Monday, November 7, 2011

Salary Guides

By Sarah Williams


SALARY INFORMATION

You might have managed to get an interview for your exciting new job ... the interview turned out well, and you've established a solid rapport with all the hiring managers ... only a couple more minutes to go ... Uh oh! They just asked about salary expectations!

Thats usually where you're going to be glad that you simply did that research in advance. If you didn't, and aren't sure where to start, here are some ideas.

Researching Salaries

If ever the salary is not really written in the position description, you will need to evaluate what the position is worth. Sometimes you may be asked to provide your expectations in your resume cover letter, in other cases it will eventually arise in an interview. But ideal idea is to be prepared for this question, as it usually comes up.

Certainly no one magic figure when aiming to determine salary for a particular position. It all depends on size of the city, market conditions, the company, geographical locaion alongside your own skills and experience compared to other applicants. So how should you learn what a job is really worth? Try try using a combination of different ways to get as accurate a range as is possible. These can include:

attempt to find similar advertised jobs which does state a salary range research salaries on the internet, using career sites, expert association sites and search engines (we've provided some starting points at the end within this article) - what is the interest in your abilities? view a local Human Resource Centre of Canada office talk to people in similar roles How to handle it when you are asked to produce salary expectations within your resume cover letter?

Many hiring managers ask applicants to present salary expectations in their cover letter. This is often utilized to screen out applicants who expect a higher salary than the employer is in a position to offer. Try to respond by way of a neutral statement, emphasizing that the opportunity is the most important consideration within your decision and that you would give consideration to any reasonable offer. If needed, provide a range of what you are happy to accept rather than a set dollar amount.

Salary discussions during the interview

Never raise up salary during interviews. Always allow the employer bring it to the table. The same principles apply as above for resume cover letters. Having said that, make an effort to postpone income discussions until after an offer is done. Indicate you are open for negotiation but would rather wait until after a hiring decision has been agreed upon. Again, if you think maybe that possibly they are really pushing on a specific figure, be sure to offer a range, not a specific dollar amount and let them know it all depends on the entire package as well as benefits.

Don't fret if salary is not discussed during the first interview. It likely will come in the next or at the very latest, once you get an offer! In fact, salary is frequently best left for discussion until after the employer has decided that they want to hire you. By this method, you minimize the chance of taking yourself out of the running.

When a deal is made - Negotiating Salary

Employers will often give you a salary amount when an offer is made. Take some time to consider it; a few days is often acceptable. Because they have decided they would like to hire you, you might be in a position to negotiate slightly. But you need to decide what you are willing to accept, taking into account the prospects of receiving other offers, etc. Take all factors under consideration when making your decision, such as the salary, level of responsibility, working conditions, opportunities for further education,, etc. Ask about extended health and dental insurance, education re-imbursement plans, vacation, etc.

Consider negotiating in a few perks instead if the organization carries a rigid salary structure. Depending on the degree of the job and current economic conditions, consider asking about a signing bonus, paid professional development, usage of your working personal computer for home use and/or stock options. A flexible time-table and operating from home occasionally may also be possible. Note: if the economy is at a downturn, a number of these perks will never be available (eg. signing bonuses) so use your judgement and sound judgment when deciding how much room you have to negotiate.

Everybody is apprehensive (in other words, scared!) about negotiating for benefits and salaries. You shouldn't be... it is extremely common. But do remember to remain professional about it! No matter what, don't be rude or arrogant. Think carefully in what makes you worth a better salary than the one they already have offered, and be willing to articulate this towards the employer. It is during this time that you'll be glad you did your homework.




About the Author:



No comments: