Ask About Salary Early

I wrote about salaries in job descriptions on another blog. However, if there isn't a range published, I usually ask about the range in the initial phone screen.

I'll ask early, usually once I get an idea of what the job entails. The reason is that I don't want to waste my time or theirs. If the salary is too low, there's no point in continuing. I have asked if there is flexibility, and sometimes there is, but often there isn't.

At the same time, I don't disclose my current salary. It's not relevant. They're hiring me to do their job, at the rate they think is appropriate. It doesn't matter what the last person paid me, since it could be way out of scale (either way) for my skillset.

Have confidence when you apply for a job, and expect to be paid what anyone else would be paid to do that job, within the range the company has set.

Recruiting Scams

Over at Ask the Headhunter, there is a piece about recruiting scams. I'm not sure how one would have a scam in our industry, but I'm sure it happens. Most likely it's a way someone is looking for short term, cheap help and hoping to get one of you to stick around long enough to get something done before you realize this isn't a good job.

A couple thoughts.

First, never pay money for recruiters or interviews. There isn't a reason for you to do this, even if this is travel to another city (outside of driving). The company should interview you on the phone/Skype and decide they want to foot the bill.

The company should also be paying recruiters for successful placement, so you shouldn't pay them. That being said, beware of recruiters that just want to place you and aren't concerned about a good fit. Make sure you are trying to find a better job that it's really a better job.

Second, the advice given about researching the opportunity (people, company) is good, but you should always do this. Tackle an interview opportunity as a short book report. Build as much of a profile on the company, hiring people, managers, and position as you can. Learn this and be able to talk lightly about what they do, even reference things.

Companies like people that show initiative, and learning something about them shows that. Don't stop before the interview. If you get hired, learn about the company and continue to be engaged. They'll appreciate it and you will enjoy your job more.

No Response to a Resume, What do I do?

My son went through this recently. He applied for a few jobs, one of which he really wanted. He got called back for some interviews, but not for the job that was his choice. With the others planning on making him an offer, he wondered what he should do.

He called, and I'm glad he did. I've been in this situation before, and I've been passive. I've let opportunities go by. I don't know that I would have gotten some of those jobs, but I certainly know that I didn't have a chance with my inaction.

My coaching to him was what I'd tell a fellow professional. If you really want the job, show some initiative and make a call. Let the hiring manager know that you really want the job and you would appreciate any opportunity to discuss the position with them. Apologize for the interruption, but explain you have a deadline with another offer.

I've done this, and I've learned that it helps. Most managers don't want to hire people. It's not the main part of their job, it's a distraction, and it's a pain. Give them an easy way to pick someone, like you, and they often will.

It worked for my son. He got an interview.

Salaries and Interviews

I ran across this post from Ask the Headhunter, where a reader is asking what to do when they revealed their previous salary and got a low offer. First, I agree with Nick. Never reveal your salary. If someone asks, it’s in range they’re paying.

I’ve never had anyone ask me for a paystub, nor would I provide one. Most companies won’t reveal salary, so there’s really no change that an HR person will be able to check on your salary. However, I have always been of the view that a company pays me to do a job. They value that job at $x. If I do the job, pay me $x. Evaluate me on my merits and make an offer.

The rational for previous salary is shown in the post, and is essentially so that the current company can negotiate some lower value for themselves. That’s a capitalistic view that benefits the company in the short term, but likely creates more instability and distrust later. I’d expect this type of company will end up looking to fill this position more often then necessary as the person hired will find out they can make more at another company for the same work.

The other side of this is that if you tell them you make $75k and the job is a 65k job, they might not hire you because you’re overqualified and they assume you’ll leave as soon as you find another $75k job. That’s fair, but it’s also short sighted. I may need a job now, and be willing to work for less. I may enjoy this job, or like aspects of it (short commute, benefits, etc) that are worth some money to me. I don’t want to knowingly remove myself for consideration.

I don’t reveal salary. That’s between me and the IRS (or your government agency of record in countries outside the US).

I always ask the range for the job early. I want to know. The company should provide that, and know it. If they don’t, or they say they haven’t decided, I’ll ask for more than I expect. If I think this is a $75,000 job, I’ll ask for $80 or $85. You won’t get that number if you don’t ask, and if you’re confident, maybe you will. If that’s too high, they’ll tell you and you can decide early.

Save Your Stories

One of the best ways that I've seen for acing an interview is to have stories to tell about experiences. When someone asks me questions about challenges, about projects, about successes or failures, I tell stories about my career.

That's something you should be able to do. While you might have specific questions in your field (which tasks lest me direct ETL rows based on some value in SSIS), I find that many questions are more open ended. Even somewhat technical questions can be answered with a few notes about the way you've handled a technical implementation in the past.

However you need these stories to be on the tip of your tongue. Whether you're putting them on your blog, or you're keeping track of them in Word (or Evernote, or some other service), make sure you keep track. You won't remember some of these stories when you need to prepare for an interview, so make sure they're stored when they happen.

When something interesting happens, good or bad, make some notes. Use this to relive your accomplishment, or unload your disappointment. It's cathartic to revisit bad experiences and evaluate them again. It's exciting to go over good ones.

Just keep track of them.

Beware of Humblebragging

I had never heard of humblebragging until I read this piece on it. Apparently it's a backhanded complaint combined with some level of bravado about your life. You should read the piece, and make sure you aren't using too much in your public persona.

I've noted that humility is important, but not in a job interview. That's certainly true, but make sure when you talk about yourself in a positive way, you do so with confidence and authority. I'll include honest as well, and don't humblebrag. It's a turn off, or maybe a sign that you are either covering something up or you don't really believe in yourself.

Prepare for the interview. Talk about yourself openly, emphasize what you do well, with confidence, and admit what you don't know.

Above all, make sure you are using "The Test" in your public writing and posting about your career. You never know when the interviewer will have researched your posts and have doubts or concerns about the way you portray yourself. Be careful what you post, and temper your honesty with some good judgment about what you disclose about how you conduct yourself, as well as what you know about your particular field.

This sounds like you're managing your life by being careful about posts, but it's really managing your career. If you want to be free about all of your life, I really, really encourage you to have a separate account or blog for your career.

Build the Soft Skills

I have tended to assume that most of the people reading this blog are older, established in a career and trying to improve. However there are probably younger readers. There are also probably the stereotype "geek" readers.

I was reminded of that when I read this post from Mike Rowe. It's worth the read, but the part that caught my eye was this quote:

...the biggest under reported challenge in finding good help, (aside from the inability to “piss clean,”) is an overwhelming lack of “soft skills.” That’s a polite way of saying that many applicants don’t tuck their shirts in, or pull their pants up, or look you in the eye, or say things like “please” and “thank you.”

I don't want to debate the rest of the post, or the drug reference above, but I certainly do believe that there are issues with the soft skills that many employers see in candidates. The inability to meet someone's eye, display some confidence, explain yourself clearly, or dress appropriately are signs that you don't treat the opportunity seriously.

I haven't seen a lot of this in my technology travels, but I have seen some. I have interviewed people that looked down or stared to the side most of the time I talked to them. I've met people that dressed poorly for an interview.

Take this seriously. My middle child was looking for his first job recently and when he was called for an interview, I stressed that he needed to be confident, dress well, look people in the eye, and speak clearly. He remembered and texted me before his interview as I was out of town. I reminded him to wear a plain, clean shirt, be sure he showered and projected some confidence.

He got the job. Probably on his own merits, but the thing to keep in mind is that the soft skills are more likely to remove you from consideration than anything else. If someone calls you, they want to hire you. They like your resume. They think you're qualified.

Don't give them reasons to exclude you.

Negotiating for Pay

I learned a long time ago, at a relatively early age, that it was important to negotiate for pay when interviewing for a job. If you don't ask, you don't get, and more importantly, you need to ask for what is important to you. I'd also say that it's important to get paid for the job, and not based on what you used to make, but that's another battle.

Women have typically been paid less in the past than men. Some of this certainly has to do with their willingness to ask for more pay. Now, some companies have decided to eliminate negotiation.

I can see the positive and negative of this. Certainly the high performers can't negotiate a higher salary than others, but I think that can be handled easily. Get a different position if you're truly worth more than others.

In my business, let's say that a company publishes a salary of $80,000/yr. for a DBA. I like the job and company, but I want $100,000 and think I'm worth it. I can ask what they pay for a senior DBA, which might be closer to $100,000. If they don't have the position, they can create it if they want me.

The same thing goes for someone that's not quite up to snuff. They can be paid as a junior DBA, say around $40,000. Or they can set a scale of rates and levels. I used to work for a company that had DBA I, DBA II, DBAIII, with ranges of salary, but we certainly could have set specific amounts. I ever read about a company that set, and published, ranges.

To me, negative side of this is the company can pay under market rates, but if salaries were publicly set and known, there would be some level of competition between employees. We know government and military salaries, we know CEO salaries, what's wrong with publishing other ones?

This is less advice than reminiscing (or ranting), but it's something for you to think about as you move in your career. The important part was in the first sentence. Ask for what you think you deserve, and have reasons for your demand. You never know when someone will be happy to meet your condition of employment.

A Great Interview Question

This piece is written for programmers, but the question may be a great one for other fields. If you are truly interested and excited about your career, it will show through.

Be able to answer this question if you are asked it.

Would You Take the Job?

I was helping out in an interview process recently and was surprised by something. There was a group of us interviewing candidates, and we had a set list of questions. Each of us asked a question or two and all of us took notes to discuss afterwards. However at the end of each interview, the coordinating interviewer asked each person this question:

If you were offered the job, would you accept?

During one of the discussions, I noted that I thought this was a waste of a question. Certainly everyone would answer "yes" immediately. After all, I have when I've been asked the question.

However the coordinator said that he'd asked this question many times and learned a few things about people. They may hesitate, they may invoke conditions, they may not say yes.

Needless to say I was stunned until I read something similar in the Ask the Headhunter newsletter. One of the questions he answered was on telling the interviewer you want the job, which is very similar.

You should learn to say "I'm interested in the job" if you at all are at the end of the interview. This doesn't bind you, and circumstances may change. Perhaps the offer will be low, perhaps you'll get another offer. You don't know, but at the time, express interest. If someone asks you if you still want the job after the interview, say yes unless you are sure you do not.

There are times you don't want the job, but otherwise, just learn to say "yes, I want the job."

Interviews and Hiring

T-SQL Tuesday is a blog party in the SQL Server community, where many people all write on the same topic on the same day each month.

This month’s topic is Interviews and Hiring, and it’s worth reading through the various posts that are linked as trackbacks or comments. Some interesting stories and views.

Why You Don't Get Hired

There could be lots of reasons why you don't get hired (or get the promotion/raise), but I found a good list of items from Mike Walsh on his blog: 6 Reasons I Won't Hire You. I like the list, and for the most part I agree with what Mike has written.

The first few items are important. You should be able to tell people you don't know. I might suggest that you actually document some of these items in your blog or resume/profile and talk about them. Show people that you didn't know something, you could admit it, and you could find out or learn it yourself.

I'd also caution people to be aware that not all jobs are for you. It can be hard when you are desperate for a job to not fit the profile, or get an offer, or something else. If you ask for feedback and they say you weren't a good fit, that can be very depressing or disconcerting.

However it's okay. One of the things a job interview is supposed to do is determine if you're a good fit for this position. Not that you can do the job or have the skills, but do you fit in this environment, with this team of people, with these clients. Sometimes you just don't fit, and it might not be your skills. It might be your personality or approach doesn't fit the system.

These are a few reasons you might not get hired, some of which you can change and some you can't. Change what you can, accept what you cannot.

Always Take Interviews

I have a rule that if someone asks me about an interesting job, or I’m looking for a new position, I take an interview. It does have to fit into my life, but I try to make time and go on interviews, especially phone interviews.

First, it’s good practice. You get the chance to get asked questions, and then you must come up with answers under some pressure. Even if you don’t want to job, most of us feel some pressure to do well in an interview. These are good skills to keep sharp.

Second, you never know when the job might appeal to you. The best time to find a new job is when you have a job. I’ve learned things in interviews and about companies that made them look at me differently. I’ve never been offered huge salary increases from random jobs, but I know people that have.

Third, you can practice interviewing the company. Many people struggle with asking tough questions or negotiating. Taking interviews gives you a chance to put some pressure on the company to convince you to work for them.

I always take interviews if they don’t severely impact my schedule.

Body Language

This isn’t a post on your brand or resume (too much), but it is something to think about. I don’t know that you need to be overly concerned, but I’d think it over.

Years ago I read a few books on management and leadership. One of the items that stood out to me, and still does, is that crossing your arms is a defensive posture. It conveys the idea that you are opposed to some item being discussed or talked about. There is some subtle psychological thing that happens when we get upset or angry, and crossing arms is one of those unconscious things we do. Research has shown this is often the case, though not always.

A ran across a piece recently (from Brent Ozar, PFL’s newsletter), that notes how your posture and pose can affect what people think. This could be important in interviews, and I know that I’m very conscious of when I cross my arms. I always stop and think if I’d upset or disagreeing with someone before I do it. I know I do it less, and try to make sure I voice or project my actual thoughts if I’m doing it because I just feel like it.

In an interview, or even when networking (meaning talking) with colleagues, I’m careful to try and pay attention and don’t send signals that might put someone off. That includes making eye contact, engaging, avoiding my phone, and not crossing my arms.

I’d encourage you to think about how you present yourself. Not that you adhere to any particular method, but you should just be aware of the way you appear. Think about it  and ensure it’s what you want.

A Little Interview Humor

I haven’t had an interview like this, but I’ve had a few strange ones. Hopefully you keep your composure if this does happen.

Hopefully you can laugh at this as well.

Want a Better Job? Find a Better Boss

It’s been shown over and over, in a few studies, that bosses can make or break a job. You will enjoy a job more if you have a good boss, and consequently, do better work.

If you are unhappy in your job, is it your boss? Maybe you want to send that article to your boss, or your boss’ boss. Poor bosses hit the bottom line.

If you’re looking for a job, keep this in mind. If someone is a jerk in the interview, chances are they’ll be a jerk when you work for them.

Getting an Interview

This is really interesting. It's a post about a job search (from Brent Ozar, PLF)someone did, targeting specific companies and then using LinkedIn and some intelligence to focus their search and get interviews.

It shows that LinkedIn can work well, and that you should try to tailor your search when possible. This is a variation of using a cover letter, but one without the resume. Try to make contacts, and remember the most important quote from the post:

"people hire people".

Get to know people to get the chance at a job.