Re: Salary Question for the Dallas-Fort Worth Area

[Brian Gordon <elasticsoul2003 -at- yahoo -dot- ca>]

--- Bill Swallow <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> 
> > I suggested $50K to $60K.
> >
> > Given the current market do you think I underbid
> > myself?
> >
> > If yes, what range should I be shooting for?
> >
> > If necessary, how should I go about revising my
> > number?
> 
> I'm not in the DFW region but I have some thoughts
> on this.
> 
> First, never give them a number. They want to hire
> you, you let them
> give YOU a number and YOU decide if it's to your
> liking. If they pry,
> a reply something along the lines of "I expect
> compensation equal to
> others of the same seniority level who are
> contributing to the types
> of projects I would be." 

He was asked by his manager what the going rate
(range) was for people doing his line of work, by a
manager who had never hired a TW before. It would have
been better to do some research before mentioning a
number, say by checking salary.com or by contacting
STC. 

I think this is a different circumstance than being
asked during the interview process what his salary
expectations are. 

> Second, if you gave them a number, you really can't
> revise it without
> potential issues. 
[snip]
> 
> Not to sound nasty, but I'm a hiring manager, and I
> certainly wouldn't
> be happy if a candidate turned around and upped
> their desired salary
> after quoting me a number or a range. After all, a
> lot of work goes
> into making sure the right candidate is chosen and
> that their salary
> is worked into the budget. If I'm expecting to up my
> budget to
> accommodate an excellent candidate, and the
> candidate then comes back
> with a bump in expected salary of another $10k, that
> throws off my
> entire planning and if I go back to negotiation with
> MY senior
> management staff, I'm going to either look foolish
> or be told outright
> that it's unacceptable and to stick with the initial
> offer or find
> someone else.

Again, I don't think any of this has happened. I think
the OP still has a chance to do the research and to
present it to his manager. If the research shows the
correct range to be higher, it will be more of a sales
job, but both hirer and hiree are in the position of
not knowing what a fair rate/range is - and the
manager has been upfront about that. 

Also, what is he making currently as a contractor?
There was a lengthy discussion just a week or so ago
in which people suggested ways to determine how
contracting wages equated to employee wages.
Presumably, he's happy with his current rate, as he's
been there for some time, so an adjustment for
benefits, paid vacations, etc. would give a fair
salary. 

All the best,
Brian

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