From: stocker@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (ERICH FRANZ STOCKER)
Subject: Re: Advice from a hiring manager on resume
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 17:17:00 GMT

In article <242@cnmhnet.UUCP>, keithg@cnmhnet.UUCP (keith garrard) writes...
>In article <1gb2pjINNc75@FUNCTOR.SYSTEMSZ.CS.YALE.EDU> loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu (Sandra Loosemore) writes:
>>mbond@ugly.UVic.CA (Michael  Bond) writes:
>>   What do they want when an employer asks for your salary requirements?
>>-Sandra
> 
>Well Sandra, I can tell you what I've done several times in thepast.
>Usually. when filling out an application, there will be a block that
>says something like "salary expected".  Now, I know they expect me
>to enter a dollar amount there, but I had the same fears that you
>expressed.  So I was creative, and inserted the word "Yes" in that
>block.  When asked about it in the interview, such as, "Keith, I
>noticed that you put the word YES in the block where it says 
>SALARY EXPECTED.  I would answer that yes, I did expect a salary,
>as opposed to being an hourly employee.  I also stated that I 
>appreciated their asking."  This was always so enlightening to them,
>that someone could interpret the question that way, that they
>always forgot about asking me for an actual dollar amount, and 
>it prompted a good conversational exchange.  This only enhanced
>the interview process.  However, the few times I was pressed for
>a dollar amount, I answered with a diatribe like "Obviously,
>I would expect a salary that would offer sufficient compensation
>for someone of my experience and knowledge."  This put them in
>the position of almost having to apologize for even asking the
>question in the first place.
>--Keith
> 

I have to say that the attitude you express would have precluded you from
any further interview when I was hiring as a project manager.  When
an interviewee holds diatribes the person is not one that fits into a
team environment.  When a person is non-responsive or evasive to employment
questions, then he/she will be equally non-responsive or evasive in
a team.

Knowing what is reasonable to expect as a salary is an important part of
the interview and job-hunting process.  Every business must stay competitive
and in the software business this is especially true.  If business started
playing NBA games with salaries they would very quickly lose contracts or
customers.  Generally, national, regional, and local salary surveys exist
for different positions and experience levels in a field (I know for
a fact they exist for programming and general business).  When I studied an
employment form before an interview, I always checked these surveys to
see the expected salary ranges.  I then looked over an individual's
experience, education, and job progression and compared that with the
listed expected salary.  I generally expected an expectation that was somewhat
over the survey ranges but not greatly over.  Generally, when it was greatly
over, the individual didn't show understanding of their profession and its
growth patterns.  Often, the individual showed an overestimation of their
own self-importance.

In my current capacity, I fortunately have to do no direct hiring.  The
interview process is a very difficult aspect of management and requires
honesty from both the interviewer and the interviewee, if it is to come
to successful fruition.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The views expressed are soley mine and do not reflect those of my employer
either past or present
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc