I have a friend who negotiated a salary without finding out the salary range of the job he is about to start. I wonder if he priced himself way too low since he does not know the range even though his new manager knows the range he came from. He also gave them a 15k range of what he would accept. It makes sense the hiring manager might offer him a lower salary.
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You would hope the hiring company would want to do the best they can to retain the candidate. Still, these are difficult times and it may take a while to get back to the salary levels we saw in years past. So in many ways, this is a buyers market and the candidate needs to be up front with the hiring company (and themselves) since they need to pay bills and ideally not be miserable and keep looking. If they do a good job, then hopefully some raises or bonuses will come their way. Since other employers tend to like people who are working, maybe other opportunities will indeed come up now.
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There has always been a variety of philosophies and, indeed, substantial controversy about the most mutually beneficial ways for companies/candidates to address salary requirements. Bottom line, the conversation MUST take place at some point before an offer is made, otherwise the information void provides too great a possibility for disaster.
As a Talent Acquisition Manager for a growing biotech firm, I always require a salary history from candidates I interview, and ask, at an appropriate time toward the end of the initial interview, for salary expectations. This process usually yields positive results. I try to assure the candidates that I am not asking for a final commitment to a specific number, merely a "ballpark" within which they would be comfortable provided all other aspects of the job are attractive to them. If their numbers and ours are far out of alignment, what is the point of proceeding until this discrepancy can be resolved? There are few things more agonizing in the recruit-to-hire process than finding the "perfect" candidate, getting to the offer stage, and then discovering that there is no way the candidate will accept the offer because they require something substantially higher. "Closing" a candidate on a position begins with the first conversation...
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I'm not sure what to say because there isn't enough info provided. Did your friend take a pay cut? An increase?
On the other hand, I don't usually approach salary negotiations as a negotiation... if that makes sense. Let's say that my range is 85k-100k and the candidates previously salary is 90k. Unless there is a considerable increase in responsibilities/position, then the candidate should expect 90-95k.
Also, I rarely ask a candidate what their expectations are, but rather, get a salary history from them. There have even been times when I've explained to a candidate that they've been under-paid.
Last, if your friend gave a 15k range - thats simply too broad. Describing your expectations as well as previous salary is good enough but should always be followed with asking the employer their general range. Most companies are OK with giving the candidate some type of idea.
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The new job he accepted on Monday afternoon at this new company has many different responsibilities. He took a 10% pay cut. He did ask for 2k more than the original offer and did get it. The hiring manager said she knew his range becuase of the industry. I agree his 15k range was too broad, especially when he told me he did not ask the range of the new job; it just did not come up. He was told his salary was in the range.
At least he has a job and thanks to people he asked to help him he was only without work for three weeks. He is proof that networking with the right people today is what is needed. Let's not disucss the resume :-))
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Brian - a good rule of thumb is that the one who gives a number first...loses.
In actuality, it's not so much a "loss" as it is a giving up of "control".
There are much better ways to handle the salary negotiation phase of the process than to talk specific numbers, especially in regards to salary expectations.
