Expected salary - how much?

[fivetriangulartrees]

I'm applying for a more senior role and want to put a number in the "expected salary" field. (Having hired people previously, I know that "to be negotiated" is a bit annoying and doesn't help the hirer.) But what number should I put?

• I'm currently on 80k at a different company in the same city
• This is probably 1-2 grades more senior
• There is no pay scale for the new role. The grade below is advertised at 60-120k but I know some people will be paid in excess of that anyway
• The role isn't as senior as some that I know pay 150k
• I have most but not all of the experience asked for
• I don't really want the job (would be a rubbish commute) but see this as practice for a potential role closer to home and want to get a measure of my worth to a new employer
• I'm on a good salary now but I have a long previous history of being underpaid and not asking for enough

What is my expected salary?

£130k

£120

£120K

If you don't really want the job, pitch yourself high and see what happens. Would you take it if they offered you 130k?

£130, always go higher than you’d be willing to accept in my experience

I would go top end of the grade below because in reality they're probably not paying that to the grade below so is a good jumping off point for the next grade, if that makes sense?! If you had more experience and were confident you would blow the competition out of the water I'd go higher (130?) but that's not the vibe I'm getting. Best of luck!

I would go £140k if the higher end of the grade below is £120k

Gosh, these are bigger numbers than I had in mind. But I have to remind myself this is why a previous boss once laughingly called me a "bargain".😮And just after I'd had a pay rise, too.

I would say £120k which, after all, is a 50% uplift.

What sort of role is it? If you're moving from senior into exec management (for example), the £140k suggested above might be appropriate

It's a senior leadership role that reports directly to the CEO but doesn't have a C in the job title. At work I skate over not knowing quite what "exec management" is by calling everyone above me "bigwigs" and waving my arms about vaguely. 😳

I’d say £120K too, but if it makes you feel better you can add the woolly “open to negotiation”! Also may depend on the overall package - are share options included, bonus scheme etc

I would go in high. At that sort of salary range, they're going to be looking for the best candidate, not the cheapest hire. As long as you have the skills and experience needed, set the bar high. I would go in at between £130 -£140k. What have you for to lose?

£125

My role is very similar (one grade below C level) and my salary is around the average of all the numbers suggested on this thread, so definitely don't undersell.

Good luck.

“I don't really want the job (would be a rubbish commute) but see this as practice for a potential role closer to home and want to get a measure of my worth to a new employer”

I can’t stand people like you OP. Stop being a dick and wasting everyone’s time by applying for a job you don’t want.

This. Go do your interview practice somewhere else rather than wasting people's time. Appalling behaviour.

Ooh it's a small World, especially at that level, I'd be careful about wasting people's time using them for interview practice!

Nope, I don't agree with the time-wasting comments. At the moment I work part of the week remotely and if they matched those conditions, I'd be very interested in the role, if it still feels like a good fit at interview. If they can't or won't accept hybrid working, it's still good to get to know each other for future opportunities.

And anyway, when I say I don't really want the job, that's also a defence mechanism so when I don't get an interview, I can say, meh, I didn't want it anyway.

I was going to say the same. Stop wasting people's time, when someone else could miss out on a possible job to someone who doesn't want it just the practice makes me annoyed.

Blimey people earn so much fucking money! I wish the world was more equal. It's insane

I completely agree! The disparity is bonkers. It's only recently I've been a higher earner and I feel like I'm cheating.

If you’re not going to take the job then just put any figure? I’d just put £150k. I definitely wouldn’t bother posting about it if I had no intention of taking the role.

I'm glad you know you need to get better at "knowing your worth". No way would I work for someone who openly declared that they're getting you on the cheap. Urgh, how arrogant.

If the grade below is £60-120k then definitely ask for a minimum if £140k.