HR People: Please Include Salary Expectations

[yvr girl]

I hate this. Do I absolutely need to include these with a resume if they ask for them?

[JVS]

1. Just put "One Milllion Dollars" and a pic of Dr. Evil with pinky on lip

[Deja Q]

2. It's a psychological game.

[JVS]

3. Yeah, but ou can't answer with "fuck you and your head games"

[Deja Q]

4. Precisely. They want their respondents to be submissive.

[JVS]

5. So what is your solution?

How does one play best?

[Deja Q]

8. Find my thread of recent.

I don't know how to play their game.

I just want to do the job.

And if I'm deemed incompatible, so be it. Applesauce happens.

[LaurenG]

6. Do it

When I ask for that I expect it. It's part of the process; can this person follow directions? Those applicants who don't include it will find their resume in the circular file.

With that said put down a higher amount than you need and negotiate.

[Dangerously Amused]

7. A lot of people just put down "negotiable."

They will always ask you to throw out a number first, and then work down from that. You can counter by asking them what they think would be a reasonable starting salary for a person with your experience.

[RoyGBiv]

9. Yes, include them ...

Answer anything reasonable they ask.

Whether it matters depends partly on the job for which you are applying. "Negotiable" is acceptable for some jobs, but not all.

A hiring manager for a job with an advertised salary, usually hourly wage, wants to know if you actually read the job posting and are willing to work for that wage. In this case, your answer should be the advertised wage, no more, no less.

For a job that requires specialization and that attracts applicants that may have prospects elsewhere, they often want to know if they can afford your expectations. Be honest here, but base it on what you can determine about what others doing the same or similar jobs in the area are making. They also may be trying to gage how extensive your research into the company is and whether you fully understand the job for which you are applying.

I have hired employees for places that advertised an hourly wage. With few exceptions, those who didn't answer this question on a job application or didn't include it in a resume' when asked were people who interviewed very poorly. They weren't obviously ambitious, displayed little motivation, and basically came across as people who wanted to punch a clock and not be bothered with things like actual work. Not answering this wasn't ever a deal-breaker with me, but it made me suspicious of their actual expectations, and I'd ask about it directly in the interview. It is much easier to answer this question on paper than it is when an interviewer throws out the question verbally, particularly in the context of "Why didn't you answer this question?" Unless you've thought about it beforehand, you won't answer this well, and if you have thought about it, you may as well put it in your resume.

All that said, some companies just put that there because it's part of some generic form they use. They may want it for some applicants and not care for others. If it were me and I wanted the job, however, I'd be safe and include it anyway.

[yvr girl]

10. Is a large range OK

with a caveat regarding the entire compensation package?

[RoyGBiv]

11. Certainly ...

I mean, be realistic, and don't do anything like set the upper limit to double your expectations nor your lower limit anything less than what you are truly willing to accept. Factoring in benefits is, imo, a good idea. It shows attention to detail and the kind of mind that views issues by looking at all angles. And by that I mean that, as someone implied above, there's more to the question than just asking what you want to be paid. They're trying to get a handle on who you are and what kind of employee you'll make.

Keep in mind, as far as my advice goes, that I hired employees for an hourly wage, so negotiation wasn't an issue, and my advice may have limited application in your case. I did, however, like to know what the employee expected, and I never took off points for applicants giving a range, as long as the advertised wage was somewhere in that range. Giving an upper limit above that showed a desire for advancement, which often indicates a greater willingness to try to excel.