Going to a job interview requires a certain amount of effort, including clearing your schedule and dressing for the occasion. Unless you need to practice your interviewing skills, talking to a hiring manager about a job that does not pay enough to satisfy your needs can be a futile exercise. At the same time, career consultants at Quintessential Careers advise applicants never to bring up salary requirements until after you've gotten a job offer. You've got to find other ways to get the salary information prior to the interview.
Step 1
Check the national and regional average salaries for the kind of job for which you are applying. Sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provide general salary ranges for similar work throughout the country in the agency's "Occupational Outlook Handbook."
Step 2
Use an outside recruiter to find a job if your salary requirements are non-negotiable. According to Net-Temps, you can talk freely with recruiters about salary needs and let them know the minimum pay you'll accept. Recruiters and employment agencies can provide you with a projected salary before sending you out on an interview.
Step 3
Talk to friends and associates familiar with the industry. Attend local professional organizations' events and get friendly with the members. Probe them about the average starting salary. Work your network of friends and professional contacts to find out if anyone knows someone who works at the company to which you're applying to see if they can find out the salary range of employees there.
Step 4
Call the human resources department anonymously and ask what the starting pay is for various positions. Some companies may not give out the information, but you still may find out a range of pay, which can help you make a determination about the job.
Step 5
Ask employees of the firm directly. If you don't know anyone personally at the company, talk to the receptionist as you're waiting for your interview. Catch employees who are on break or are making deliveries in a company uniform. Engage employees at retail establishments and restaurants and ask them what the starting salary is.
Step 6
Bring up the topic during the telephone interview, a hiring practice some companies use to screen applicants before an on-site interview. According to the University of Notre Dame Career Center, companies often employ recruiters to do the prescreening phone interviews but not the final interviews. The person calling may at least be able to provide a salary range, so you can utilize the phone call as a prescreening technique of your own.
Tips and Warnings
- If you're still in school, talk to a career counselor or a professor knowledgeable about the industry you plan on entering. Many teachers and professors at colleges and universities are adjunct educators and work in the field. They can be more open in their capacity as a teacher to tell you how much a company pays than when they are on the job.
- Make sure you know whom you are talking to when you begin probing employees for information. You don't want to be caught trying to cozy up to a hiring manager at a bar or business function only to face the person across a desk at the interview the next day.
Things You'll Need
- Outside recruiter
- Inside contacts
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