So, I’m filling out a job application and one of the required lines on the online form is “Minimum Salary Requirement.” Whats the SD on what companies expect there? I’ve never encountered it before. The ad in question did not include a pay range or similar.
I think this is a GQ, but it might be a IMHO.
I’m pretty sure they want to know what the least they can get away paying you is. The question is asking what the minimum salary that you’d accept if you were offered the job.
I think the only answer can be do the research about typical salaries for the position, decide for yourself how much you want to be paid, and use these two pieces of information to come up with a number to put down.
As for what the company is expecting, what can they be expecting other than a number representing them minimum you are willing to be paid for the position?
I’ve actually called into companies about this question before (anonymously!) asking what kind of number they are expecting there. I haven’t been laughed off the phone yet, so it can’t hurt to try. Oc course, they’re probably likely to lowball the figure!
No mindgames. Just put down how much you want to get paid.
As a business owner, most people who fill out a standard application write, “negotiable” in that block. The few who do not, either leave it blank, or else write, “negoshible”.
Well, let me put it this way. In this economy I’d accept X, be surprised at anything lower than X + 10k, and would expect something more in the neighborhood of X+15 to 25k. So X is the honest answer, but it seems rather foolish to tell them that.
Unfortunately the position is such that there really are no “typical salaries” (at least not outside this company). The company down the road pays the “expected” range for someone with my background, but the positions are apples and oranges. I suppose what I’m wondering is whether
1.) They’ll screen out people with high answers
Or people with low. Perhaps they don’t want you if you don’t know the value of the work
2.) They’ll bring the number up in negotiation if this reaches the offer stage.
If you think anything like me, I have to add the words “within reason”.
I mean, if someone asks me how much I want to get paid, the number I would give them would have more zeroes than the House of Commons!
Missed this before posting. Hmm. It is a webform, otherwise I would definitely do that. I wonder if it will accept string input.
Also, awesome.
Ignore it. This is either a weed-out question or it will lock you into a salary offer if and when you get offered the job.
He who mentions money first loses. Put negotiable if you must.
Only if you want to potentially leave thousands of dollars on the table. You’re not playing mind games. You’re being a smart negotiator. There is nothing wrong with being a smart negotiator.
I always wondered how you’re supposed to fill that out on applications for retail or other sorts of hourly jobs (as my wife was doing when she was unemployed last year). If you’re applying for a corporate job, you can usually negotiate your salary, but in retail I’ve found that they have a set salary that they start pretty much all new hourly employees on and there is little to no room for negotiation.
Same advice. Sure, you won’t really be negotiating a salary, but if you put down $10.00 and get weeded out when you’d be willing to work for $8.00? Leave it blank.
Well, I was going on the assumption that you have to actually put a number there. If leaving it blank is an option or writing “negotiable” then that’d be the thing to do.
If you have to put a number, though, then I can’t see how you’d have any option other than to write down a number that your information shows is reasonable and that you would be happy making.
If you must enter a number enter 0.
It will keep you from getting weeded out on the high end and you’ve revealed nothing about your actual limits.
Yes, the OP should follow this advice.
Just to clarify, though, what I meant is I was assuming it was necessary to enter an informative number in the blank. 
How about when asked your current salary? In this ‘economy’, I’ve taken much less than I’ve earned in the past. As I’m now a contractor (not by choice but it was all I could find) and my contract states that I’m not supposed to disclose my rate, would it be acceptable to list my current ‘salary’ as ‘Confidential’ - or ‘Contractually Undisclosable’?
I’m comfortable with saying that my minimum is negotiable.
I think you people are over thinking this. Put in the minimum salary that is reasonable for this position. Then when the talk comes to salary, ask for what you think you are worth. If they call you on the discrepancy, tell them that was just a starting number. If they want you, they will negotiate. If they won’t negotiate, you would not have gotten the job by putting in a higher number. At least you got in the door to prove your stuff. That is the purpose of resumes; the rest is up to you.
The notion that your starting salary figure is somehow legally binding is silly, and the question of ethics has nothing to do with it; this is a business transaction. Nothing more, nothing less.
Nobody is going to be fooled by answers like “negotiable”.
“I understand, Mr. Prospective Employee, but in this economy…so many people out of work…profits are down…we can’t afford…I had to take a pay cut this year…we can’t pay the electric bill…but we were able to beg, steal, and borrow the $X that you stated was an acceptable starting salary. Can you start Monday?”
I would put open. I wouldn’t put any figure down, then later try to argue the point. That may work in normal times, but these are tough times. A company doesn’t want to waste time and if you won’t take the job at that salary you put down, they’ll go on to the next candidate.
Just put open and if they want something more, do a range, such as “$40 - $45” depending on what the job duties are. Or you can say “May I ask what the last person made?” They’ll probably give some lame excuse like they can’t give out information like that.
I recall in the late 90s / early 00’s, I could apply for a job and refuse to fill out an application. I’d say “You have my resume that’s good enough. If I get hired, I’ll back fill it in.” No one, not one company, ever complained. Now no company will allow that. Why? Because too many applicants for one job.
You don’t want to do anything that is going to get your application put on the bottom.
Wages have fallen dramatically. I used to be an asst controller in Chicago and the salary was about $50k/year. Now I am going on interviews where they want to pay me $32k and they are getting it. People take any job.
Especially if the job knows you’re on unemployment. They only have to offer you a buck more than your last job, and you’ll have to take it.
You’re not trying to fool anyone. You are trying to be a smart negotiator. Even in this economy I have made this recommendation to friends and family members and it hasn’t negatively affected them one bit.
I’ll say it again: he who mentions money first loses. It is very likely, still, that what you may think is reasonable for the position and what the employer thinks is reasonable are two different things. You need to find out what the employer thinks is reasonable first and then go from there. Case in point, I have a friend who just got a new job and bumped her salary almost $24,000 (I’m not kidding) because she did not mention money first. She would have gone in offering to work for what she was currently making or maybe $3-5 grand more. And her new employer, I’m certain, would have loved to have had a very, very talented employee like herself for $20,000 less than what they were willing to pay. What was interesting, too, is that they had no idea what she was currently making. They assumed they’d have to be aggressive in salary to get her and they assumed a much higher starting point. Their idea of what “aggressive” equated to would have been a lot different had they known how little she was making at her old job.
Never ever mention money first.
“No, I am sorry, after evaluating the skills and responsibilities this job requires, I cannot accept your offer. Best wishes in your search for a candidate for this position.”
If you don’t have the courage to walk away, you will never get what you are worth, only what the employer would rather spend. It takes balls of brass to get what you deserve.
Many posters are presuming that only high numbers are ones that would cause you to get weeded out. That makes no sense to me. If the employer is asking for a number, then it is likely that they will also weed out people who don’t answer the question. And giving answers like “negotiable” does NOT mean that you’ve answered the question to the employer’s satisfaction.
That’s why I like post #15 the best. I concede that giving a specific number does weaken one’s bargaining position, but at least you’ll still be in the game.