That Awkward Job Application Topic: Salary Expectations
Are you a candidate with complicated feelings when it comes to the topic of salary expectations? Do not worry, you are not alone. Any candidate would agree that talking about salary when you haven't signed any papers is awkward.
While there is no way to entirely erase the awkwardness that comes with this topic, there are certainly ways of helping you be more prepared and confident when faced with it. Here are a few tips:
Research the Range
You may have already gotten tired of reading job application articles that advise you to research. However, it cannot be denied that having due knowledge does work wonders for your job application. On the issue of salary expectations, you must know two things: the range for the job you are applying for across the industry and the range that the company you are applying for usually offers. JobStreet.com publishes an annual salary report on how much employees get based on specialization and industry. On the other hand, you can look for former officemates, classmates, and people in your social network who have been employed in the company you're interested in and seek their advice on what would be a good salary range to expect or ask for.
Timing is Everything
A good number of human resourceprofessionals use the salary expectations question to screen applicants as early as possible in the hiring process. Some may even require you to state how much you expect for compensation as early as your cover letter or as a field you will have to answer on an online application form. If you have indicated an expected salary that is too much for the position or for the company's reputed salary range, then you have set up yourself for elimination in the hiring process. But then, if your expectations and the salary the company is willing to give do not really match, you may have actually saved yourself from wasting time and effort.
If you are pressed for an answer, it is safer to answer a range instead of an exact figure. Just remember that even when disclosing a range, you can still remind the company that you are open to negotiations. Then, there's the option to lie and "pad" your salary. Just remember that employers can legally find out how much you earned before. If the company you are applying at finds out that you have been manipulating your salary figures to get the job, expect not to make the cut; expect to get cut!
Seal the Deal
Ultimately, the occasion for you to negotiate and talk about your salary and incentive expectations in detail is when you receive a job offer. As stated earlier, you can provide a range and even exact figures of previous salaries, but only if asked. Do not make the mistake of floating ideas or demanding a figure if you are still in the initial stages of the application process. You will feel stupid for demanding exact figures when the company was not that into you in the first place and doesn't even call you back after the initial interview.
Another mistake most candidates make is being stubborn and refusing to compromise. They have this notion that since they have already gotten this far, they already have the upper hand and the company is not in a position to refuse, because they have already invested so much time in screening you. Wrong. You have to remember that the company surely has a shortlist of candidates before singling you out for a job offer.
Thus, instead of taking a hard stand, consider and be ready to negotiate on other factors that you or the company may put on the table. You may be offered a salary that is significantly lower than your initial expectations, but the company may be open to letting you work on a flexible schedule or making you a regular employee after only three months.
In the end, the topic of salary expectations comes down to two points:
- Is the company really worth fighting for?
- Is salary your primary consideration in wanting the job?
Before going full throttle with fighting for your salary demands, you have to be sure you want to be part of the company you are negotiating with. Otherwise, you will feel like you have spent a lot of effort over nothing.
Moreover, there are other things that make up a job. Aside from salary, there are the people, the nature of the work, the perks and benefits, the office's location, the company's culture, and other things you would need to consider. If you get the salary you are expecting and you also like the other factors, then you may have hit the jackpot. But if the salary you have been offered is below your expectations, you have to weigh if the other factors can make up for the low pay and drive you to give it a try.
About JobStreet.com
JobStreet.com is a leading online job board presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. JobStreet.com currently services over 230,000 corporate hirers and over 15 million jobseekers in its database.
About SEEK Asia
JobStreet.com and jobsDB are part of SEEK Asia, which is the leading online employment market place in Asia. SEEK Asia covers 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
SEEK Asia is the extension of the Australian Securities Exchange listed company called SEEK. The company's purpose is to help improve people's lives through a better career. SEEK Asia's database consist of over 500,000 corporate hirers and over 24 million candidates.
For more information about this article, or to schedule an interview with JobStreet.com Philippines, please call Mark Nichol Turija, Content Marketing Specialist, at 286-6222.
