Dear Liz,
I’m starting a new job search and the part that’s throwing me is the salary history part. I don’t want to share my last salary, which was low for my skill-set. I want to hear what they’re willing to pay, before I say anything about salary. I’ve heard that you should wait until you get an offer and take it from there. What do you think?
Thanks,
Marianne
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Dear Marianne,
If you wait until you get an offer, the salary you’re offered could be insultingly low. At that point, it’s nearly impossible to re-start the compensation conversation on a more appropriate level. They’ve pegged you for a lower-level (salary wise) person than you are, and the worst part is that you’d have only yourself to blame. It’s essential to bring up the salary issue before things progress that far.
A great time to bring up salary is in the email or phone exchange during which the company invites you for a second interview. You can say “Oh, Thursday morning might be great, let me check….now, would this be a good time for us to synch up on compensation?”
I wouldn’t commit to the second interview until you know that you and the employer are in the same salary ballpark. If the person who calls you or emails you to set up the interview isn’t the one who can discuss salary, no problem. If they say, “Well, you’ll need to talk to Jane about that when you’re here,” you’ll say “Let’s do this; have Jane call me, and we can sort this out and then confirm the interview.” After all, it’s not only a waste of your time, but a waste of their time as well to conduct a second interview if there’s no match between your target range, and theirs.
That said, you’ve got to price yourself. You can’t wait to hear what the company is planning to pay. When you catch up with the person who can discuss salary, they’re not likely to share the salary range with you. They’re going to ask you “What did you get paid at ABC Graphics?” You’ll say, “In this search, I’m focusing on jobs in the $60K range. Does that mesh with your target range?” They may ask you again “What were you earning before?” You’ll smile (especially important on the phone!) and say “If this job pays around sixty thousand, it makes sense for us to talk. Will that work?” You don’t have to give up your last comp package. It’s nobody’s business, and it’s irrelevant. If they want you, and they can pay sixty thousand for your services, you’re in business.
A lot of employers will ask you to include a salary history in your resume or cover letter. Instead, include a line in your cover letter that says “I’m focusing on roles in the $60,000 range.” That will give them the information they need to screen you in or out. They don’t need a year-by-year, job-by-job salary history.
What if you shoot too high, and price yourself out of a good assignment? That’s where Glassdoor.com comes in. You’ve got to do your salary research ahead of time, so that you have a good handle on what any particular job is likely to pay, before you apply for it. I encourage every job seeker to price him- or herself like a house. You’ve never seen a home or condo listing that said “Make us an offer and we’ll talk.” The sellers tell you what they want to get for the house. As job seekers, we need to do the same thing.
In 2010, a job seeker needs to hit the market with a strong sense of his or her brand, value, and market comp level. This is no time for a trial-and-error approach.
Cheers,
Liz
