Okay, so you're filling out an application and you see a question asking about your salary expectations. Yikes! What now? Well, as you can imagine, you wouldn't want to address this question without doing some research. Your goal in providing an answer will be to give a reasonable range that allows for future discussion and negotiation with the employer.Ideally, the employer will be the first to propose a salary range, usually toward the end of the intereview process. You'll then be able to use your research to determine how the employer's range compares with your estimate.
What about an online submission that requires a salary range as part of the application process? In this case, you may need to be prepared with your answer a little earlier. When given a blank text box, some candidates refrain from providing a specific number and instead say "competitive salary range." Still others provide a general statement such as "If selected for an interview, I would be glad to discuss my salary expections in person and would be eager to hear more about [name of organization]'s compensation package." Dodging the question may be a risky approach, however, so it's best to discuss your approach with a career advisor first.
Regardless of when salary enters the conversation, you'll need to be ready! What do you need to know to get started? You'll definitely want to be on the lookout for commonly used job titles for the positions that interest you. Whether it's "paralegal" and "legal assistant" or "account coordinator" and "assistant account manager," keep track of different titles when you're looking at employer websites or search engines. Check out this page - Where are Tufts graduates working? - to see survey data from recent Tufts grads, including employer name, location, position title, and more.
You can also take advantage of our subscription to The Vault Online Library for information about typical career paths and employers in the fields that interest you. For example, I might download the Vault Guide to Book Publishing to understand how career paths and job titles differ between the editorial, marketing, sales, and production areas within publishing. To access the Vault Guides, create an account with your Tufts email address, log in, and click "Guides" at the top of the page.
In addition to job titles commonly used by employers in your field of interest, know your geographic preferences and how those locations will impact salaries. You may not make as much as an entry-level consultant in Madison, WI as you would in NYC, but the cost of living is also much lower! Check out this post for resources that will help you create a budget that factors in your expected salary and cost of living.
Once you have a list of job titles and geographic locations, you can use the following websites to gather sample salary data:
Glassdoor.com
Conduct searches on Glassdoor using position titles (or organization names) and locations. To access all the info on Glassdoor, you'll need to join their community, which is pretty easy. If you've had a job or volunteer position, just provide salary information or a review of the organization or its interview process (all anonymous) and you're in!
Here are a few other sites to consider:
NACE Salary Caluculator
Salary.com
Estimating a reasonable salary range involves collecting multiple pieces of data, which could involve experimenting with different job titles, organizations, and locations. The goal of all your research is to come up with a 5K range that you'll keep in mind throughout the application process.
Remember: Career Services advisors are here to help you navigate the salary and negotiation process! Call 617.627.3299 to make an appointment (in-person, phone or email) with a career advisor.
