Trying not to be biased
It is extremely bothersome to me when someone calls about a job posting and before asking anything AT ALL about the job want to know how much it pays. I understand (and we all have been there) that the salary is important, but unfortunately when someone does that it just sticks in my mind. At that point you wonder if they are interested in the job because they "really are" or because of the pay scale.
I agree with you that asking about salary early on in the job interview process is inappropriate. Even though in the classroom we tell students not to be the one to raise the salary issue, they sometimes ignore the advice we give. At the same time, you don't want to waste their time nor they yours if the salary is not adequate to attract this particular candidate. Applicants need to understand, though, that there is more to a job/career than salary. When interviewing for any position, having a salary range in mind that you are willing to share when asked this question, gets the topic off the table and you can move on to more appropriate interview topics. Pat
Working in the field of education, where salaries are not the highest, my belief is that you really have to want to teach, have a passion for it because you will not get "rich" quick in the true sense of the word. There are many, many ways of being enriched as an instructor. During the interview process, one of the questions I really want to understand from the candidate is why they want to teach?
Bobbe,
The motivation for teaching as they express it in an interview situation will give you a peek into what their classroom environment will be like. If someone has that true passion for teaching, it will be evident in their tone of voice as well as exactly what they say. We do an educator of the year program and one of the questions on the application is "Why have you chosen to teach?" This is one of the heaviest weighted questions on the application because it really separates out those who are the truly effective teachers.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
James,
I agree with you-it's a bit heartbreaking to know that salary has become a first-discussed topic when searching for a job. I feel that the troublesome candidates can be weeded out in their first interviews, whether or not they were one of the folks who called in about salary. Sometimes the perfect candidate is also one who needs to know the answer to the 'salary' questions. It's hard not to be biased. I think if the proper interview protocol is followed, those folks who are not a good fit will be found out sooner, rather than later.
-Erin Bjornson
Erin,
I wonder if salary doesn't become a topic of conversation or a question more often for the young, inexperienced interviewee. As you interview more frequently or are trained on interviewing skills, you learn not to ask that question and how to respond to a question regarding salary without pricing yourself out of the market.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
James,
I whole heartedly agree with you regarding that issue. It is very hard to not be biased when the salary question is brought up during an inital conversation. Yes, it has all been in the back of our minds during an interview, but I believe learning about the position is key as well. The salary may not be what they are looking for but may fit the position. Before any interview, the possible candidate should do all research needed to be fully prepared.
Gambel,
We tend to work with outside recruiters to fill most of our positions. They do a Q & A with all of the candidates during which they discuss salary. They ask for current salary/bonus information and also ask about their salary expectations. The recruiter knows the hiring range, so the recruiter can guide the candidate through that process. With that discussion up front, I am rarely asked about salary. I know that is not always the case.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I totally agree with you James!! I've had scenarios like. What really get's to me is when I interview candidates for an admission position at the Campus, and they have not done any research on the company history or the position they are applying for. I automatically disqualify that candidate.
Genniene,
That shows such a lack of initiative. If you do hire that person, that same lack of initiative will exhibit itself on the job, too. I had a candidate one time who read the college catalog on her flight in and identified errors, much as an accrediting team would do. Even if she was not selected for the Dean position, she intended to share her list with the President. She was offered the position and is still with the company today.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Dr. Kapper,
In my experience, it has been the younger, more inexperienced interviewees who address the salary topic in this manner.
It is really hard not to become biased when this happens. I still think it's best to go forward with the interview to gather the information we need to make our best decisions.
Cathy,
This is one place where immaturity shows through or inexperience as you say. Moving forward with the interview makes sense because this person could easily be the diamond in the rough. You never know until you have that conversation. With Career Services in all of our schools, it makes sense to have a conversation with them to share with the students as a "Lessons learned" discussion or a teachable moment. This is real life, and if the students can learn from others' mistakes, we all win, especially the students.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Hi,
After many years of interviewing and hiring, and with many trials and errors along the way, what has worked best for me and also I believe for candidates regarding the pay issue is to simply bring it up and discuss it in the initial phone call interview. Honest, clean, clear. That way, if the candidate's expectations exceed the pay range, we're able to both save ourselves time and effort. The candidate is then free to pursue other opportunities more in line with their desire and I'm free to spend my time and effort working with and meeting with candidates who would appreciate the pay range we offer. Win, win, all around. :)
Amy,
That is an appropriate approach and, as you say, it is a win-win. This works especially well when there is limited flexibility in establishing the salary range. If, however, you might be able to stetch the boundaries on salary for that perfect candidate, you might want to wait until you meet the candidate face-to-face and get a better sense of organizational fit and the need to fight for
an increased salary in order to attract that perfect candidate.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I agree that the best solution is to call the candidates so that you can give them the range before they agree to come in for the interview. That way if they come in it is not a waste of anyones time. I like to write down exactly what their response to the pay was so that if it is a severely different response in the interview than the response they gave me over the phone I am able to recall what they said. This can show honesty and consistency in someone. Obviously pay is not the determining factor for hiring a candidate, but if you have 2 equally qualified candidates that could make a difference.
Susan,
I agree with your response, Susan. I always like to be ready with my response should their expectation and my range be significantly different. As you said, pay is not the determining factor, but I like to be ready to identify other perks beyond salary that make working for us a plus. It might be health insurance; it might be tuition reimbursement; it might be the company's recognition as a desirable place to work, etc.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
