the worst job interview question!

[GreenFrog]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

On salary demands I always say "I have no demands. I'll assume whatever you pay me is an honest representation of what I'm worth." It

1) puts them in a position in which they understand their offer will be interpreted as a representation of their opinion of you rather than their mere ability to pay it

2) makes you appear to be motivated solely by the work

3) has little effect either way, because they'll pay you whatever they can get away with anyway, so you're only trying to hedge your salary just a bit through goodwill.

Do you try to negotiate after receiving an initial salary offer? Or do you just take their first offer?

 

[StephenHero]

Well, of the two jobs that I've had to interview for that were paid positions, I additionally offered to work for free initially if it helped me get the job and settle any uncertainty. One employer took me up on it for the first month, then put me on salary without telling me in advance and the other just offered me pay anyway and I accepted without bothering to negotiate. But those conditions are unique to my field, where unpaid entry level positions are often the norm. I would definitely NOT try to negotiate unless you have significant prior experience.

 

[Sazerac]

Originally Posted by Douglas

This thread is perplexing to me, as I had assumed that the captains of finance and industry that dwell on SF would be above the tedium of interviewing. I was under the impression that most of you reached your employment through killer networking, outsized reputations that preceded you, and that you'd merely walk into a meet-and-greet (never a formal interview) dressed to the nines, Pateks aglitter, whipped your giant dicks out, thudded them on the conference room table, and asked "so when do I start?"

You got it all wrong. We recognize one another by our SAB briefcases. No words are spoken. At the end of the day we just walk into the vault and take whatever we deserve.

 

[rdawson808]

In all seriousness, I wonder how many of experiences occurred when we were first on the job market. Mine was from basically my first interview post grad school. Since then it's been much easier. At the job I have now I really felt like they were selling me the job to get me to take it.

So as you gain experience and fill out the CV/resume, do the dumb questions go away?



b

 

[Sazerac]

Originally Posted by rdawson808

So as you gain experience and fill out the CV/resume, do the dumb questions go away?

A lot of them do go away, but you still have to get through the HR hacks and one or two screening interviews. Frankly, I find interviewing so distasteful and such a false measure of potential success in a job that it played into my decision to just work for myself. I stopped looking for a "real" job a few years ago and have been a happier -- and ever-so-slightly richer -- man since.

 

[imschatz]

Originally Posted by rdawson808

In all seriousness, I wonder how many of experiences occurred when we were first on the job market. Mine was from basically my first interview post grad school. Since then it's been much easier. At the job I have now I really felt like they were selling me the job to get me to take it.

So as you gain experience and fill out the CV/resume, do the dumb questions go away?



b
My interview last week included the interviewer saying:

"I hate how HR gives us these dumb forms to fill out. Like 'Give me an example of a time you faced a problem and how you overcame it'; I'm not asking that"

 

[ginlimetonic]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

On salary demands I always say "I have no demands. I'll assume whatever you pay me is an honest representation of what I'm worth." It

1) puts them in a position in which they understand their offer will be interpreted as a representation of their opinion of you rather than their mere ability to pay it

2) makes you appear to be motivated solely by the work

3) has little effect either way, because they'll pay you whatever they can get away with anyway, so you're only trying to hedge your salary just a bit through goodwill.

that means you can't hardball them for that extra few $,000s

 

[StephenHero]

Why are those extra few thousands worth trying to bargain for during a job interview when:

1) You already have little to no room to negotiate your worth in an economy with nearly infinite applicants.

2) You lose credibility with the motivation of your work.

3) The boss is probably not an idiot to the extent that he or she just gives money away on demand.

4) You've never done anything for the company and thus have no results to leverage your worth with.

5) It's tasteless.

6) You're setting a precedent of abrasiveness and confrontation that undermines the boss' authority and makes them feel threatened.

7) It takes away future opportunities to ask for a raise in goodwill.

8) It's not a game of Monopoly.

?

 

[Eason]

9) profit???

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by Eason

9) profit???
If you're planning on working there for a very short time, yeah. If you are even remotely interested in setting yourself up for a longer period of time with the company, haggling your way into a couple thousand dollars after doing zero work (and losing future opportunities to ask for more raises) seems like a pretty terrible way to earn the respect of your boss.

 

[GreenFrog]

I guess it depends on the industry you work in, but I've been told that some companies expect you to negotiate for a higher salary and will purposely low-ball you to see if you do. If you don't, then it's taken as a sign that you might be a pushover and desperate -- two traits that wouldn't be ideal for a candidate.

At the same time, it doesn't mean you should negotiate for a significantly higher salary. They just want to see that you'll fight for what's yours.

But, I'm guessing you're an architect based on your contributions in the Fine Living forum, so I'm sure it's wildly different because that I've hear the horror stories of how competitive and cut-throat that industry is in terms of getting a job and keeping one.

 

[holymadness]

The question of your salary requirements is meant to judge your knowledge of the industry and the company; they don't actually care what you think you're worth and in any case this is never a prelude an actual negotiation unless you're already quite advanced in your career and are being pursued by the company in question.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by holymadness

The question of your salary requirements is meant to judge your knowledge of the industry and the company; they don't actually care what you think you're worth and in any case this is never a prelude an actual negotiation unless you're already quite advanced in your career and are being pursued by the company in question.

I was once asked by an HR person what my salary range was, even though there was no specific job in question... to say the least I was

 

[Douglas]

I'm hiring for a position right now, and I've asked for the applicant's current and desired salary three times just this week. If I got some of the flippant answers I've been reading in this thread, that individual would not get the job. I guess I'm a stupid interviewer. Oh well.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I'm hiring for a position right now, and I've asked for the applicant's current and desired salary three times just this week. If I got some of the flippant answers I've been reading in this thread, that individual would not get the job. I guess I'm a stupid interviewer. Oh well.

If its for a specific position that question is valid, granted no interviewee wants to answer it for various reasons already stated here. However, if the question is asked when considering a variety of positions or no specific position at all, it's pretty ridiculous.