When Asked What My Salary Requirements Are, What Should I Say?

Date : September 25th, 2009Category : illinois Jobs FinderAuthor : Editor10 Comments

I just graduated from college with a BS in Management/HR. I have very minimal HR and management experience. I graduated Magna *** Laude with a 3.84 GPA. I live in central Illinois. What would be a good salary to request? I said $26,000 today and my sister said that was way too low. I don’t want to say something astronomically high and then not be considered for a job. Any ideas?

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This entry was posted onSeptember 25th, 2009 at 9:27 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can Trackback..
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  1. two_kee_

    I usually will tell them what my current salary is…and include in bonuses. Then I will tell them I am looking for an increase in salary since the responsibilities are more than in my previous position.
    In your case, you don’t have a salary history to start out with. I would leave it open and see what they come back with. Say something like “I know that your are a reputable company with a desire to keep employees happy and fairly compenstated. I am sure that you will offer me a fair compensation based on my experience level and academic achievements.”

    September 25, 2009 9:50 pm | #1
  2. rlc_6050

    The problems with salary requirement questions is that you end up in a bidding war with someone else who’s looking for a job at the same company.
    Go to your school, and ask your teachers for suggestions of companies to apply with. It seems like the bigger the company, the more they need to adhere to standard salary ranges.
    Good luck — you’ve got a great GPA, so you should be able to get a job anywhere you want.

    September 25, 2009 10:03 pm | #2
  3. Rainbow

    Say you prefer to discuss salary requirements in a interview. If the asker persists, say what is the range your company is considering. Go to salary.com and try to find salaries for positions that you are interested in.

    September 25, 2009 10:35 pm | #3
  4. hirebook

    $26,000 is way to little. Ask for more but say that you are negotiable.

    September 25, 2009 11:06 pm | #4
  5. ameriphy

    You should know what the average pay on a job before you apply. However, if I had no clue during the interview. I would ask what the top performers in position make at that company. And then reduced it about 30%. And then I would say “however that is negociable”

    September 25, 2009 11:49 pm | #5
  6. Mr. God

    Log on to Monster.com and research the average salaries for your position. It will give you a good idea what to ask for.
    btw, they won’t let you type your Honors? They censor that?
    OMG!

    September 26, 2009 12:06 am | #6
  7. Skyhawk

    Look up what the median salary is for your job in your area and ask for that. If all you have is a bachelors 26k sounds like it might be right, but look it up. There are salary calcluators on Yahoo. Just remember they might be out of date.

    September 26, 2009 12:36 am | #7
  8. New Dog Owner

    I would say you should say a salary that was not too high and not too low. You have to get the money you rightfully deserve for your degree and also your hard work

    September 26, 2009 1:11 am | #8
  9. Cleanne M

    Indicate that you are seeking a competitive salary that matches what the company would offer to any individual with your educational accomplishments. Turn it back on them as you don’t want to eliminate yourself early in the application process.

    September 26, 2009 1:33 am | #9
  10. Andrew in OP

    I always just put negotiable, then I would negotiate in the interview. With your degree, at least ask for upper thirties or lower forties.

    September 26, 2009 2:09 am | #10