"What are your salary expectations?"

muffy

"What are your salary expectations?"

I've been filling out online job applications lately (for retail, bar works things like that) and this question has come up... how do you answer it? I have five years retail experience, I know how much I can expect to earn... should I say 11er p/h, or give a monthly figure? How do I quantify what I expect to earn and how does it effect the selection process?

qwertz

Consider putting in negotiable or will discss in person.

seamus

I'm pretty sure employers find "negotiable" or "call for more information" to be equally as annoying and offputting as jobseekers find those phrases.

OP, generally where you're paid monthly it's considered a salary, whereas when you're paid weekly and/or by the hour, it's considered a wage. So if you're asked for salary expectation, then stick down a yearly figure. Try to give something exact and not a range. So "circa 30k" says more than "25,000 - 35,000" and it shows that you actually know what you want as opposed to just chancing your arm to see what you can get.

The question is usually asked though as filter to get rid of anyone who's overqualified or expecting too much, so don't think about it too much.

doolox

If you go for an exact figure they may reject you for the sake of 1 or 2 k and that would be unfortunate.

It is better to be working, off the dole etc. and get a better paying position if one arises.

The job hunt doesn't stop when you get a job.

In this climate and with the power firmly in the employers hands the job hunt should never stop.

I'd go for a range about 3-5k wide. If you get the lower then at least you have a job. If you get the higher, well done. Chances are if you quote an exact figure that is what you'll get, even if the buddy beside you gets 5k more..........

With big multinationals pay is not as "flexible" and a certain figure will be set for starters. Pay varies with how well you perform at reviews and how well you sell yourself. Expect to spend at least a few hours a week recording your work performance and gathering data and feedback to support your pitch at review time..........

eth0_

BMREDU permabanned for spamming.

muffy

doolox wrote: »

If you go for an exact figure they may reject you for the sake of 1 or 2 k and that would be unfortunate.

It is better to be working, off the dole etc. and get a better paying position if one arises.

The job hunt doesn't stop when you get a job.

In this climate and with the power firmly in the employers hands the job hunt should never stop.

I'd go for a range about 3-5k wide. If you get the lower then at least you have a job. If you get the higher, well done. Chances are if you quote an exact figure that is what you'll get, even if the buddy beside you gets 5k more..........

With big multinationals pay is not as "flexible" and a certain figure will be set for starters. Pay varies with how well you perform at reviews and how well you sell yourself. Expect to spend at least a few hours a week recording your work performance and gathering data and feedback to support your pitch at review time..........

Do they really judge what you write down though? I can understand for career type jobs, but I am applying for retail or bar jobs. For example the McDonalds application form asked me this, an I said 9er an hour as that is what I currently earn, even though it mentions that the role in question is €9.71 an hour.
I think I will just write negotiable from now on... as to put down too low a figure could mean I don't value my skills and experience, to high just looks silly!

Stheno

muffy wrote: »

I said 9er an hour as that is what I currently earn, even though it mentions that the role in question is €9.71 an hour.

I'm not trying to be a smartass here, but if you know what McDonalds are paying for the role, they certainly aren't going to negotiate as it will be fixed, why don't you just put down that you expect €9.71 per hour?

tenchi-fan

muffy wrote: »

"What are your salary expectations?"

I've been filling out online job applications lately (for retail, bar works things like that) and this question has come up... how do you answer it? I have five years retail experience, I know how much I can expect to earn... should I say 11er p/h, or give a monthly figure? How do I quantify what I expect to earn and how does it effect the selection process?

For online job applications, you are best talking in ranges rather than exact figures. If it gives you a box, say "Given my 5 years experience I expect a salary in the 21k-24k range."

The idea here is not to scare them off before you're even called to interview, but also not to say something too low that you will be tied to at a later date.

muffy

nouggatti wrote: »

I'm not trying to be a smartass here, but if you know what McDonalds are paying for the role, they certainly aren't going to negotiate as it will be fixed, why don't you just put down that you expect €9.71 per hour?

This is my point, why put the figure there and then ask what I expect to earn, I expect to earn €9.71 p/h! I considered it almost like "how much to do you think you deserve to earn?"

tenchi-fan wrote: »

For online job applications, you are best talking in ranges rather than exact figures. If it gives you a box, say "Given my 5 years experience I expect a salary in the 21k-24k range."

The idea here is not to scare them off before you're even called to interview, but also not to say something too low that you will be tied to at a later date.

Thanks, that is sound advice, I really was looking to see how best to phrase it.

chappy

Be very careful with retail jobs..even with experience they are offering a lot less then even a year ago and I have had people say a figure that would have been acceptable a few years ago and not be considered for the position because we wouldn't think they would be prepared to take what we are offering...I would maybe put something like company standard?

Mrs OBumble

I only ever say "market rate for the job".

It's a BS question, IMHO.

dan_d

What happens if they give a drop down menu, with say salaries in 5k increments? With no option to fill anything out?

I just hate having to answer that, because I wonder do they go through the applications and narrow them down using salary expectations as a citeria, so I never know what to put down.

tenchi-fan

JustMary wrote: »

I only ever say "market rate for the job".

It's a BS question, IMHO.

It's a bs question at application stage... if you have no idea of the salary the job pays you should scope this out before applying.
It's a trickier question at interview stage.. you're not meant to discuss salary at an interview. Someone less experienced in interviews might answer the question "what do you expect from this job" by answering "€25000"!
It's only really when you have been offered the job that salary is up for negotiation.