How to Use Pay Transparency During Your Next Interview
More and more job listings now include salary ranges, either because the company releases them voluntarily or because it’s the law . The point of pay disclosure laws is that increased transparency will ensure pay equity, regardless of an employee’s race or gender.
We previously discussed the case of pay transparency among colleagues, but what about when it comes to a new job? To find out, I spoke with career coach Shoshanna Davis of Fairy Job Mother . If you’re looking for a job, here’s how you can use pay transparency.
Knowledge is power
In recent years, you may have made it to the third round of interviews before finding out how much a potential job pays, only to be deeply disappointed. Pay transparency will not only save you headaches, but also level the playing field between employers and candidates.
Even if the job listing doesn’t directly list the salary, you can get an accurate estimate using tools like Salary.com , CareerBliss.com , PayScale.com , and GlassDoor.com .
Regardless, Davies says you should know the salary range before agreeing to an interview if it’s not listed on the job posting. “Knowing if the salary on offer meets your expectations is important before you waste your time or that of your employer,” Davis says.
We do business for ourselves
Once you have reached (or are approaching) the job offer stage, knowing the position’s salary range gives you an extra boost of confidence during salary negotiations. Without this knowledge, you might have felt like you were flying blind, not knowing if the salary you were offering was arrogantly high or embarrassingly low. With this knowledge, you can justify why you deserve the upper end of their stated salary range.
However, there is an undeniable fear when your interviewer hits you with the inevitable question, “What are your salary requirements? question. If this is coming from a recruiter early in the interview process, Davies advises against giving out the number until you fully understand the role. Instead, you should reply that you would like to know more about the role and what it involves before answering .
When it comes time to give an answer, always put a range above a certain number. If you’re happy with the salary range on the original job listing, Davis says, you can tell the employer that “your expectations are within the range.” on sale”, still without naming a specific number.
Once you receive an offer, you should try to narrow down the agreed range. Again, Davis recommends sticking to specific number ranges whenever possible. For example, if the range is $70,000 to $90,000, you won’t just ask for $80,000. Instead, you would offer $80,000 to $90,000, narrowing down your initial salary range to better fit your goals.
For these negotiations, think about your specific skills and experience that make you a valuable employee. To prepare, here are our tips on how to negotiate your salary .
Let transparency be one-way
Use the salary range in the job posting as a starting point for a more open and transparent conversation – at least when it comes to what the company has to offer. If your potential employer asks for your salary history, forget about transparency: it only gives them an advantage in negotiations. Instead, flip their question. For example, you could answer a question about your past salary: “Actually, I was hoping to ask what are you offering for this position?” or “Respectfully, could we focus on what you have budgeted for this role?” It can be uncomfortable, but stay strong because your ability to ensure pay transparency from your employer can have a big impact on the salary you offer.