To ask for the higher end of the salary range and to ask mumsnet how to get it?

[orangesandlemonssaythebellsofstclements]

I'm going for a new job and I'm really excited about it. The interview is in a few days.

The problem is, I haven't actual had a "job" job in almost five years now. I have five years experience in the role, followed a year's experience in a similar role and then another four years experience in the role I am applying for before I was made redundant towards the end of 2019 (I was made redundant from the two jobs before my last one too).
I stayed at home for a couple of months but was intending to start looking for new jobs in January 2020 when my youngest turned 2 but covid started to make it impossible.
Instead, my husband and I set up a business together (relevant to his work experience and absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with mine) which I've run from home since 2020. TBH I hate it, I want my own job, in the role I loved and I want to actually go out to work and have set hours instead of being stuck indoors fitting a job round the kids and being on the phone to customers at any moment of the day. Husband is on board and willing to close down the business and do some ads-hoc work part time to add to my wage and be home more with the kids, do school runs etc.

AAAANYWAY... to make this lifestyle and income change worth it (the business is doing well), I really do need to achieve the top end of the salary range they are offering which is more than I've ever achieved in any similar job. Does my previous experience seem enough to ask for it? would the five year gap put employers off and lower my earning potential?
Any tips at all on how to ask for it would be much appreciated as I've never had to before.

Thanks so much if you got this far!

It really depends on the industry, how fast things move, how transferable your skills from your family business are, how out of date your previous experience will be perceived as. How competitive the market is in your industry, is it specialist or is it something they can train someone else to do for less? Etc

If it's public sector, you'll struggle as the pay bands are quite rigid and whilst you might get a slight uplift top of band is very very rare.

Just ask .. they can only say no. Better to do it now, as once you are in, it will be neigh on impossible to get there

I'd really rather not say. It's fairly niche and I don't want to be recognised 😖

Why do you need to 'ask' for anything? Does the job advertise a salary range. See if they offer you the job and what they offer you. Then you can say, actually I was hoping for xxx, as my current job at x company pays this amount ( they have no idea what you current salary, or plus dividends is at your Dh's company).

😂😂😂

Also, it depends entirely on what the salary is - £35k - £40k? Easier to get to the top.
£120k - £150k? Less so perhaps.

Why do you have to close a business doing well? Can’t you just hire someone to take over your role?

Thank you

It's our company, not my DH's. Sorry. I've had people call it my DH's for four years now and it's one of the reasons I dislike the work. I said WE set it up and that I run it. I'm a director, same as him.

I do appreciate the advice though.

Just put the business on your cv as a job! Managing Director of whatever.

would help if you told us roughly what area your experience and jobs were though, like as general as “manufacturing”, “tech”, “the arts” etc

It is in the private sector? I ask as for the public sector it is very rate to get anything above the bottom of the band when you start.

The three relevant previous jobs I have mentioned were all third sector, hence why I was made redundant for all three - the funding was cut.
The new job I am going for is the same job, but is public sector.

And I probably should have said that the job advert said £XX - £XX per annum, depending on experience

£22-£38k. I want £32k as an absolute minimum and would be happy with £35k

No, because we don't have an office for them to work in. I work at home, from my conservatory. For various reasons it wouldn't work for them to work from their own home.

If the top end is what you need, then state that. Have confidence and say I'm looking for at least... and stick to it.

I think you need to calm down a little and see how the interview goes. Your focus at the minute should be on interview prep and how to convince them you are the best person for the role.

If you're offered it, then you negotiate at that point, but I guess you need to consider if you still take it if you don't get it up to the top amount. It sounds like there could be potential for your DH to earn more, or could he keep the business open in a different format?

And £32k is enough to close a successful business and your husband take a backseat?

£22k to £38k is too wide to be reasonable range ime - it says to me that the hirer doesn’t know what they want.

If I was hiring a finance person (I am as it goes) the difference between someone on £22k vs £38k is like day and night. Completely different skill sets etc.

The whole premise is a bit baffling to me but to answer your question if they ask at interview say you’d want a salary at the top of the range.

If they offer they’ll come with a figure and you can then see if you can get more. £32k doesn’t sound unreasonable in that range.

It is when we are both unhappy and not enjoying what we are doing, yes. I'll take a pay cut for that.
Husband will also continue working in the same capacity and on a self-employed basis, just less hours.

Oh my focus is on interview prep. I was offered the interview on Monday morning and it's not until the end of next week. I've done nothing but interview prep for five straight days.

I think you’re putting the cart before the horse, you wouldn’t negotiate salary until you are offered the role? If they ask as part of the application or interview you can state what you want. But don’t bring it up yourself. That is a massive salary range, very unusual. I’ve always asked and got the top of the range, at offer stage, but that’s always been based on the salary I already had which I guess is harder for you. Also don’t have too much expectation on this one job, you need to be applying for loads of jobs. Half the time they have an internal candidate lined up anyway

Of course I wouldn't ask before I was either offered the role or it was brought up at interview. I'm just trying to be prepared.

It is indeed a massive salary range!!

No internal candidate. There isn't currently any staff.

If it's public sector you'll have a harder job negotiating salary, there's a recruitment freeze in lots of CS departments currently. You say no internal applicants but there will be from other departments, which is why there's a range as they would maintain their current salary plus the next increment or 10% in addition as per pay and reward policy. At 22k you're looking at an entry level job so why would they pay you 38 to do it when you've not worked in the sector for five years?
I do a lot of cs and public sector recruitment.

I agree with the posters who tell you to cool your heels for now. You may not get the job so all this may be moot. That they are trying to benchmark the salary for an internal candidate who they already have in mind, is also a risk.

If you are offered the job, they will offer it with the salary they are prepared to pay you and you can negotiate from that point. If they ask you, you can say 35K but you might scupper their interest. I try not to give an opening figure if asked and just say "I am looking to be paid a fair amount for my experience and skills". If I really want a job, I prefer to the company make the opening offer on salary so I can gauge how much more they are prepared to go up.

This is where a recruitment agent, if you have one, comes into their own. They are very good for these negotiations on pay as they can sound out the prospective employer for you without sounding as crass as if you asked for it yourself. They can also suss out the competition to try and figure out your bargaining position with the company. If you don't get it in salary, they might be able to make it up in benefits.

Oh this is civil service / public sector? Then ignore what I said.

That’s such a big range in salary. £22k is entry level for a role, so I think you’d be justified asking for the middle of the bracket given your experience. Top end, they’d probably expect someone to hit the ground running.
Regardless, if you need £32k to take if then that’s that. See if they offer you the role and then put your cards on the table. If they can’t meet you there, ask for feedback as to what they would need from you to achieve higher and then you know where you may need to upskill for the next opportunity. Good luck x