Don’t get n-n-nervous about salary

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Most people are uncomfortable talking about salary, particularly when job hunting.

We rarely talk about it at work, and wouldn't dream of comparing notes at a cocktail party, so it's no wonder our minds turn to mush when it comes to -- God forbid -- our own salary negotiations. We all silently trust that "whatever the job pays" will be fair.

Employers, on the other hand, realize that they are renting a performance -- a set of skills, abilities, talents and time. As in many other investments, they know there may be give and take on both sides before a fair, mutually satisfying price is reached.

But let's be realistic. If a top-notch employee falls into a company's lap at a bargain price, no one will complain -- with the exception of the employee, once the honeymoon is over.

So it's in your best long-term career interest to do some smart bargaining while you still hold some cards. (Not to mention it being in the company's best interest to hire a satisfied employee who feels fairly compensated.)

Some employers start this bargaining early by asking candidates to include salary information with their letters of application. The following reader is looking for a smooth way out of this sticky situation.

Dear Joan:
Recently in many "help wanted ads" (blind) they ask for a resume with salary desired. Is it appropriated to list it on the cover letter or resume? Would stating "negotiable" or just listing "present salary range" be correct?

Thanks for your help.

Answer:
It's understandable that you would raise this question, since sound salary advice seems to be absent from most job-hunting books.

Let's start with whether you should include salary information in the first place. I would recommend including it if it is asked for. All the employment professionals I contacted in the Milwaukee area agreed: If they ask for salary information, they want to see it. Usually, companies ask for this information because the job for which they are hiring could attract a wide range of applicants, all with a different price tag. It's simply an efficient way to save shopping time.

As one employer put it, "I hate to get all fired up about a resume only to find out we can't afford that person." And another, "We ask for salary on the application anyway, so if we call that person in for an interview and the salary is out of line, it's just a big waste of time for both of us." Another claimed that she wouldn't interview anyone who "couldn't follow simple directions."

Where to put it?
So much for the easy part. Now it gets tougher. Where do you put salary information and how do you state it?

If you have had your resume professionally printed you will want to send it out to many employers, and not all of them will request salary information. So, it makes sense to omit it from your resume and include it in a cover letter.

The employers I questioned said "negotiable" was "wishy-washy" or "sounded desperate." Stating "present salary range" falls into the same category as "negotiable."

The trick is to give employers a figure that will serve their purposes and won't screen you out prematurely or hurt you later during negotiations.

Let's look at your options. You can state your current salary or you can add to that figure whatever it will take to get you to move from your present job. The risk you run with these approaches is that they are somewhat limiting, and you may wind up with little more than you started with.

If you list a range of, say, $25,000 to $30,000, you have put a ceiling on what you will accept. This is also limiting your options because you have failed to consider all the non-cash benefits like variable hours, company car, health benefits, vacation time, pension plan, growth potential, etc., that a company may offer.

In addition, you have no way of knowing all the job requirements and job potential by reading an ad. By listing a range you may wipe out the possibility of lateral transfer that offers more job satisfaction or growth potential.

Good alternative
A good alternative may be to say, "low to mid-twenties," or "upper thirties -- negotiable based on the challenge and potential for growth." If you are in a fluctuating area like sales you could say, "Over the last four years my income has ranged from $40,000 to $50,000." These approaches give the employer a clue, but still leave room for negotiation.

If you don't have a good idea of what to ask for (recent college graduates and career changers often face this problem), you can follow Marilyn Moats Kennedy's advice in her book, "Salary Strategies." She suggests calling employment agencies, professional organizations to determine the current market price on a job.

To obtain information from a professional organization like the American Management Society or American Society for Training and Development, she recommends calling the membership chairperson to ask if a recent salary survey is available. If it is not available, she suggests asking for five names of people from the membership directory who hold positions similar to the one you are looking for.

She maintains that if you offer to share the results of your information survey with them, most people are willing to share this information, particularly if you ask them for the salary their organization would pay for the job you describe if it were to be filled tomorrow (not their personal salary, but a range).

Source book
Be sure to ask, however, for a description of the job responsibilities, job level relative to others in that specialty, education and experience requirements and any special benefits their company offers, to get an accurate picture of the job.

If you don't know what professional associations exist in your field, go to the library and look in "Gayle's Encyclopedia of Associations." Write to the various headquarters listed to get the names of local chapter board members.

One closing piece of advice on blind ads. Companies use them for a variety of reasons. If you have any concerns about your resume winding up back at your current employer, seal it in a stamped, self-addressed envelope with a note taped to the front, "If this is going to ACME Manufacturing Co., do not send -- return to address listed." Enclose this within another envelope addressed to the box number.

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions?  Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd?  Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You’re Worth on a New Job (Detailed, special report)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, special report)
The Resume that Gets Results and the Interview that Gets the Job (37 page, detailed instructions)