My 'First Number' Salary Rule: If It's Not Higher, I Won't Move.
It makes job hunting so much less stressful because you’re not playing stupid bullshit games of, “Is this even worth my time applying?” This makes anyone who knows they are in a job-searching period and already has interviews look for tools to help them complete this step more quickly, for immediate responses. The interviewMan is open during the interview, listening to the questions and answering them.
I had an initial interview a month ago, and the salary range they quoted was significantly less than what I make now. We ended the call, and I suggested they update the posting with the salary range to avoid wasting their own time.
I've been working in local news for a while, in a respectable, mid-sized city. Recently, I got a surprise call from a big station in the state capital. It looked like a good opportunity on paper.
After a few good interviews, when it came time to discuss salary, their initial offer was only $42,000.
I took a deep breath and explained the situation. I currently earn around $48,000, and this move would put me in a much more expensive area. On top of that, the job involves regular weekend shifts, which usually come with additional compensation. I explained that accepting their offer would mean a direct pay cut for me, even before considering the much higher rent and general expenses. I told them frankly: "If the first number doesn't start with a five, I honestly can't even consider this move."
About ten days later, they got back to me. They confirmed they wouldn't be able to reach $53,000. I thanked them for their time and told them to withdraw my application, but encouraged them to contact me if their financial circumstances ever changed.