April 2008
When to Talk Money With Job Candidates
So when is the best time to bring up the subject of money in the recruitment process? In the old days it was considered tacky or inelegant to bring up the subject of money on both the candidate’s part as well as the interviewer’s part. However, today’s fast-paced job market comes with all kinds of unusual opportunities that did not even exist twenty years ago. The candidate may have just been at a job interview that turned out to be a shady recruitment strategy with a company seeking to charge them a service fee. Or, the hiring manager could be interviewing someone for a $30,000 sales job, not realizing the candidate earned $160,000 in the mortgage industry last year; I don’t care how badly they want out—this will not be a “job fit.” Discussing money has become increasingly important, not only to manage expectations but to assuage any unspoken concerns or suspicions from either side. It’s a jungle out there!
Is it All About Money?
No. It is not all about money. The primary focus of your conversation should be skill-set and match for company culture—but after that, money is the most important element by far. I like to put the income range right up top in job ads to attract candidates who are looking to be paid within the range I have stated. During the interview, if I find I am developing an interest in the candidate, I bring up the subject of money almost as a barrier to going forward to the next step in the process. No apologies, no vague promises—just straight talk about money, potential earnings and bottom-line needs.
“Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does.”
Jane Austen
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Prepared exclusively for clients of Brenda Abdilla and Management Momentum — Sent Mid-Monthly
