Job Advice

[PattySlapper]

Just looking for some job application advice please! I changed jobs around 5 months ago, basically just because it was time for a change and it was a decent salary increase whilst also dropping line management responsibilities. However, I feel the new job isn't a great fit for me and I've seen something else I want to apply for. The salary is just listed as depends on experience (which mine is a good fit) but asks for expectations on the application. Would ibu to put £10k more than I'm on now? As it would be back to line management, and is less annual leave than I currently get. I also think that IF I got it they wouldn't offer me exactly what I requested . If its way higher than they are thinking for the role would they just not interview me? I would probably take less than that so a bit worried about pricing myself out from the off but also want to value myself as feel like under valued that same issue in my current job! How on earth are you meant to know if you're salary expectations remotely align with theirs!

Well one way of knowing is to look up salary expectations for the type of role it is in your region/city and sector, obviously these are not definitive particularly if yours is a niche or uncommon role but gives you a ballpark as to what's reasonable. Glassdoor has ranges for a lot of roles, as do some of the recruitment websites (total I think and indeed) and sometimes industry/professional bodies too. In general I'm not sure about saying you want a £10k increase on current, that is quite a lot, I get your rationale but you already had a big pay increase 5 months ago and now you want another, so e.g. you were on £20k in old job with line management, then got promoted to say £25k without line management, and now want £35k with line management, does seem a lot to go up in a year but maybe you were colossally underpaid in your original/first job? Are all the jobs in the same sector or are you changing (obviously going from public or charity sector to private you'd usually expect a pay jump but not the other way around)? If you were previously public sector check the pensions differential too as obviously that makes a difference...

On the whole I really, really dislike it when companies do what this one is doing, I think it's so unfair that they aren't transparent with what they expect to pay (OK to say they'll determine salary based on experience but at least give a range then!) but then expect you to be open with them. I feel like they are pressurising you to low-ball yourself or you won't get an interview! To be honest when asked that question on applications, unless they've given me some indication my desired salary is within their range, I answer something non specific like 'An increase on my current salary commensurate with expectations for this role' without actually naming a figure! Or I say 'I am happy to discuss salary expectations at interview stage'. I don't know if this means I am getting not shortlisted on this basis but I have had interviews when I've put that so it can't be a universal no-no!

I just wouldn't fill in the box that asked for salary expectations..

Thanks for the responses, interesting to see that people think you could leave it blank or something non specific as this wouldn't have occurred to me! @maxelly you have summed the situation up pretty well, but I was under paid in the first job in the chain with line management. My current job asked me salary expectations at interview, but had a range, and I put myself significantly under the top due to lack of confidence and concern about asking for too high a jump! But my current salary at the time wasn't even brought up in the end so the jump was irrelevant! So I don't want to do something similar when applying again as I suspect I am the lowest paid of my current colleagues.

I applied for similar jobs to prospective job previously and they were on the 10k more salary. However I have also applied to the same organisation before for a different but vaguely similar role which was the same salary I'm on now , but I think prospective job is more complex. As I say, I'd accept less but I'm wary that whatever I say they will offer less anyway. And I probably won't even get it!

Agree that this business about salaries and no range or indication or what to expect is rubbish!