As you know, I am fond of comparing interviewing to dating. And why not? The goals are the same: a prosperous, long-term relationship.

Sadly, I’ve heard from more than one friend lately who thought he had made a wise commitment, only to learn after the honeymoon was over that it was not a good match. In retrospect, he realized more questions should have been asked before making a commitment.

I know what you’re thinking. Is Claire referring to dating or employment?

Exactly.

Here are some questions that would serve us well to ask before taking the plunge – whether you’re on a date or a job interview.

1. How long was your prior relationship? How about the relationship before that?
   Here you’re looking for a track record. If past tenures were all short, this could be a potential red flag.
2. What happened to the last person in this position?  Did he/she choose to leave or was the person summarily dismissed? Why?
   Again, you are looking for patterns and potential problems. Is everyone heading for the hills for the same reason? Does this person have standards that are impossible to reach?
3. What have you learned from your prior relationships? If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently?
   With these questions you are trying to determine if your potential partner becomes wiser with experience or if he/she continually makes the same mistakes. You are also looking for signs of humility; does the person admit fault? Or does blame always get passed along to others?
4. What are you looking for in your next relationship? What are the traits that will make this person successful? And how do you define success?
   Are you what they want? Or would you have to pretend to be someone you’re not to keep them happy? Do you share the same values? And do you think success is attainable as defined?
5. If I were to ask the people who know you best for their honest assessment of you, what would they tell me? Would you mind if I talked to some of them, including the person who was last in this position?
   If the person breaks out into hives when you ask these questions, you may have touched a nerve. Are they trying to hide something? Or do they welcome the opportunity for you to learn more?
6. What can you tell me about long-term possibilities and growth?
   Here you are trying to asses your long-term potential with this partner. Do you see opportunities for growth or are you sitting down with a commitment-phobe who doesn’t have your best interests at heart?
7. If I were to join you, how are we going to change the world?
   Does your potential mate have a vision for the future? Does his/her response inspire you?
8. Are you a dog person, a cat person, both, or neither? Explain.
   Clearly, this question gets at long-term compatibility.

I’m curious to hear from you about your own experience. What questions have you found to be valuable? And what questions have you kicked yourself for not asking? And is anyone aware of a cat person and a dog person who live together in harmony?

Talent Tip #82: Five MORE Tips for Discussing Salary During Your Job Hunt

Last month we offered you five fabulous tips for discussing salary during your job search — all for the low, low price of zero dollars. Amazing, right? What if I told you I would throw in five BONUS tips for FREE (plus shipping and handling) this month?!

Well, in true infomercial fashion, I’m going to do it. But remember, this is a limited time offer!

1. Know Thy Market – As we discussed last month, you’ll want to consider market conditions when determining your desired salary range. Make sure to take into account current economic trends, cost of living, demand for your skill set, etc. One of the quickest ways to be eliminated from the running in a job search is to ask for an outlandish salary that doesn’t reflect the current market (and your market value!).  This is especially true when you’re interviewing with a nonprofit organization. Remember that 990s will provide useful information about an organization’s recent budget and pay scale.

2. Stop Talking – If you haven’t already provided salary information in an application or cover letter, you might find yourself sitting in front of the hiring manager and being asked, “What is your desired salary?”It sounds daunting, but of course, you’ve already done your homework and you have a range ready. So, you say it. And then what? Nothing.

The best bit of salary advice I’ve gotten came from a fellow who told me, “After you answer the salary question, stop talking.” Too many people can’t stand the deafening silence that occurs after the number has been uttered; therefore, they keep talking…and talk themselves right down to a lower salary.

Let’s all learn something from Joe Biden and know when to stop talking.

3. Don’t Play Reindeer Games – Pretty please with sugar on top: resist the temptation to play games during salary discussions. Don’t ask for a higher salary than you want because you are worried about being low-balled. Don’t attempt to play multiple organizations off each other in hopes of ratcheting up competing offers. Don’t be evasive, dishonest, or manipulative.

4. Bring Up Salary if They Don’t – Once in a while I’ll hear from a candidate who tells me something like this: “I have had multiple phone interview with an organization and now they want to fly me across the country for in-person interviews. While that’s great news, they have yet to ask me about salary. Is that a problem?” Well, if you value time and money (yours and theirs), YES!

Why fly across the country for an interview before knowing if you and the hiring organization are on the same page (or at least the same chapter!) in terms of salary?   Out of respect for yourself and the organization, bring up the topic before a flight is booked. It doesn’t have to be awkward or painful; simply say, “I would love the opportunity to interview in person. Before we do that, though, I thought it would make sense to briefly discuss salary to make sure we’re roughly on the same page.”  Hiring managers will appreciate your thoughtfulness — especially if it turns out you’re worlds apart and you save them $1500 in airfare and hotel charges! The situation is less dramatic with local interviews, but the point remains.

I’ll never forget hearing from a executive who told me he interviewed a candidate five times and only asked about salary right before making an offer.  The candidate wanted a full 50k more than he could afford to pay. Oops. (And that, my friends, is why I ask about salary up-front; I value my clients’ and candidates’ time too much to do otherwise!)

5. Consider the Complete Package – When you get an offer, don’t just look at base salary. Consider bonus potential, health insurance, retirement benefits, cost of living (if you’re moving to a new city), growth potential, and other perks (gym memberships, parking, tuition reimbursement, etc.). Don’t be afraid to ask questions about specifics, as the devil is often in the details.  For instance, if the organization is touting BIG bonus potential, ask what the average bonus was last year. If they sheepishly reply it was $100 and a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club, good to know that up-front!

Talent Tip #81: Five Tips for Discussing Salary During Your Job Hunt 

Life is full of painful but necessary events: visiting the dentist…paying taxes…watching a Lifetime movie marathon at the request of that special someone…discussing salary during a job hunt.

Unfortunately, I’m not well-equipped to help you deal with the first three; but on that last one, I’ve got you covered! In fact, I’ve put together ten tips to help make the process painless. Here are the first few:

 

1.   Be Ready to Answer the Question, “What is Your Current Salary?”  – If you’re applying for a job, you’re going to get asked about salary at some point. Don’t be caught off guard when the question gets tossed your way. And, for the love of money (pun intended), be ready to answer!

You would be surprised how many people cannot actually remember their exact current salary (“Well, I was making 60k, but I think I got a raise last year to 62,500…or maybe it was 63k. I don’t know.”). Before you start your job hunt, pull out your W2s, 1099s, or last year’s tax returns and figure it out. In addition to salary, you should also know how much you made in bonus and a rough idea of your benefits package.

UPDATE JANUARY 2018: Several states and cities around the country have started banning employers from asking candidates about previous salaries during the hiring process. Furthermore, employers are prohibited from taking a candidate’s pay history into account when determining a new salary offer. Please visit here for more on this topic.

2.   Be Ready to Answer the Question, “What is Your Desired Salary?” – Another critical piece of information you’ll need at the ready is your desired salary. I usually suggest candidates have a range instead of just one number so that you have built-in flexibility. A range should span roughly 5-10k for mid-level employees and 10-20k+ for senior staff with higher salaries.

3.   Don’t Give the Heisman – Sometimes candidates try to hedge when asked direct questions about salary. My favorite candidate response is, “I’d prefer to talk about salary later in the process.” Well, I’d prefer to be independently wealthy and have fewer crow’s feet, but we can’t always get what we want.

In all seriousness, think about why hiring organizations want to know a candidate’s salary expectations up front. It’s because they have limited resources (time and money), and it simply doesn’t make sense to invest hours of interviews with someone whose requirements are significantly higher than the organization can afford. So, instead of stonewalling, be ready to provide your range with a smile on your face.

4.   Honesty is the Best Policy – As noted above, you will likely be asked about your current salary. You may even be asked for a salary history dating back some years. Whatever numbers you are asked for, be honest. Some organizations engage in employment verification to confirm prior employment and salary. If a candidate is caught in a lie, it’s all over but the shouting.

5.   Do Your Homework – Some of you probably read #2 above and thought, “But how do I know what my range should be?” It’s not as complicated as some think; but you will need to take into account a menagerie of factors, including your most recent salary/salary history, your experience, your tenure in each position, the role at hand, the budget of the hiring organization, geography, education, and market conditions. The more homework you do, the more comfortable you will be when it comes time to discuss salary with a potential employer.

 

Due to space constraints, I’ll save the last five tips for next month’s e-newsletter. In the meantime, I’d suggest visiting the dentist and blocking the Lifetime channel from your cable package.