Candidate Salary Questions

Just interested in gaining some insight on this topic:

It seems most recruiters/interviewers/hiring managers are very put off by a candidate asking salary questions early on. While I agree that a candidate should be looking for a good overall fit - not just perks - I actually appreciated those who let me know up front that they absolutely could not take a $10K pay cut or the like so as not to waste either of our time.

Obviously that's a more extreme example, but it seems the case that not all jobs that are at the same level are compensated on the same level (especially in certain industries).

So, do you think it make sense to spend time going through 3+ interviews just to find there's no meeting point? Or do you ever discuss a range up front?

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Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on January 19, 2012 at 5:58pm

I always discuss salary in the phone screen. There is no interview with my hiring managers if we're not in the ballpark.

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Permalink Reply by Tiffany Nugent on January 20, 2012 at 11:48am

I always bring up the salary in the phone screen. Some candidates are uncomfortable with discussing it that early, but I agree with Amy, if we can come to an agreement of range, they don't get in front of the hiring managers. I also follow up at the end of the process, when I do the final(HR) interview and make sure they haven't changed their minds.

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Permalink Reply by Autumn McReynolds on January 20, 2012 at 11:56am

Thanks for the responses - and that's how I had been operating as well. Obviously not the first thing discussed, but no reason to pass them along if there's no way it could work. For those organizations that skip the phone screen and go right to in-person interviews, though, is it appropriate to discuss during the initial contact or wait until a 2nd or 3rd? I'm sure many hiring managers have their own feelings about this, but there are very mixed messages being sent to job seekers, as far as job seeker blogs and articles go.

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Permalink Reply by Tiffany Nugent on January 20, 2012 at 11:59am

As part of our ATS, we have pre-screen questions for every resume submission. They include salary history and requirements. Some candidates don't answer, but most are forthcoming. Sometimes, we skip the phone screen by the recruiter, and if so, I address the salary my first encounter with them, or I encourage our hiring managers to bring it up. I'd rather have it brought up in the first interview, than have them come back 3 times before we find out it won't work. I feel it's not a great WOW to the candidate at all.

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Permalink Reply by Simon Wilkins on January 20, 2012 at 1:43pm

I always ask "What's the least amount of money you will work for?" It always gets a good reaction. Then the subject is really easy to work with and then asking current and anticipated earnings, just flows...

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on January 20, 2012 at 7:03pm

Most of the advice being offered to job seekers telling them not to talk about salary , say they are negotible or any of that clap trap is being offered up by folks who have not hired anybody or recruited anybody for a job. Most companies are not trying to get the most they can for the least they have to pay. They have budgets, salary scales and a certain range they can offer. When any of us need or want to buy something one of the very first considerations is cost. Employing someone is no different. An employer is buying someone's skills in exchange for a paycheck. When we are buying and selling we are all normally willing to pay a little more or take a little less depending on what it is and how much we want it.

Keyword a little, so an employer has to have some idea early on what range a candidate is in and a candidate has to have an idea of some kind of range the employer can consider paying. Talk about the job for 10 minutes, talk about the skills for ten minutes if that looks like a fit then we have to get to the make it or break it of money. If we are in the same ball park we can normally make it work. If not, we can't. Not asking early or releasing a salary range early is like spending a month looking at, test driving and talking about a jag when you know you can only afford a Ford. Be real, get it out of the way early on both sides.. If not it's just tire kicking on both sides.

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Permalink Reply by Autumn McReynolds on January 20, 2012 at 7:24pm

I absolutely agree with the car analogy. This really came about after seeing one of the major new networks screaming about the 'Top 5 Things to Never Say in an Interview'. And after watching the CEO of the company talk about why job seekers should never ask about salary until a second or third interview, I had to scratch my head a little and wonder, 'What's the point of waiting?'

Again, I understand there should be some initial screening to see if there's even a good fit before covering specifics and also that a range may be able to be assumed for certain roles, but it just seems strange that job seekers are constantly being told not to discuss it until after they've spent several hours phone screening and attending 1-2 interviews.

This advice might only hold true for those who are brand new to the workforce and don't have much leverage as far as salary goes for an entry-level role with no previous experience. But even then, there's cost of living, bills, etc... for them to keep in mind.

Sandra McCartt said:

Most of the advice being offered to job seekers telling them not to talk about salary , say they are negotible or any of that clap trap is being offered up by folks who have not hired anybody or recruited anybody for a job. Most companies are not trying to get the most they can for the least they have to pay. They have budgets, salary scales and a certain range they can offer. When any of us need or want to buy something one of the very first considerations is cost. Employing someone is no different. An employer is buying someone's skills in exchange for a paycheck. When we are buying and selling we are all normally willing to pay a little more or take a little less depending on what it is and how much we want it.

Keyword a little, so an employer has to have some idea early on what range a candidate is in and a candidate has to have an idea of some kind of range the employer can consider paying. Talk about the job for 10 minutes, talk about the skills for ten minutes if that looks like a fit then we have to get to the make it or break it of money. If we are in the same ball park we can normally make it work. If not, we can't. Not asking early or releasing a salary range early is like spending a month looking at, test driving and talking about a jag when you know you can only afford a Ford. Be real, get it out of the way early on both sides.. If not it's just tire kicking on both sides.