Should I lower my salary expectations?

notsurewhereIstand

Got an e mail from the HR officer yesterday morning asking for my salary expectations for a job I've applied for.

I replied stating a range, but haven't heard anything back yet.

I'm keen on the job, not sure if I'm being impatient or may have gone in too high.

Any thoughts appreciated.

custardy

how would you expect anyone to answer such a vague question?

notsurewhereIstand

I think the salary is about right, so am probably just being impatient.

The HR officer may have asked a few candidates the same and may just be waiting back from the manager for a shortlist for interview.

LadyMissA

OP if you aren't working already then you have to be ready to work at NMW but if you are working you should know the rate the role should be going for.

I have been asked that before and I outpriced myself by £500 at one job and the feedback I got was that I asked for too much money and they didn't want to waste my time interviewing me but as they never even saw me they had no idea if I was the best candidate or if I would have taken the job at the salary that was only £500 less than what I started.

It is a tricky one and I do wish more companies would actually advertise the salary range and never put negotiable as that's worse!!

InsideInsurance

Why'd you give a range? If you give a range you may as well have just stated the bottom number, not sure how many people would reject an amount higher than they say they want.

notsurewhereIstand

LadyMissA wrote: »

... I do wish more companies would actually advertise the salary range and never put negotiable as that's worse!!

I agree. Perhaps they are just saying negotiable so their client can't have any clue to their mark up.

notsurewhereIstand

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Why'd you give a range? If you give a range you may as well have just stated the bottom number, not sure how many people would reject an amount higher than they say they want.

Interesting point.

But the HR Officer could just say 'salary within range' before passing things on to the manager.

InsideInsurance

Part of HRs role is to ensure you are getting value. If someone is willing to work for £50,000 to £60,000 what would you recommend they get paid?

The Motivational Theorists put salary as a hygiene factor (ie under pay you get less work from your employee, over pay you dont get significantly extra work from them) so little point offering beyond what the candidate says they'll accept.

LadyMissA

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Part of HRs role is to ensure you are getting value. If someone is willing to work for £50,000 to £60,000 what would you recommend they get paid?

The Motivational Theorists put salary as a hygiene factor (ie under pay you get less work from your employee, over pay you dont get significantly extra work from them) so little point offering beyond what the candidate says they'll accept.

Surely you would never say a range with £10k difference? Getting value dosen't mean you get the best person who can really do the job with all the knowledge and experience you want.

InsideInsurance

But we are talking about the candidate who is offering to work for a salary range, which makes no sense, a candidate should give their minimum requirement (though reality is probably that there is some fat in their that can be cut).

As to £10k salary ranges, there certainly are people prepared to work for £10k lower than they say and likewise there are certainly jobs offered with a much bigger than £10k salary range available.

richardw

InsideInsurance wrote: »

But we are talking about the candidate who is offering to work for a salary range, which makes no sense, a candidate should give their minimum requirement..

But this isn't a dutch auction.

Different companies have different policies.

The HR department may be responsible for salary confidentiality and thus only put forward candidates to the manager that are within salary range. The manager may only be able to appoint on suitability, not salary level.