What’s the salary range for this position?

Question:  “What’s the salary range for this position? You won't tell me the top amount they're willing to offer?”

Answer:  

I've been doing this for a very long time, here is the reality of the scenario.  Some companies have very specific ranges. Some companies have a rough idea. Some companies simply let the market tell them what they should be paying for a job. Some companies ask me to help them arrive at a fair range. Some companies will flex to a degree on what they are targeting for the hire. So as you can see there are numerous scenarios. No two situations are exactly the same.

It always depends on a person’s experience and how directly applicable it is to a company’s needs. Is the person more junior in experience? Is the person more senior in experience? How does the person’s experience compare to other people already on staff?  And how is internal equity kept in line?

So there is never a real easy answer as there are so many variables. In the many years of doing this, my opinion of the best approach is to be certain that a company’s ideal number for the hire and a candidate’s ideal number on what they’d expect are in line. Do they have to be spot on? No. Sometimes there is flexibility on the company’s end, sometimes there is flexibility on the candidate’s end. Sometimes if the company feels the candidate is the person they want and the candidate feels that this is the opportunity for them there are creative ways of bridging possible gaps as well.

Last but not least, it is human tendency to always gravitate towards the top of a stated salary range. It never fails. The moment a range is thrown out in conversation the candidate will gravitate towards the top number. Right or wrong, consciously or unconsciously, I've seen it happen time and time again where a recruiter will tell a candidate a range, $65,000 to $80,000 for example, and when the offer comes and it is at $70,000 the candidate protests, “Hey Mr. Recruiter, you told me the job paid $80,000!”

The best way to avoid this, just be certain the candidate’s expectations and the company’s expectations fall within the “okay place.”

The bottom line:  If I do my job correctly and all parties are forthcoming with information, then the hiring manager has an idea where they want to hire in, and the candidate has an expectation of where they need to be.  Based on what I know from the candidate and from the hiring manager, if the situation were to move in a positive direction the candidate’s expectation will be met.

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Should a Recruiter “Sell” an Opportunity to a Candidate

Should a recruiter “sell” an opportunity to a candidate? The other day a candidate criticized me for not “selling” an opportunity to them. I've never favored “selling” a candidate. I've always believed that a recruiter’s job is to provide accurate information and be a resource for discussion. But a recruiter should not “sell” a candidate on a job. In this situation I had contacted the individual whom I've known for a number of years. This person had told me at various times over the years that they wanted to stay in a certain region of the country. When I called with the opportunity they again said that while it sounded like an excellent opportunity and something they would otherwise be interested in, they wanted to stay in the region where they were at and their family would not be interested in moving to that area. I followed up a few weeks later only to find out that they had interviewed for the position. I contacted the candidate and they told me that I had not done a good job selling them.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “sell” as: 

to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something

As a recruiter am I to persuade or influence the candidate into interviewing? Okay perhaps it is a fine line, but I still like to think of my job as providing information about an opportunity. Provide information as to why the opportunity could be something that would be a logical career move based on their interests and expectations. If I have to convince someone to explore an opportunity that to me is selling them. And if you have to sell someone on a job, my belief is that the odds are it won’t work out. More importantly perhaps, if you have to sell the candidate and their family on moving to an area of the country they have never been interested in previously, my experience is that in the long run it typically does not work out.

Now a discussion about the benefits of exploring an opportunity based on fact seems perfectly fine. But, if I have to influence someone, that in my opinion is selling them on the job or a location.

What are your thoughts?

Scot Dickerson, CPC
Capstone Search

Bringing Your Parents to Your Job Interview?

There is a lot of buzz around the new iPhone. Everyone I know that is talking about it is excited to see what the latest and greatest features & functions will be. Not to mention the colors. I on the other hand never even knew it was coming out until I visited with a wireless provider over the weekend seeking a better way to monitor our kids’ text & voice activity. Yes I’m involved in my kids’ lives. Technology has created more opportunity for kids to get into trouble and no doubt be bullied. It is a huge problem everywhere. So I learned about the new capabilities of the new iPhone operating system that allow me to create an allowed list of phone contacts and allows me to block web sites.

So I’m concerned about my teenagers, but when I saw this article on WSJ Online I had to do a double take.

Should You Bring Mom and Dad to Your Job Interview?

I recall years ago I had a candidate that brought their mom along to an interview. The candidate didn't bring her with the intent of her being part of the process, but instead to just accompany her on the drive as it was a couple hours. That decision cost her the job however, as the company did not view that favorably upon her.

Oh how times seem to have changed. Check this out….

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323864604579066964214209866.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_careerjournal

Employers Are Embracing the Involvement of Millennial Parents to Attract and Hold On to Talent
By: Anita Hofschneider

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President Capstone

Small Fish, Big Pond or Big Fish, Small Pond

My daughter has been in a great school district since kindergarten through her 8^th grade year. This school district is ranked at the top in our state. Needless to say we have been very pleased with the quality of education she has received. It has, however, been growing rapidly. In fact, if I’m not mistaken it is the fastest growing school district in our state. Because she has always been a kid that tends to feel more comfortable in a smaller environment we decided to explore options for her for this upcoming school year. We toured some different schools and found one that seemed like a good fit. The school Administrator asked her, “Do you like to be a big fish in a small pond or do you like to be a small fish in a big pond?”

Small schools offer certain advantages, as do big schools. The bottom line, each individual must weigh out all these things and make the decision based on what is best for them.

This whole process reminds me of a question I often ask a candidate that I've met for the first time. That is, "Do you prefer a smaller company environment or a larger company environment? Or do you even have a preference?"  To be best positioned to assist someone on their search, understanding their interest only helps us better help them.

It is strictly a personal preference but there are, no doubt, things to be considered.

In a small environment you can often have more opportunities. More opportunities to take on responsibilities that perhaps in a larger organization you would not. In a smaller environment you are often challenged to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Not exclusive to a small environment, but often more frequent. In smaller environments often you can move more nimbly. More opportunity to put your thumbprint on something.

In a larger organization, on the other hand, sometimes you have access to more resources. You can have opportunities for more advancement simply because there are more positions in the organization and often more layers. You can have opportunities to steer your career in different paths that may not be available in a smaller company.

I could certainly take both of these lists much further. And many people certainly will have their own thoughts on how those lists should look. The thing to think about from all this is that this is simply another piece to the search equation that should be addressed. 

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search

Should a Recruiter “Sell” an Opportunity to a Candidate

Should a recruiter “sell” an opportunity to a candidate? The other day a candidate criticized me for not “selling” an opportunity to them. I've never favored “selling” a candidate. I've always believed that a recruiter’s job is to provide accurate information and be a resource for discussion. But a recruiter should not “sell” a candidate on a job. In this situation I had contacted the individual whom I've known for a number of years. This person had told me at various times over the years that they wanted to stay in a certain region of the country. When I called with the opportunity they again said that while it sounded like an excellent opportunity and something they would otherwise be interested in, they wanted to stay in the region where they were at and their family would not be interested in moving to that area. I followed up a few weeks later only to find out that they had interviewed for the position. I contacted the candidate and they told me that I had not done a good job selling them.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “sell” as: 

to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something

As a recruiter am I to persuade or influence the candidate into interviewing? Okay perhaps it is a fine line, but I still like to think of my job as providing information about an opportunity. Provide information as to why the opportunity could be something that would be a logical career move based on their interests and expectations. If I have to convince someone to explore an opportunity that to me is selling them. And if you have to sell someone on a job, my belief is that the odds are it won’t work out. More importantly perhaps, if you have to sell the candidate and their family on moving to an area of the country they have never been interested in previously, my experience is that in the long run it typically does not work out.

Now a discussion about the benefits of exploring an opportunity based on fact seems perfectly fine. But, if I have to influence someone, that in my opinion is selling them on the job or a location.

What are your thoughts?

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search Group

 

Times Have Changed...Not Getting Any Feedback After an Interview?

Times have changed. How many times have we heard that? We have all heard this in reference to all sorts of scenarios and at different times throughout our lives. For example, when I was a kid my parents would tell me, “times have changed.” I don’t even recall why at the time that was said, but I say the same thing to my kids now. Mostly due to social media concerns. Also in regards to how dangerous it is for kids to even ride their bikes a block from home. The list goes on. Because frankly, times have most definitely changed.

When speaking with candidates I also often find myself saying to them “times have changed.” Times have changed because the process has changed from what it once was a few years ago. There was a time when we worked directly with the decision maker. Not so much any longer. Most of the contact goes through a talent acquisition department. There was a time when a resume was sent directly to the decision maker or even a Human Resources recruiter. We still present directly to these individuals today, but to a lesser extent than we once did. Instead today there are a also a host of portals that many referrals are required to be submitted through.

When it comes to feedback after an interview, or after the selection process is completed, again - times have changed.  We very infrequently get any type of feedback these days. Ever wonder why? Most candidates want feedback. As part of my job I like to be able to provide them feedback. It could be helpful to them in preparing for anther interview. Perhaps they could do something different. But just as with anything if we can’t get feedback, how are we supposed to improve? Think about students progressing through school with no feedback on how they were doing. How ineffective would that be?

So why have times changes in regards to gaining feedback after an interview or selection process?  Here is an excellent article from WSJ.com that speaks to this very topic.

The Wall Street Journal's http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324423904578523683173841190.html  by Lauren Weber

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search Group

Careerbuilder Survey Suggests Social Media Might NOT Be Getting You the Job

Right or wrong. Good or bad. Social media has changed our lives in many ways. It has become a headache and challenge for parents. It has created more opportunity for kids to make mistakes. And unfortunately these mistakes are not like the mistakes people my age made that were largely simply forgotten and never seen again. The mistakes made within the internet & social media world live on forever, only to potentially come back and haunt our kids later in life. The challenge: getting them to understand this.

A similar challenge exists in today's job market with job seekers. We talk about it frequently. At our recruiting firm it has become standard procedure to discuss no different than discussing proper interview attire, non-verbal communication during the interviewing, being prepared, etc, etc. Social media has crept into the hiring decision making process everywhere. According to a recent Careerbuilder survey more than two in five (43 percent) hiring managers who currently research candidates via social media said they have found information that has caused them not to hire a candidate, up 9 percentage points from last year. Given the recent release of this survey it seems a good time to again hit this point home. You simply have to be careful about what you put out into social media because it will be seen. Oh yes, it will be seen. Which could prevent you from landing your dream job. Or any job. This cannot be stressed enough. Adults and kids alike. Think, think, think before you post for the world to see.

Here is the article regarding the Careerbuilder survey: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100844354

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search