 11, 2008 at 8:47 am
House fire. Who would have thought that a house fire could be helpful? "I'm sorry. All my records went in the fire we had a few years back. I could try to give you some estimates but ..."
Covers up a bunch of stuff. All gone. š It does, though, not speak too well about data preservation skills. Kind of like missing a back up. Hey. Maybe that's why, on my last interview, that ... Aw, damn!
ATBCharles Kincaid
April 11, 2008 at 8:47 am
Steve Jones - Editor (4/11/2008)
A higher salary might be more of something. It could be more responsibility (junior reports, mentoring, more servers, more data), it could more pressure (24x7, 5 9s, etc), or it could be a bigger company.Salaries are something like houses. They isn't an exact price for either. You can't say a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house costs xxx. It depends on the condition (or experience), the location, the attitude (or current market), and more.
I've gotten more money for less work and vice versa, but it does often seem that if you are paid more, they want more (work or experience).
I personally think that nothing but bad decisions can be made by the company when they request this kind of information, so I usually refuse to supply this information. I have yet to see anything but arbitrary decisions based on arbitrary observations usually not at all backed up by any facts coming from having this information divulged. If your salary is lower than the range offered, HR reps will see this as an opportunity to offer you the low end of the range; if your salary is higher, then you're a "flight risk", ready to jump on to some other position the minute it opens up.
Each position is different, and just looking at that number gives noone any ability to know whether it's a good fit or not.
Given the fact that most job postings I run into don't even bother to post salary/compensation ranges, and that you're often walking in/applying "blind", giving them your salary info with no knowledge of the true range for that position is just giving the prospective employer altogether too much control over the situation. How can there be negotiation if there can't be some information on both sides.
I can't help but think it's a bit of an unfair practice.
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?
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