4 ms·

This is what happened: Me: "That will depend on the other things in the compensation package, such as the paid time off." HR: "Everyone gets 20 days. We have

This is what happened: Me: "That will depend on the other things in the compensation package, such as the paid time off." HR: "Everyone gets 20 days. We have gym, swimming pool, and medical insurance. We don't offer stock and don't give bonuses: it is a monthly cash based salary structure. Now tell me, what's your minimum?" I ended up spitting out a number. How should i have responded ideally?

pbnjay 12y ago
Personally, I would have responded with something along the lines of "I'll let you know once I meet the team - I'm not comfortable answering that question yet"
- jarek 12y ago
  HR: "I am required to get a number before proceeding. What is your salary expectation?" I got that once. There's not much you can do about a situation like that unless you're willing to bypass HR and cold-mail tech managers about your application.
  - vidarh 12y ago
    "Given the uncertainty because I've not yet met the team and learned more about what it's like to work here, I'll say $x", where $x is at least twice what I'd expect them to pay (and what I'd expect them to pay is at least 30%-50% over anything the recruiter might have indicated. If they balk at that, you just point out that you had to give a high number because you lack information - you'll be willing to negotiate once you know more. After all, do they want to hire someone who will cost the company money by underestimating risk and costs based on incomplete information?
    - jarek 12y ago
      HR: "That is higher than our range and we would not be interested in proceeding." It's a junior dev. Most companies don't expect them to estimate anything. As far as most recruiters are concerned junior devs are perfectly replaceable and if they can't get a number or get a number $20k over everyone else, they have plenty more to choose from. The best thing you can do is not to play the game with mediocre companies with mediocre recruiters, if you're good enough to pull that off.
      - ky3 12y ago
        First remind them it's a preliminary range. Then escalate by informing the hiring manager what happened. HR's role is to support the company mission. HR throwing a spanner in the works just because you gave some estimate is weird at best. If you really end up with HR from hell, either they'll drag the company down with them or they'll be separated soon -- good riddance.
  - BWStearns 12y ago
    HR: "I am required to get a number before proceeding. What is your salary expectation?" Possible reply: "Pricing in uncertainty I'd have to go with {just_slightly_ridiculous_number}" Unfortunately probably not a great idea if you want the job and you're dealing with HR Drone and there is a possibility that the HR software might ding you for being overpriced.
  - pbnjay 12y ago
    Me: "Write down $0 and I'll talk to you after I've met the team" I'm not a junior dev, but if this happened to me I'd probably walk before even getting to that (with a short message to the interviewer telling them why).
- dragonwriter 12y ago
  Right -- while the non-salary benefits are part of the package, so are the working conditions, team, and details of the work, opportunities for advancement, etc. Interview processes are two-sided, and whether and at what salary you are willing to take a job depends on information you aren't going to have when you talk to the HR person at first (and which they aren't going to be able to provide you useful information on, either.)

pbnjay 12y ago

Personally, I would have responded with something along the lines of "I'll let you know once I meet the team - I'm not comfortable answering that question yet"

jarek 12y ago
HR: "I am required to get a number before proceeding. What is your salary expectation?" I got that once. There's not much you can do about a situation like that unless you're willing to bypass HR and cold-mail tech managers about your application.
- vidarh 12y ago
  "Given the uncertainty because I've not yet met the team and learned more about what it's like to work here, I'll say $x", where $x is at least twice what I'd expect them to pay (and what I'd expect them to pay is at least 30%-50% over anything the recruiter might have indicated. If they balk at that, you just point out that you had to give a high number because you lack information - you'll be willing to negotiate once you know more. After all, do they want to hire someone who will cost the company money by underestimating risk and costs based on incomplete information?
  - jarek 12y ago
    HR: "That is higher than our range and we would not be interested in proceeding." It's a junior dev. Most companies don't expect them to estimate anything. As far as most recruiters are concerned junior devs are perfectly replaceable and if they can't get a number or get a number $20k over everyone else, they have plenty more to choose from. The best thing you can do is not to play the game with mediocre companies with mediocre recruiters, if you're good enough to pull that off.
    - ky3 12y ago
      First remind them it's a preliminary range. Then escalate by informing the hiring manager what happened. HR's role is to support the company mission. HR throwing a spanner in the works just because you gave some estimate is weird at best. If you really end up with HR from hell, either they'll drag the company down with them or they'll be separated soon -- good riddance.
- BWStearns 12y ago
  HR: "I am required to get a number before proceeding. What is your salary expectation?" Possible reply: "Pricing in uncertainty I'd have to go with {just_slightly_ridiculous_number}" Unfortunately probably not a great idea if you want the job and you're dealing with HR Drone and there is a possibility that the HR software might ding you for being overpriced.
- pbnjay 12y ago
  Me: "Write down $0 and I'll talk to you after I've met the team" I'm not a junior dev, but if this happened to me I'd probably walk before even getting to that (with a short message to the interviewer telling them why).
dragonwriter 12y ago
Right -- while the non-salary benefits are part of the package, so are the working conditions, team, and details of the work, opportunities for advancement, etc. Interview processes are two-sided, and whether and at what salary you are willing to take a job depends on information you aren't going to have when you talk to the HR person at first (and which they aren't going to be able to provide you useful information on, either.)