There’s that question on the job application about salary again. What are you supposed to answer when you’re asked what your salary was at your last customer service job? You can avoid it by answering “Salary was in line with experience and responsibilities” but the question is still going to pop up in your interview.
Why do we avoid the question about salaries? One of the problems is that if the salary offered is lower than what you had been making, the employer may feel you won’t take the job they’re offering. If your salary was lower than what they can offer you, they can save money if their offer was going to be higher.
If you’re asked what you expect to earn, that’s a more beneficial question. If you have done your homework and some research, you’ll know what that particular job is worth. Just remember to keep in mind any benefit packages they may be offering. If they include vacation time, insurance, 401K, paid lunches or travel expenses, this has to be considered in the amount you’re considering. This gives the employer an idea of what you have in mind and can lead to a discussion of whether that amount is what they were offering.
Suppose you have no recourse but to write down your salary in your application. Don’t lie about what your last salary was. You may think you should’ve gotten more but writing in a “wish” amount is a bad idea. It can be checked very easily and then it will show you were untruthful. If you write truthfully what you made but feel you should’ve made more, you can explain. Maybe the business was small and couldn’t afford more. Or your technical experience should qualify you for more money. If it’s a face to face question and you can’t avoid it, then you can give a salary range that is within the standard range of that particular job. You can mention that the salary depends on the job’s responsibilities and benefits package.
The purpose of salary talks is for the employer to get an idea of what they think you’re worth and what the company wants to offer for your expertise. A six months review, incentive programs, benefits, and career development can be considered as tangible and non-tangible negotiating facts. You really want the interviewer to tell you what the position you’re applying for is paying because then you can focus on getting the high end amount. If they give a number first, then you have a place to go with it. If you give the number first then you may end up on the short end. Do not, under any circumstances say, “I’ll take whatever the job pays”. You’re worth the negotiations, don’t you think?
If you know a way to avoid writing your salary on application forms, I’d love to hear about it!
By Linda Lee Ruzicka
Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Decending Darkness, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association. She also does freelance work for Beyond and for CSJobs.com. More of her blogs can be found at CSJobsblog.com.
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