What are your salary requirements? (Vanity)

[freepinglurker]

How do you answer this question?

[freepinglurker]

I have been looking for a better job and recently posted about how I was asked to take a personality test for a job offer--I declined. It is incredible the things that are being asked by these ridiculous human resources types before you even know if the company is one you want to work for..

What are your salary requirements? In response to a resume I sent to the company for a sales position. I inquired if we were talking about straight salary, commission, bonuses, benefits etc... She said that would be discussed later. Then she asked about my salary requirements again. How do you answer this question when you don't know all the factors?

During my recent job search I have been baffled as to why a signed application is needed to be filled out before the interview process even starts. Of course they ALWAYS demand your SSN and DL number. I think a resume should be all that is necessary at this point. I do not like this type of personal information laying around and at this point I am not even sure if it is the company I want to work for. It happens on online applications as well. Shouldn't this information be provided AFTER an offer is extended based on background and drug tests and not before?

If your age and gender is supposed to be private--they already have everything they need to know from this application. It makes me furious.

[Red Badger]

Perfect answer:

Enough to keep my wife from kicking me out the house.......

[Schnucki]

"How much have you got?"

[W04Man]

"Start me out at a reasonable salary, but give me rooom to grow"

[Red Badger]

You never ask the prospective employer a sarcastic question.......

[eastforker]

They want to check your background before they expend the time and money on an interview, thats also the reason they ask for a signature and I would wager if you read the small print it would say so. As far as salary requirements, I would just tell them something about commensurate with the industry standard.

[MotleyGirl70]

I have been looking for a better job and recently posted about how I was asked to take a personality test for a job offer--I declined.

I've never been asked to take one, but I would also decline. If a potential employer is that dense that they can't get a feel for my personality in an interview then forget it.

[Mr. Jeeves]

The problem is, you are talking to the wrong people. Never talk to Human Resources first. It's harder, but you have to seek jobs by getting to know hiring managers through professional associations and networks. Once they know who you are, you will be in a position to have jobs created for you at the appropriate salary level and be brought on board before ever talking to HR...which can then fulfill it's true function and have you fill out the relevant paperwork. ;)

The salary requirements question is simply designed to screen applicants out and there is no right answer. If your requirements are too high, your resume gets filed - if they are too low, HR assumes you are not qualified...and your resume gets filed. If you guess right, your resume goes into a pile of potential interviewees - and gets filed anyway when the hiring manager decides to bring on a friend of someone he met at the last conference because he "knows the guy" and its easier than interviewing strangers who might have personality defects. Either way, the hiring manager is unlikely to even learn of your existence when your first contact is HR.

[WhiteGuy]

For a sales position, if your answer is too low, they might speculate that your motivation to over-achieve might be limited.

In sales, shoot for the moon with this answer, they will perceive you as being driven.

[BallandPowder]

powder..patch..ball Fire!

I would expect with my experience and track record that I should be in the upper percentile for employees with the job description we are discussing.

[Dog Gone]

Do some investigation as to what is the current pay being offered for similar positions at other companies. Then say, "Probably no less than $XXX, but I'm going to consider all offers before accepting the best one."

[MotleyGirl70]

The majority of the time I've been asked to sign a release of my driving record and criminal background check. I always sign it because:

1) I have nothing to hide.

2) If I don't sign it they'll think I'm hiding something and that puts up a red flag to them and they'll move on to the next candidate.

[Yo-Yo]

If your age and gender is supposed to be private

HR types always got around the age thing by looking at the dates you graduated HS and College.

[pgkdan]

Tell them what you expect. Why waste your time and theirs if you need more than they're willing to pay? Don't play games and dance around the subject. And as for the personality testing...if you're looking to work for a middle sized to a large company you're going to be tested, especially if you're applying for a sales position. And as to filling out the application before the interview...before I invite anyone for an interview I've read their resume and have had at least 1 preliminary phone interview, if you're sitting in my conference room filling out an application you're probably someone I'm already interested in hiring.

[mnehring]

Find out what the 'average' salary is for the position you are applying for and state the high end of that average but include a statement on the lines that 'you are flexible commensurate to other benefits or growth opportunities.'

If it is a commissioned based position, always shoot high. You don't want to give the impression you will settle for just getting by, you want to show you have high goals.

[oldsalt]

I was always taught that the first person to give a number in salary negotiations or price negotiations is the "loser". So I think a good answer would be,"I'm flexible." Another ,somewhat pushier answer might be,"How much are you budgeted for?"

Of course it's easy for me to say that since I've already retired three times!

[NeoCaveman]

If your age and gender is supposed to be private

If I can't tell your gender by looking at you I'm not hiring you. Sorry, but all those "it's Pat" jokes can tear an office apart...

[Chickensoup]

all those "it's Pat" jokes

What are Its Pat jokes?

[freepinglurker]

Hey--I like all these responses!

(LOL) Ask a supid question..... you know the rest

Human resources people are about the most ridiculously silly people I have ever dealt with--mindless robots

[freepinglurker]

I agree