"What are your salary requirements?"

[TridenT]

LOL... So you graduated with your bachelors/masters/phd(doubt) and you are going to take a $10/h job? Al-right... I know internships(that pay even more) that will basically hire if you just say you graduated with your bachelors.... :-/

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: slayer202
I saw a good article on *I think yahoo* that talked about how to deal with that question, and how to negotiate

yea I just read a few articles and the more I think about it the more the idea of this upsets me. It pisses me off enough that employers don't give ranges in ads, but asking me for my requirements first? They know the position, they know the industry, and more importantly they know exactly what work that position is doing in their firm. Why am I the one that is supposed to come up with a number? I feel like I would be capable of doing this job if it were more difficult than is outlined and is extremely important to the firm, and if that is the case $18 or so is fair. However if I am just sorting papers and it is mindless, I think $10-$13 makes sense for someone without experience. I asked a lot about the job but the trouble is it is hard to gauge the reality from what the interviewer is telling me.

I'll take the job if it is offered but if it is high responsibility at $10-$11 then they have an employee on their hands who is continuing his job hunt. They can blame this dumb system of theirs.

It's not a dumb system. It's called sales. You are selling a product and service - yourself.

The employer is the buyer and they want to get the lowest price they can. You on the other hand want to get the highest market price you can. You are in the power position, you are the car salesman and they are the mark.

It is a dumb system because I do not know exactly what the service is, but they do, and I'm asked to set the price for that service. I am selling a car and I have no idea what is under the hood.

How old are you? I don't think you're old enough to understand what is going on. Notice it says "requirements". You need to know how much you need to cover you bills. If you can't figure it out or a good estimate, you're already going to have problems. Then you need to figure out how much you deserve on top. If you know what you need and want, then you can actually have a meaningful negotiation process. It also forces you to look at yourself and justify the amount you want. I think people get too caught up in what other people are getting, instead of looking at what they need for their own situation. Besides, if you can't live off what they're offering, why would you even consider the position?

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
LOL... So you graduated with your bachelors/masters/phd(doubt) and you are going to take a $10/h job? Al-right... I know internships(that pay even more) that will basically hire if you just say you graduated with your bachelors.... :-/

I hope you understand why someone would do this because it is very important for someone your age to know. I don't care what I make when I'm 22, I care about what I will be making when I am 32. So yes I might be taking a $10k paycut per year from what is possible, but over a few years that $30k doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things if I gain more valuable experience.

 

[DamienK9]

I give a range and my low number is usually 3-4K more than I would settle for. That way, the employer would never know my bottom line. If I was doing hourly, I would say I want $16/hr if I really wanted $13+.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: slayer202
I saw a good article on *I think yahoo* that talked about how to deal with that question, and how to negotiate

yea I just read a few articles and the more I think about it the more the idea of this upsets me. It pisses me off enough that employers don't give ranges in ads, but asking me for my requirements first? They know the position, they know the industry, and more importantly they know exactly what work that position is doing in their firm. Why am I the one that is supposed to come up with a number? I feel like I would be capable of doing this job if it were more difficult than is outlined and is extremely important to the firm, and if that is the case $18 or so is fair. However if I am just sorting papers and it is mindless, I think $10-$13 makes sense for someone without experience. I asked a lot about the job but the trouble is it is hard to gauge the reality from what the interviewer is telling me.

I'll take the job if it is offered but if it is high responsibility at $10-$11 then they have an employee on their hands who is continuing his job hunt. They can blame this dumb system of theirs.

It's not a dumb system. It's called sales. You are selling a product and service - yourself.

The employer is the buyer and they want to get the lowest price they can. You on the other hand want to get the highest market price you can. You are in the power position, you are the car salesman and they are the mark.

It is a dumb system because I do not know exactly what the service is, but they do, and I'm asked to set the price for that service. I am selling a car and I have no idea what is under the hood.

How old are you? I don't think you're old enough to understand what is going on. Notice it says "requirements". You need to know how much you need to cover you bills. If you can't figure it out or a good estimate, you're already going to have problems. Then you need to figure out how much you deserve on top. If you know what you need and want, then you can actually have a meaningful negotiation process. It also forces you to look at yourself and justify the amount you want. I think people get too caught up in what other people are getting, instead of looking at what they need for their own situation. Besides, if you can't live off what they're offering, why would you even consider the position?

I know how much I want. I would be jumping for joy and feel very lucky if I got $14. $13 I'd feel relieved to not be job hunting. However, I have no job right now and could cover the bills at $10, so I am willing to take that. What you're saying disregards the service I am providing and is instead just assessing my needs, which I think are relevant in my own head but not something an employer needs to know. Yes, Mr. Employer, I can survive off $8/hour if I had to, but no I would not perform that job for you for that price.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
LOL... So you graduated with your bachelors/masters/phd(doubt) and you are going to take a $10/h job? Al-right... I know internships(that pay even more) that will basically hire if you just say you graduated with your bachelors.... :-/

I hope you understand why someone would do this because it is very important for someone your age to know. I don't care what I make when I'm 22, I care about what I will be making when I am 32. So yes I might be taking a $10k paycut per year from what is possible, but over a few years that $30k doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things if I gain more valuable experience.

And this is what I'm trying to pound into you. A walmart greeter probably makes close to that. You are setting your line, your start, and this will psychologically not allow you to realize your potential earning power.

Don't sell yourself short, it will impact you for the rest of your career. Now is the time to set the starting bar at market rate and you can move up from there. You have a college degree and people working in a factory make 30 bucks an hour. Don't sell yourself short.

What it takes to make the bills has NO IMPACT AT ALL on your compensation. Zero. You are not there to ask for a handout to pay your bills, you are there to offer a good product and at a good price.

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: slayer202
I saw a good article on *I think yahoo* that talked about how to deal with that question, and how to negotiate

yea I just read a few articles and the more I think about it the more the idea of this upsets me. It pisses me off enough that employers don't give ranges in ads, but asking me for my requirements first? They know the position, they know the industry, and more importantly they know exactly what work that position is doing in their firm. Why am I the one that is supposed to come up with a number? I feel like I would be capable of doing this job if it were more difficult than is outlined and is extremely important to the firm, and if that is the case $18 or so is fair. However if I am just sorting papers and it is mindless, I think $10-$13 makes sense for someone without experience. I asked a lot about the job but the trouble is it is hard to gauge the reality from what the interviewer is telling me.

I'll take the job if it is offered but if it is high responsibility at $10-$11 then they have an employee on their hands who is continuing his job hunt. They can blame this dumb system of theirs.

It's not a dumb system. It's called sales. You are selling a product and service - yourself.

The employer is the buyer and they want to get the lowest price they can. You on the other hand want to get the highest market price you can. You are in the power position, you are the car salesman and they are the mark.

It is a dumb system because I do not know exactly what the service is, but they do, and I'm asked to set the price for that service. I am selling a car and I have no idea what is under the hood.

How old are you? I don't think you're old enough to understand what is going on. Notice it says "requirements". You need to know how much you need to cover you bills. If you can't figure it out or a good estimate, you're already going to have problems. Then you need to figure out how much you deserve on top. If you know what you need and want, then you can actually have a meaningful negotiation process. It also forces you to look at yourself and justify the amount you want. I think people get too caught up in what other people are getting, instead of looking at what they need for their own situation. Besides, if you can't live off what they're offering, why would you even consider the position?

I know how much I want. I would be jumping for joy and feel very lucky if I got $14. $13 I'd feel relieved to not be job hunting. However, I have no job right now and could cover the bills at $10, so I am willing to take that. What you're saying disregards the service I am providing and is instead just assessing my needs, which I think are relevant in my own head but not something an employer needs to know. Yes, Mr. Employer, I can survive off $8/hour if I had to, but no I would not perform that job for you for that price.

You don't tell them your situation. You tell them the amount that that covers your needs and then whatever else you want on top. That extra is determined by how valuable you think you are to the company. Your negotiation allows you to justify your calculations to the manager. You're not going going to get very far in this world if you can't assess what you're worth and be able to negotiate it with people. If you wanted $13-14, you should have been ready to say why you're worth $13-14. It's not hard if you're prepared.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
LOL... So you graduated with your bachelors/masters/phd(doubt) and you are going to take a $10/h job? Al-right... I know internships(that pay even more) that will basically hire if you just say you graduated with your bachelors.... :-/

I hope you understand why someone would do this because it is very important for someone your age to know. I don't care what I make when I'm 22, I care about what I will be making when I am 32. So yes I might be taking a $10k paycut per year from what is possible, but over a few years that $30k doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things if I gain more valuable experience.

And this is what I'm trying to pound into you. A walmart greeter probably makes close to that. You are setting your line, your start, and this will psychologically not allow you to realize your potential earning power.

Don't sell yourself short, it will impact you for the rest of your career. Now is the time to set the starting bar at market rate and you can move up from there. You have a college degree and people working in a factory make 30 bucks an hour. Don't sell yourself short.

What it takes to make the bills has NO IMPACT AT ALL on your compensation. Zero. You are not there to ask for a handout to pay your bills, you are there to offer a good product and at a good price.

This is true thank you and mcmilljb for the advice. I screwed up this time and I don't even think I'll get an offer, but I recognized a lot of things I did wrong during the interview. It sucks that this learning experience comes during this application for a job I really wanted, the experience it gave would be perfect and the location was high in a skyscraper in the center of the city. I think next time around I will be set though, had I taken a day just to plan for this I probably would have done a lot better but all I did was research the company and return their phone call.

 

[ultimatebob]

So, did you get an offer back yet?

I got back mine... $85K. WooHoo!

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

ALWAYS A RANGE!

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
So, did you get an offer back yet?

I got back mine... $85K. WooHoo!

ha no, but I got an interview lined up tomorrow for a valet job downtown where I'd probably make more anyways while I can look for a similar position and apply all of these new things I learned. I think I've got it down pretty good now, I need to watch some Glengarry Glen Ross for motivation