Several years ago, I was in charge of staffing for a new credit card customer service center that was planning to hire 2,100 employees.
During the interview process with one prospective candidate, I brought an abrupt halt to his employment candidacy because he declined to answer one of my standard questions: “What are your compensation expectations?”
Why so fast on the rejection trigger?
Because I simply wasn’t willing to risk wasting my time or the time of others’ in the organization without knowing if we even had a chance of making a job offer he would accept.
If the candidate feared being rejected because his compensation requirements were too high, he could have avoided the issue by saying he was looking for compensation that was “fair and represented a win/win” for the both company and himself.
While that wouldn’t have gotten him off the hook, I would have considered it a nice first try and pressed him again for a specific dollar amount. At that point, he then should have provided me with a range spanning from his bare minimum to what he really hoped to earn and adding “It really depends on the responsibilities and scope of the position.”
In most cases, that would have given me a general idea of whether we were even in the same ballpark.
So, while I was prepared to give that person some latitude as to how to answer the compensation question, a flat-out refusal clearly wasn’t one of those options.
When the question of compensation comes up in the interview, respond accordingly. The right response could be a win-win for both of you.
Did you find this article helpful? Learn how to get a new job fast with more insightful tips by visiting www.navinstitute.com.
Prior to launching Navigator Executive Advisors and the Navigator Institute, Matt Durfee held Senior Vice President, Vice President and executive-level Human Resources positions in a number of the world’s most admired companies including Pepsi Cola, Nestle, Frito-Lay International, Hard Rock Cafe, Bank One, Cendant, and Centex Homes. His expertise in career development & leadership transition, change management, and executive development is supplemented with extensive experience in roles ranging from the business unit level to the Board of Directors. His international corporate experience is supplemented with a two-session assignment for the U.S. Council for International Business to represent national employer interests at the European United Nations/I.L.O. in Geneva, Switzerland. Matt earned his Master’s degree in Labor & Industrial Relations from Michigan State University and subsequently completed an executive program in Financial Analysis at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Mr. Durfee,
This is great advice for when one is in an interview situation however, what would you suggest for an online application process that only allows you to enter a number and not a range?
I have just graduated and have no experience so I am not expecting to receive a large salary but I do not want to short change myself by entering a value much lower than they would be willing to pay. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Joshua
Sure:
Determine a salary that reflects what you think is realistic and fair and
then reduce it by 25% (so if you think you should be earning $48,000 insert
$36,000 instead). This increases the odds your candidacy will neither be
eliminated because it’s too high or that you will be wasting your time
pursuing a position that’s not even in the ballpark of what you’d accept.
It’s important to keep in mind that you are NOT bound by this figure should
you later receive an offer for that exact amount. As it’s impossible for
you to know everything you would need to give them an acceptable salary
BEFORE you even have interviewed for the job, you have every right to try to
negotiate for more once the offer has been extended. For instance, if they
press you for an explanation as to why you are trying to negotiate a salary
higher than what you stated on the online application, your response could
be something like, “Based on what I learned in the interview, the job are
responsibilities are greater than what I had initially expected.”
Importantly, the lower salary figure got you in the door where you could
sell them on your interest, abilities and fit. Once they have decided they
want to hire you, you stand a better chance of negotiating a higher salary.
Just make sure you request any enhancements in an upbeat, enthusiastic and
appreciative manner so that they will continue to like you and want you to
be part of the organization. Good luck!