Dawn Williams No Comments

Rule #1: As a candidate you don’t want to be the first one to bring this up. Do not fall into the trap thinking you are comfortable enough to bring it up. Normally, salary doesn’t come up during the first interview, especially if you have more than one interview to go to. The perception from the client or the interviewer is, if you bring salary up first, that is the most important or the only thing that is important to you. You’ve got to make sure you showcase your accomplishments before talking money. It shouldn’t be just about money; it should be about many different things. Don’t get caught in that trap and bring it up to soon. Rule #2: Go in armed with information. If you’re working with a recruiter, you likely know the salary range but if you’re not, you’re flying blind. But there is nothing to say that you can’t go in forearmed. So that means going to website, government websites as well; there are lots of public websites that talk about salary. What about trade associations? People you know in the industry? Some university professors are equipped with that kind of information. Don’t fly blind Rule #3: Showcase your talents. This means being very specific about what you bring the table. How you saved x-amount of money for your employer? Have you brought in y-amount of money with this amount of bottom-line contribution? Make sure you know what your value is before you go into that interview. Rule #4: If asked about salary expectations, you might want to ask, “Prior to answering this question, I need to know more about the job.” You don’t want to run into a trap where you are maybe setting yourself for a job that is below you, too far above you, or asking for too much or too little. So, try and deflect that question. I know sometimes you must answer that question, so go in with a range; but the only way you’re going to have a reasonable range is if you’ve done your research. Keep in mind, some jobs you just have to walk away from. The client is asking for a laundry list and is not willing to pay for it. But it’s okay, you have gained some interview and salary negotiations experience. I hope these tips have helped! I’m Dawn Williams from Sirius Personnel. I can be reached on LinkedIn and Twitter. Happy Selling!