by Ned Khatrichettri, M.A.
Red Vector/Shutterstock
The phone rang for my interview, and I anticipated something like, “Thank you for your time. Please tell me about yourself and why you are interested in the program officer position.” Instead, the human resource personnel on the line introduced herself and immediately followed with, “The salary for the program officer role is $65,000. Is this sufficient for your needs?” My mind blanked, and after a slight pause, I uttered a convincing, “Yup.”
My mentors and career coaches have always encouraged me to ask about salary only after I received an offer; so when a potential employer initiated the first-round interview with salary details, I was caught thoroughly off-guard.
In my role as a career service professional, I share this personal experience with students when we discuss compensation before they accept a job offer. I also remind them that putting one’s “worth” or “value” in monetary terms is often tricky for aspiring — and even seasoned — professionals.
The likelihood of anyone applying to a job without knowing its requirements or location is very low, so why do we apply for positions without knowing what they pay? In an effort to unpack this trend and encourage its reversal, I have assembled some suggestions for career service professionals as they facilitate conversations with soon-to-be graduates to ensure they have realistic salary expectations and are adequately prepared to discuss compensation at any stage of the interview process.
Compensation in Context
When discussing salary matters with young professionals about to embark on their careers, it’s important to remind them of the following:
- Geography matters -The cost of living in a metropolis will inevitably be higher than in suburbia or a small town. CNN’s cost of living calculator or NerdWallet can help estimate how far your money will actually go if you end up moving to accept a position. Even if the job is remote, consider how well its compensation will match your current (or desired) living situation.
- Unpack numbers -In addition to the difference between net and gross pay, the salary figure must be viewed in its larger, benefits package context. Forbes income tax calculator also provides insight about what percentage of your salary is taxed in each state. Do you know what your offer package includes?
- Are the basic benefits — medical and dental insurance — part of the deal? Is there a retirement package included, and if so, what is the employer’s contribution, and how soon are you fully vested in those contributions? Are employer contributions automatic, or do they match employee contributions?
- How about additional add-ons such as a gym membership, counseling resources, professional development courses, public transit passes, or work laptops and cell phones? If not offered outright, are some of these things available at discounted rates?
- For established and financially-endowed employers, auto or homeowner’s loans may also be available for employees. If you are unsure, ask!
- Consider the market – How does your salary compare to that of your counterparts at the same or similar kinds of employers? Glassdoor and Indeed.com provide this kind of information. In case you are offered an amount below the market rate, it is important to be familiar with the industry standard so that you can advocate for fair compensation.
Discussion
There are several factors for applicants to consider before accepting (or declining) a job offer. Furthermore, despite numerous available salary negotiation resources to help applicants prepare, finding the ideal moment to inquire about compensation during the interview process may still be tough. How can career service professionals guide students in this area? Is the onus on the applicant to initiate the compensation conversation, or does it lie with the employer?
I used to think that pay-related conversations were completely taboo in the U.S. But in reality, anyone with an internet connection can peruse the salaries of the highest-paid athletes and celebrities in the world (including many Americans), along with the Forbes 400, which lists the four-hundred richest Americans and has been in publication for decades. Additionally, a handful of U.S. states now require employers to publicize compensation, and online resources for pay comparison (Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com, Salary.com) are proliferating. Social media platforms have also provided space for the salary conversation to really take off; for example, Instagram’s Salarytransparentstreet (nearly 400k followers) shows a spokesperson asking strangers on the street what their line of work is and their income.
I am optimistic that open access to salary information online and through non-judgmental dialogue may help individuals, especially the youngest ones, effectively deal with the stress associated with entering the working world.
