All good points in this article (click here), with one personal caveat*
- Bulletproof your resume
- Set Clear Time Limits
- Refuse to share salary details *within reason
- Get a read on where they are in the hiring process
- “I’m interested in this job, and I want it!”
When I am interviewing a prospective candidates, salary is not the first topic of conversation and I prefer when it’s not the first thing you ask about, unless you highly suspect this role is going to be completely out of your ball park. Making placements primarily in fulltime, direct-hire roles, I prefer to work with candidates who are more interested in the overall opportunity and not just seeking the highest dollar (if that’s your goal, stick with consulting while you still enjoy the intense travel and having to constantly be on the lookout of your next assignment).
That being said, I know money is obviously important. Are you worried you are currently paid under-market? A good recruiting/hiring manager will be understanding of this and would actually be your best ally to help you get up to current market comp. If you simply apply online you are often forced to put your current salary from the get-go. If you know you are making significantly more than what the position offers, then you have to ask yourself a few questions, primarily why would you even consider this role? A 5-10k cut in salary is understandable when you are seeking a better quality-of-life (i.e. getting off the road as a consultant). Cutting much more than that is going to make everyone involved question your long-term commitment (including yourself, I hope). What’s going to happen when the market improves and you are presented with more money? If you love the whole opportunity, you will probably stick around, but if you took a drastic pay cut for a job you didn’t really love, we all know you will jump ship ASAP.
Bottom line on the salary issue:
- Know your audience
- Be prepared with some good reasons
- If you know it’s likely out of the ballpark save everyone time and just tell us what you’re making. A good recruiter won’t automatically nix you if there is good reason.