soverby

the employer should be willing to pay "market". they've done research to find out what that # is and so should you -- glassdoor and salary.com are pretty good. also if you know people doing similar work, try to get their range. They are going to bid at the low end of the range and you should ask at the high end. where you end up depends on who wants whom more. if this is your dream job probably a good idea to not push too hard.

my advice is to be forthright in whatever market research you come up with. Lay out what you think is market using market data and have an open discussion about why your number should be higher or lower. always be cordial. be rational, not emotional.

smuggycfa

Good advice from jbaldyga.

Just remember that "market" is defined both by the job duties and the level of experience and authority that the position entails. So just looking at the position name, they can say "well, yes, but you're not going to be a *complete* portfolio coffee assistant, and so this job shouldn't pay as much for that.

But remember that that knife can cut both ways, you can argue, "well, thye market is paying PM bathroom assistants around X-Y, but you also are asking me to do flush attribution, which involves an extra set of skills, so that really demands an extra Z."

Your first salvo should be your "best defensible offer." It doesn't have be your "most reasonable offer," but it should have some kind of justification for where these numbers are coming from. Generally, you choose the higher of:

"My market research for positions like this is X-Y, and I'm in the high range of that because of Z, and you're also asking me to do A, so that really requires an extra B on top of that."

or...

"I'm currently making X, and I can reasonably expect to make X + Y% next year. I'm fairly happy where I am, so it would take X+Z% to make it appealing to move." Z% is higher than what you would truly settle for because they will very likely counteroffer less.


Also, have a sense of 1) what you think a fair offer is, 2) what is your lowest acceptable offer, and 3) what is your BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement). This informs you of how to respond to their counteroffers.

spreads

^ lol @ portfolio coffee assistant

Muddahudda

Just to be clear, I'm not making fun of the OP, just trying to make it fun to read.

eoin

Here's a question, when dealing with recruitment consultants and they want to know your current salary in that pre-meeting conversation (i.e. when they are sizing up whether or not you are suitable for the role), what do you say? Add 20% to your current salary??

hoangvu90

If you are being adequately paid at your current job, be honest. If you are being underpaid, give them the salary/bonus/benefits total number. That way, honest mistake if they catch you on it. At that point, you can say it more accurately reflects what you should be making as a base as you feel you are currently under-compensated.

former

Lying about your compensation is a terrible idea.

zephyranalyst

ohai Wrote:
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> Lying about your compensation is a terrible idea.


Lying in during interviews is a terrible idea, period!

troymo

absolutely. NEVER LIE! they can and will check. Imagine this scenario: you lie about your salary, inflating it. You get the job offer. You accept it and quit your current job. When you join the company, they complete the background check and find that you lied. You are immediately fired, not only that, your name will go around (it's a small world!) You WILL have to verify your salary with tax returns if not pay stubs .... I didn't get