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Old 07-10-2011, 08:41 AM
miwashi miwashi is offline
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Default Appropriate requested salary when applying for job?

I need some advice as I believe I may be doing something wrong. I've applied for more than 250 jobs over the last few years and only got called for around 30 and out of those only got 2 offers both with $800-1000 pay cuts, and I really believe it has something to do with my pay expectations, HR being such a hard negotiator and all.

In job application forms they ask for monthly and yearly expected pay, to which I reply with my current pay (I don't ask for any increase).

So that means $3800 monthly, and $3800*13 yearly ($49400). I don't factor in the performance bonus, economic bonus and whatever else.

Is this wrong? Should I be indicating more, since it is usually likely HR will negotiate for less?

Almost all the interviews I went for had the HR saying they can only offer a lot less as my experience is irrelevant, but 1 interview, at a gahment workforce related agency, had their HR director ask me why I was asking for this amount. I thought she felt it was too much, and then she continued, "normally people would indicate at least 5-10% more than what they're currently getting, relevant experience or not".

So this made me think about whether my strategy is wrong. I know there's all this rubbish about cheaper, faster, better from people who haven't heard of the project management triangle, but maybe even if you're good but you put a lower salary expectation, the employer will think you're only worth that little and all the skill claims you make during the interview are exaggerated?

What do you all indicate for requested salary?

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