Q: How do I establish a realistic salary range?
A: Thoroughly check newspapers, trade journals, private employment agencies, state employment offices, companies employing workers with your skills, professional trade associations, and executive recruiters. From your research decide on three figures:
Aspiration level: What is the highest salary you could earn?
Midrange figure: What would you accept after making some concessions?
Bottom line: What is the lowest salary you would accept for a job?
Q: At what point in the interview process should salary be discussed?
A: Don't discuss salary until you are certain you have a firm job offer.
Q: How do I avoid naming too low a figure?
A: Let the employer state a salary range first. Ask something like, "This position sounds like one which would put my abilities to good use. What is the salary range?"
Q: How do I sell my services for the highest price?
A: Be prepared to emphasize your accomplishments, not your needs. Do not hesitate to restate selling points about yourself that you made earlier. Be prepared with concrete evidence of your productivity. If the employer balks at your expectations, try to negotiate a salary review at the end of six months.
Q: How important are fringe benefits? Can good benefits substitute for salary?
A: There are many benefits that can substitute for salary. They include: travel benefits like those airline employees receive, goods at a discount, extra insurance plans or dental coverage, educational assistance, profit sharing or stock options, reduced-interest loans, and company cars.
Winning Interview Strategies
- You are punctual. You check ahead to be sure you know how to get there. If the personnel office is part of a larger complex or in a sizable office building you arrive at the main entrance 15 minutes before the hour of your appointment.
- You act naturally and courteously.
- You dress in businesslike clothing. As a guideline you ask yourself, "What do successful people in this line of work wear?" and dress accordingly.
- You listen to the questions carefully. Taking a few seconds to think about your answer, you answer clearly and concisely. You do not exaggerate your abilities or experience.
- You respond to all questions. If it is to your advantage, you volunteer information which might concern the interviewer but cannot be legally asked.
- You remember to use the names of the interviewers. You rivet your attention to every introduction. If you don't catch the name, you ask that it be repeated. You use the names as you answer the questions.
- You maintain a posture of interest. You try to establish eye contact with the interviewer as this implies sincerity.
- You are prepared with questions about the job and the company that you are entitled to know: salary range, responsibilities, benefits, supervision and evaluation policies, advancement opportunities.
- You are prepared with credentials and references. You have checked the names, addresses, and phone numbers of former employers and references are spelled correctly and are up-to-date.
- You show serious interest in the job. You are enthusiastic and self-confident.
- You do not criticize yourself or other people.
- You avoid emotional answers or wise-cracks.
- You do not smoke.
- You thank the interviewer at the end of the interview, and send a written thank-you within the next few days.
- You show no interest in the organization.
- You cannot express yourself clearly.
- You use poor grammar.
- You want to start at the top.
- You have no career commitment, evident purpose in life.
- You are unwilling to consider additional training in new skill areas.
- You act cynical, intolerant.
- You have a sloppy personal appearance.
- You act overly aggressive, pushy, conceited.
- You put down your last bosses.
- You are evasive about your past work record.
- You have poor body language, lack of eye contact with the interviewer, a weak handshake, slumpy posture.
- You act nervous, gesture frequently.
- You act negative about school.
- You lack a sense of humor.
You have not brought along any information that you need about former employers, their addresses or telephone numbers. You have to ask for a telephone directory to fill out the forms, and then you leave it lying carelessly where you used it without bothering to return it to its place.
You show that you know nothing whatever about the company by looking startled and saying, "Oh, do you make electrical insulators? I didn't know that! What else do you make?"
You hold up the interviewer from other work that he or she has to do and continue to ask questions after the person has already indicated that the interview is over. This mistake is especially bad if the questions and your ongoing conversation have nothing whatever to do with the interview or anything of interest to the interviewer.
You fail to thank the interviewer.
