Like most job seekers, I’ve needed to reply the dreaded wage expectation query over e mail.
Regardless of what number of instances I’ve completed it, it’s nonetheless nerve-wracking to place a quantity on the market. What if I undercut myself as a result of my quantity was too low? Or worse, what if I miss out on the job alternative as a result of my wage expectation was too excessive?
Other than the anxiousness I really feel fascinated with the result, the opposite difficult a part of the method is writing the precise wage expectation e mail (or making ready the script I’d use if this dialogue have been taking place head to head).
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I are likely to overthink what to say throughout robust conversations and might discover myself writing and rewriting one thing like a wage negotiation e mail for over an hour.
So, I requested an skilled methods to reply wage expectations over e mail — after which I put ChatGPT to the take a look at to see if it may write the e-mail for me.
Desk of Contents
Deciding Your Wage Expectations
Earlier than you may even focus on wage expectations with the hiring crew, it’s a must to provide you with your goal quantity.
It’s necessary to have a desired wage in thoughts earlier than you begin interviewing with an organization so you need to use it as a information all through the method.
Based mostly on my expertise, right here’s methods to provide you with a wage expectation in 4 steps.
1. Test the job posting.
Earlier than you provide you with your wage expectation, reference the unique job posting.
Current pay transparency laws in several states, together with California and New York, require corporations to incorporate a task’s wage vary within the job posting. If there’s a vary listed, you need to use that as a baseline for the wage you wish to request.
2. Analysis wage knowledge.
If there isn’t a wage vary listed on the job posting on your function, you may analysis common salaries for the function utilizing web sites like PayScale or Salary.com.
If the corporate is large enough, there might also be knowledge from present and former workers who’ve shared their salaries on web sites like Glassdoor.
It’s additionally necessary to contemplate the business of the function you’re making use of for. Tech salaries differ from authorities or nonprofit salaries, for instance, so the business you’re interviewing in impacts your goal wage.
3. Consider your expertise and present wage.
As soon as you realize the wage vary on your function, take into account your individual expertise to resolve what you wish to ask for.
You’ll possible goal a wage increased than your present one — or, on the very least, the identical price, assuming it is a function you’re very occupied with.
You may additionally be open to a decrease wage than your present one for a number of causes.
Perhaps you’re making a profession pivot or switching roles, and the expertise is extra necessary. Or maybe the corporate presents advantages that make up for the decrease base pay.
Utilizing your analysis on business salaries in addition to your present wage, it is best to have a good suggestion of your goal wage. Give you a spread that you simply’d settle for, ensuring you will have a minimal that you simply’d be pleased with.
4. Put together a counteroffer.
The wage expectations dialog usually comes up in the beginning of the interview course of, but it surely’s by no means too early to consider what sort of give you’d be pleased with.
Begin fascinated with salary negotiation and take into account what you’d be prepared to barter on, whether or not that’s the bottom wage or different advantages. Issues like inventory choices, extra trip days, or a hybrid work schedule might all be negotiable.
Methods to Reply the Wage Expectation Query
To search out out precisely methods to reply the wage expectation query, I talked to Nick Smith, a tech expertise acquisition specialist. Right here’s what he has to say.
1. Have the dialog early.
Smith emphasizes the necessity to have this dialog early within the course of. “It ought to be completed in your first name with the recruiter or preliminary level of contact,” he states.
Whereas the wage expectations query is often requested by a recruiter in the course of the screening course of, you can be offered with this query on the job software or in an preliminary e mail.
That is why you’ll must have a script and reply ready.
2. Set up a minimal.
After conducting analysis, it is best to know what the going price is on your place and business. Use that quantity as a baseline and modify primarily based in your expertise and what you realize in regards to the function you’re interviewing for.
“Having the hiring crew settle for the minimal of your compensation window is totally important,” says Smith.
That mentioned, you have to be affordable about your ask. Identical to you will have a minimal quantity in thoughts, hiring managers even have their restrict.
“Hiring groups will stroll away in case you don’t have a grounded quantity in thoughts,” Smith states.
3. Talk your worth prop.
Subsequent, you will have to have the ability to talk to the hiring crew why you’re anticipating a sure wage vary. Justify your required wage with market analysis and by demonstrating the worth you’d deliver to the function and firm.
Smith suggests writing one thing alongside the strains of this in a wage expectations e mail:
“Based mostly on the suggestions given to me by the hiring crew, my projected function and influence on the crew/org/firm, and market analysis, I’d gladly settle for X and withdraw myself from my remaining interviews elsewhere.”
4. Specific gratitude.
Should you’re looking forward to this place, Smith additionally suggests exhibiting appreciation and a want to maneuver ahead. You might be assured and agency with out shedding gratitude for the method.
“The way you body issues is as necessary as what you’re saying,” he says.
To precise gratitude in a wage expectations e mail, you may say one thing so simple as, “I’m excited in regards to the alternative and look ahead to subsequent steps.”
What ChatGPT Wrote for Me
As I mentioned earlier than, writing a wage expectation e mail is nerve-wracking.
I used to be curious to see if AI may ease a number of the stress of writing the sort of e mail, so I requested ChatGPT to put in writing me a number of wage expectation emails utilizing the skilled suggestions above as steering.
For this instance, I discovered a job posting for a place I’d be occupied with — a Content material Advertising Supervisor at a tech firm referred to as ServiceChannel.
As you may see beneath, the wage vary for this function is broad. It begins at $67,700 and goes as much as $125,900.
1. Wage Expectations Electronic mail: Wage Vary
Right here is the primary immediate I gave ChatGPT.
And right here’s the chatbot’s response (warning: it’s an extended one!):
There are a few issues I’d do to enhance this e mail.
For starters, it’s actually lengthy. Whereas it’s necessary to speak your pleasure for the function and underscore your {qualifications}, this e mail buries the lead, for my part.
If I have been scripting this, I’d reduce out a number of the fluff and get to the purpose sooner.
Second, for the reason that wage vary listed on this job posting is so broad, I’d personally slender it down much more.
ChatGPT type of did this by writing that it’s concentrating on the “higher vary of the said bracket,” however that leaves some ambiguity on the desk.
2. Wage Expectations Electronic mail: Setting a Minimal
For my subsequent immediate, I wish to slender down the wage vary and create a minimal compensation window, as Smith suggests.
Right here’s what I requested ChatGPT to put in writing:
Right here’s what ChatGPT wrote. The response was fairly just like the earlier one, so I outlined the part that the chatbot wrote otherwise:
Other than the size of this e mail (I’ll tackle that subsequent), I feel the adjustment to the wage expectation portion is healthier.
You could not wish to throw out a selected quantity this early on within the interview course of. However, doing so lets the hiring crew know whether or not or to not transfer ahead.
It additionally helps you resolve if this place is price pursuing. You probably have an absolute minimal wage vary that you simply’ll settle for, it’s price sharing that early on so that you don’t waste your time.
3. Wage Expectations Electronic mail: Brief Electronic mail
Now, it’s time to handle the size. I requested ChatGPT to put in writing a shorter e mail and obtained particular in regards to the size:
Right here’s what it generated:
The size and construction of this e mail are a lot better. It’s succinct whereas checking off all of the packing containers of an efficient wage expectations e mail.
When speaking about wage, I’d personally like to emphasise the worth and expertise I’d deliver to a task. Speaking your worth proposition can also be one thing Smith suggests doing when sharing your wage expectations.
4. Wage Expectations Electronic mail: Speaking Worth
Conserving the above in thoughts, I gave ChatGPT one other immediate:
And right here’s what it wrote:
Normally, I feel this e mail works nicely. That is rather more aligned with how I’d write a wage expectations e mail.
It emphasizes my pleasure in regards to the alternative, leads into why I’m certified for this place, and clearly states my minimal desired wage. I additionally like that it reiterates my worth prop and showcases confidence in my experience.
Lastly, in all of those emails, ChatGPT included a line about being open to discussing different elements of the compensation bundle, which communicates flexibility.
Should you’re open to negotiation for the precise place, it is a good ingredient to incorporate in your e mail.
5. Wage Expectations Electronic mail: Deflecting the Wage Expectations
For my remaining immediate, I needed to see how ChatGPT would write an e mail within the situation the place I wish to deflect the wage expectation query.
As Smith steered earlier, this dialog is healthier to have in particular person as e mail is “impersonal and lacks nuance.” You may additionally wish to study extra in regards to the function earlier than you share a selected quantity.
Right here’s what ChatGPT wrote:
Whereas this e mail is somewhat verbose nonetheless (to be truthful, I by no means specified a sure tone I would like it to emulate), it does a very good job of deflecting the query.
The e-mail states that whereas I’m looking forward to the function, I wish to have this dialog later within the course of once I’m extra knowledgeable about all the things this function will entail.
If you wish to delay the wage dialogue, you can additionally use this time to ask questions in regards to the wage and price range. That’s one thing that this AI-generated e mail didn’t embrace, however that is what I’d add if I have been scripting this.
What I Discovered From AI
My largest takeaway? Utilizing ChatGPT to put in writing a wage expectations e mail might be good apply in case you’re at present job-seeking.
The chatbot can generate responses in seconds and modify with every immediate you give it, which forces you to consider what you’d write otherwise.
The AI-generated responses may present a framework if, like me, getting began with the sort of e mail is the toughest half.
Nevertheless, ChatGPT isn’t going to generate the right response on your particular scenario.
It’s important to present the main points and let the chatbot know the tone you wish to use if you’d like it to generate one thing near send-ready (warning: keep away from giving ChatGPT *an excessive amount of* details about your self or your place).
Setting Expectations
Setting wage expectations is important for everybody concerned within the interview course of. However earlier than you may share your wage expectations, it’s a must to be ready with a quantity.
Solely you realize what wage vary or minimal you’d be snug with.
Make sure to conduct loads of wage knowledge analysis, consider your expertise and abilities, and provide you with a script that you may confidently use when the chance comes up.
You should utilize AI that can assist you type your e mail construction, however in the end, it’s a must to fill within the blanks with your individual job particulars and wage expectations.
