When you apply for a job, do you know how much it pays?

Probably not. But why? Because companies don’t want to disclose how much they pay to their candidates who will keep asking for the max, to their employees who will all be wanting a raise and to their competitors who will offer more than them and snatch the best candidates. 

But, let me ask you a question… Why do we all work?

1. To earn money, pay our bills, buy nice shoes, go on holidays
2. Because we like what we do

Still, the most critical piece of information about a job is hidden and you end up taking a gamble every time you send an application. 

I’ve even got a friend who went through THREE stages of interviews before being asked about her salary. Turned up the job paid HALF of what she was on… What a waste of time! 

If you don’t want to go to pointless interviews for a job you’re not going to take, here’s what you can do:

Before you apply, go to Glassdoor and search the salary for this job or a similar role. If you can’t find it, you can still have a look at their salaries, it will give you an idea of whether this employer pays well or not. 

Then, during the screening call with the recruiter, they should ask you what you want. If they don’t, when it comes to the end of the chat, just ask them straight. It will probably go like that:

• You: ‘Can you tell me more bout the salary?’
• Recruiter: ‘It’s company policy not to disclose our salaries; the remuneration will depend on the right candidate’s skills and experience, blah blah blah.’ At this point, they should finally ask you what you’re expecting. If not:
• You: ‘Ok, I understand. Well, I am looking for around £££. Can you confirm that if I was successful, you would be able to match my expectations?’

Based on their reaction you’ll know what to do next:

• ‘Yes of course.’ —> Darn, you should have asked for more! If you get an offer, make sure you add up bonuses and other benefits to your package to get a better one.
• ‘It’s a bit higher than what we would usually offer for the role but for the right candidate we can discuss this further…’ —> If you smash your interview, there will be room to negotiate. Go get it!
• ‘Awkward silence’ —> You are earning far more than what they’re offering and you’re probably overqualified for the job. Stop the process there and rethink the kind of roles you’re applying for.

Sometimes, there’s no screening call and you go straight to the interview. If that’s the case, try to get in touch with the recruitment team or hiring manager before the interview. 

Your time and energy are precious. Don’t wait until the offer stage to talk about what is important to you. 

You go girl!