Post # 1
Member
1312 posts
Bumble bee
I went to 3 interviews for an internal position recently for what I came to realize is a mid-senior level job. I’ve been at my entry-level job for just over 2 years.
I started a thread about how to answer the dreaded salary expectation question, because they asked me after my 3rd interview. I ended up saying that I didn’t have a hard and fast number because I didn’t know what position level the job is, and I asked the hiring manager what it is.
In his reply to me, he wouldn’t answer my question and just said we’ll talk after the holidays. So I phoned up HR and found out that the job is 3 levels higher than mine!!! Which means the very minimum pay level is 50% higher than my current salary, or it would be 33% higher than my salary come January, when my current bosses promised me a raise!
I gather that, because the manager wouldn’t answer my question about the position level, he must realize that this new job is much higher than my current level. That’s fine. But where do I go from here?
If he offeres me 25% more than my current pay, do I let him know that I looked up the position level and know it should start at more? Or do I just negotiate based on things I know for sure warrant a higher salary, like my multilingualism? Or should I agree to a lower rate now, and ask for a promise from them to review my performance in 3 or 6 months and boost it to what the proper pay level should be?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Post # 3
Member
1639 posts
Bumble bee
@ChicFoodist: I’m not sure how it works in Canada, but your salary will be determined not just by the position title, but also by your experience. if they believe you have the sufficient experience for the role, they will pay accordingly, but if they see you more as a junior hire (and were hoping to hire someone more experienced), they may pay less.
You will need to do your research to understand what a person with your # of years of experience would receive in a similar role with similar responsibilities. Basically, the number you give them is not what you’re making now, but what the market would offer for a person like you, in a similar industry, similar position. Hope this helps!
Post # 4
Member
1639 posts
Bumble bee
Post # 5
Member
1312 posts
Bumble bee
@melonseeds: Thanks for the link! 🙂 Will read everything over. Maybe I’m jumping the gun though…after all, I don’t have an actual offer yet. But now that I know what the position level is supposed to be equivalent too, I’m worried about how I’ll handle things when I get lowballed. I just so badly want to even be earning the very minimum amount in that salary range!
Post # 6
Member
3265 posts
Sugar bee
@ChicFoodist: I would tell them that you researched the salaries at the level and understand that the starting salary for that level was XXXXXXX and that you think you deserve either the starting because you don’t have experience at that level or more because of x,y,z reason.
Post # 7
Member
922 posts
Busy bee
I think you have more wiggle room to negotiate especially because you already work there. So I think you would be okay to do so! Especially since you did your research. You should definitely sell your multilingualism and experience to get to the salary level you want to be at. I wouldn’t take the lower offer and ask them to promise me a review and raise in a few months. Those are never guaranteed. Like you said, you should expect to make at least the minimum for that position! I think that’s totally fair.
A got a new job with a new company recently, and the salary offer was 30% more than I previously made. I didn’t negotiate at all because it was a great offer for my age and experience, and I would feel uncomfortable or greedy doing so.
Also, did your research pertain to your specific geographic area? I know that makes a huge difference in salaries.
Post # 8
Member
1312 posts
Bumble bee
@andielovesj: I’m going to try to do that! It’s just that the starting IS 50% higher than what I’m currently making…and HR did say they dont always go by position levels but more by expertise/experience… let’s hope I get an offer soon though!!!
Post # 9
Member
3265 posts
Sugar bee
@ChicFoodist: It’s just an opening spot in negotiations. You can adjust up or down from there.
Post # 10
Member
1769 posts
Buzzing bee
I work in HR…so. I mean, whatever. I don’t claim to be an expert on these things, but it is what I do for a living.
We recently had a position open that we had targeted at 70-80k, based on experience (so a pretty big range). We ended up hiring two people, one of which had the slightly less than the basic experience needed (person A), and one who had a ton of experience and could be seen as overqualified (person B).
It was a big move up for person A, and this person said they were looking for 60k when we asked them about salary. We offered person A 68k, because we felt like she deserved it, was mildly underqualified but showed excellent potiential and as a company we were willing to overcompensate her at the beginning of her employment to get her to stick around.
Person B, on the other hand, we offered 90k.
As an aside, it is one of my biggest pet peeves when candidates tell me “Well, I looked this position up and it should pay xyz”. I’ve done a lot of research online from what the internet says position X should make versus what we actually pay and they RARELY match, or are even close (and I’ve worked in the nonprofit industry in the Midwest and the for-profit industry on the East coast). You should always be asking for a salary based on YOUR skills and qualifications, not what the internet says it should be.
If they call you up and make you an offer, I would negotiate based on your skills, but know that you’re negotiating salary for a position that you admit is a big jump for you. I would caution you against negotiating too hard because you “know” the minimum for the position – you don’t want to start off on a bad foot, and they likely aren’t going to pay you the typical minimum for the position if you’re underqualified (even minimally so).
Post # 11
Member
1639 posts
Bumble bee
Yes i completely agree. I would redefine the lowball. If you have 100% of what they are looking for and they do not give the minimum of the job, then they are lowballing. However, from your posts it does sound like you have less experience for the job, so I do not expect you will get the higher range. You should go in confident with a number that is suited for how much experience you have, not what the title should be.
Post # 12
Member
1312 posts
Bumble bee
@StL.Ashley:
@melonseeds:
@highschoolhoneys:
@andielovesj:
Thanks for the input, bees! I definitely do not want to rub anyone the wrong way, least of all the hiring manager.
I talked to another aunt who hires and manages lots of people and she basically broke it down to how much I want to leave this job (very much) vs how much they might want me (not sure how much but I think I’m a very strong contender), and figuring out my bottom line from there so I know where to negotiate from.
The thing is that this new job is a huge jump in position level (and therefore pay), but it’s not beyond my abilities at all – actually, I’m way overqualified for my current job, and this new job would be able to utilize my skills completely.
While I don’t have the 5 years of industry experience and any kind of financial designation (which is preferred), I have over 2 years of intensive field experience that is the most relevant to this job, and nobody else in the country has as much experience as I do using those precise tools (which I’d have to train people on using). And I have all the soft skills in spades. Plus I’m multilingual and they really need someone who speaks French, in addition to someone who has strong tech skills.
So I think that’s where my value is.
I guess I’ll just have to see if they throw a number on the table! If they don’t, I have a much better idea of what I’d suggest.
Thanks, bees! 🙂
Post # 14
Member
748 posts
Busy bee
@ChicFoodist: Ask for whatever the position is worth. I AlWAYS negotiate..and I always get more money. Women especially are notorious for not negotiating their salary and end up making less then men. Get out there and get your piece of the pie!
Post # 15
Member
1041 posts
Bumble bee
@irishphoenix: +1000000!
I was bumped up the ladder at my current place of employment unexpectedly when my supervisor decided to leave the company. I was offered her spot, with a new title (better than the one she left vacant), and a halfway decent salary increase before I could really process the fact that she was leaving. I threw back a number at them that was a good 10% more than they offered me in the first place, and they green lighted it without batting an eye.
Post # 16
Member
748 posts
Busy bee
@ANGELaaimt: Yes Ma’am. I flipped my salary 40k in 3 years. Know your worth ladies!
