Salary Negotiations Positioning

Most often when a company is interested in pursuing your candidacy, you will receive a telephone job interview call. One purpose of this call is to make sure you meet the minimum position requirements including pay rate fit.

The first step in the salary negotiations dance usually comes during this telephone screening interview.

Well into the call the recruiter may ask something like, "How much are you looking for in the way of pay?" (When you get this question it's a buying signal!)

Most people will name a specific pay rate. You, however, will be smarter than that. Recognize what she really wants to know.

A recruiter wants to know whether what you're looking for falls within the hiring range the company is willing to pay someone to start in this position.

That's it. So that's all you're going to tell her. But first you need to determine what the position hiring range is.

Your goal at this juncture is to position your candidacy not negotiate salary.

Instead of answering the recruiter's question directly say something like, "I want to get paid what the position is worth to your company." Then ask, "What's the hiring range for this position?" (Remember to "smile when you say that".)

A good recruiter will be prepared for this question and will have an answer for you. If the range she gives is impossibly wide ask whether she's quoting the position salary range or the hiring range.

If she doesn't know the difference in all probability it's the position salary range. In this case assume for decision making purposes that the hiring range is in the lower one-half to one-third of the position's total salary range.

When the hiring authority is doing the screening and she can't or won't give you a range ask if the pay range is within the going market range. (You will know what this is because of your research.) If necessary you can quote "the market pay range based on your research".

Do not quote your personal range during the screening call. Name a "market range" with the top end slightly 10% higher than your personal range. The caller should be able to give you either a yes or no. She may even give you an adjusted "market salary range" to fit her opportunity.

Once you have this information you need to decide whether to keep going down this particular job seeking road.

If appropriate you can let the recruiter or hiring manager know that your salary requirements are within her range. Enough said. (This hiring range information will help you during the pre-negotiation phase as well as during the actual salary negotiations down the road.)

If your requirements are above the hiring range consider carefully whether to continue your pursuit of this opportunity. There's a 90% chance it will be a big waste of your time and the hiring authority's time to do so.

If you decide not to pursue the opportunity. Tell the caller in a pleasant but business like way that her hiring range does not meet your requirements. Be sure to tell her also that you appreciate her time and consideration of your candidacy.