The salary requirements question

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So, I've been asked by a potential employer for my salary requirements. I don't really know how to respond to that question. I've looked for advice online, and everyone seems to say a) don't answer the question b) give a range or c) turn it back around on the employer. I would like to do b) because this employer actually gave a reason for asking. He is replacing someone, and is trying to see if I'm too expensive. Here's some problems I'm having.

1) I'm in academia. I can't really use my current salary as a comparison because assistant profs, being probationary, make nothing. I can use my salary from when I worked in the private sector, but that was in expensive Boston.

2) I'm a geophysicist with like a decade of experience. According to Salary.com, that makes me quite pricey. The main reason for that is that the primary employer of geophysicists is the petroleum industry. I consistently wave bye-bye to my own master's students who have contracts that are 2-3 times what I make as an academic. The job, though asking for a geophysicist, is more in the engineering field, and they don't make quite as much. We're like...the bards of the science world. We do a little of everything, nobody wants to be one, but everybody wants one around.

3) The job posting was B.S., advanced degree preferred, which reads as "we hiring cheap, but we'll take an MS or PhD if you'll work for peanuts" to me.

4) How useful/accurate/trustworthy are sites like Salary.com or Glassdoor.com when it comes to researching stuff like this?

How would you answer the question. I don't want to end up either pricing myself out of the position OR selling myself short.

Thanks Forum.

 

[HCGLNS]

I answer it by stating that it is negotiable based upon the entire compensation package.

ie: more vacation, benefits and perks I will accept less salary

 

[MindDetective]

You know, I would almost have that exact conversation with them. Maybe that is terrible advice, but it occurs to me that you can succinctly express your concerns AND interest in this manner. This way you can make it clear to them that you don't expect to be paid like the oil companies pay, that you can adjust for cost of living, and that you want to make more than you are making now. If they still low ball you after that, you may not be as interested in them as you thought.

 

[Chazwozel]

I usually ask what my full benefits and perks will be, and beforehand assess my own cost of living requirements. Let's face facts, if the job doesn't pay you enough to stay comfortable, then it's not worth it.

Pretty much what Mind and HC said...


To be honest, I really hate, hate, hate dodgy business speak. I'm a guy who always likes to lay the cards out immediately. I wish companies would just post the salary range they're gunning for instead of this bullshit run around song and dance during interviews.

 

[fade]

For real. It's so stupid to play games like this.

I like your advice MindDetective. I think I'll do some of that.

 

[kaykordeath]

No real experience with academic hiring here, but I did work in HR for a bit.

You may ask if there is a targeted range budgeted for the position, but they asked you the question because they honestly want you to answer it. Answer the question honestly, and COMPLETELY, including the fact (if true) that you are happy to negotiate specifics to work towards obtaining the position. That you are willing to take into consideration any benefits, etc.

 

[fade]

This was actually an industry position. My fault--I didn't make that clear.

I sent a reply. i used a range. Actually, what I said was, "I've done some research this morning into the median salaries for geophysicists in the federal government and in the employ of various industries (excluding petroleum), and in that region of StateX. It looks like a broad range of $$$-$$$ is the median. But I am negotiable, especially considering the entire benefits package." I kind of tried to take the blame off of me, since I think it's a little silly that they just don't tell me their range.

 

[Steve]

Hookers and booze. Everything else is negotiable.

 

[strawman]

This was actually an industry position. My fault--I didn't make that clear.

I sent a reply. i used a range. Actually, what I said was, "I've done some research this morning into the median salaries for geophysicists in the federal government and in the employ of various industries (excluding petroleum), and in that region of StateX. It looks like a broad range of $$$-$$$ is the median. But I am negotiable, especially considering the entire benefits package." I kind of tried to take the blame off of me, since I think it's a little silly that they just don't tell me their range.

That's a reasonable response. Usually you should take into account your own expenses and the industry standard. In fact you'll be in a better position giving them a range you are comfortable with rather than having them give you a range. For some reason, a company's own research into "industry standard wages" is always notably lower than salary surveys I've seen (usually in industry trade magazines). So you're likely to be in a better position by doing the research and giving them a range.