Can I change my salary expectation ?

During the first interview, the manager asked me how much is my salary expectation. I told him a range.

That was literally the first question he asked. I thought he would ask more about my technical skills and experience first. I was unprepared for that question.

I have just found out their budgeted salary for this job, which is much higher than the lower end of my quoted range. I now feel very regret of what I said to him earlier.

The interview process has not finish yet. The manager is happy about the 1st interview and scheduled me to meet his boss. Because I live in a different city to that company, he also offered to cover my flight and accommodation cost for the 2nd interview.

How should I say to him? Shall I just tell him that I made a careless mistake earlier, and now want to increase my expected salary range to match their budget? Would I risk losing the opportunity by making that request?

Nigel

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Comments

TheFORCE

Will you be relocating to this new city? Are you comfortable with your first salary range you provided them? How much is the increase from your current position? You can always say that since you don't live in the city you were not aware of the living cost there and that you feel you need to adjust/revise your salary requirements. If they are ok with that, give them the lower range of their salary budget, that way they won't feel like you are being greedy.

Priston

I'd wait until they actually give you an offer. If the offer is lower then their range and the city your moving to has a higher cost of living, you can apologize and say after looking into the cost of living difference more, I realized I'll need to make between X - X

robby005

I think its not good to increase your range now, get the job first and then after six months you can ask them to increase your salary.

MTciscoguy

This illustrates one area that many people fall down on when looking for a job. You have failed to research the market you are trying to move into. You have given them a figure and it is not going to be easy to up it before you have the position. It is not difficult to research and know what the prevailing rates are for that particular area, it is pretty easy to research just about any market area in the country these days.

I would suggest work to getting the higher end of what you told them, if they offer you the position, the work and prove to them you are worth more inline with what their budget for the position is.

Best bet you can lay your money on, is make sure and research the company as well as the market before you enter the interview, that way you can talk with conviction about salary needs, this one you have already laid your cards on the table and they know what you can be bought for.

Danielm7

robby005 wrote: »

I think its not good to increase your range now, get the job first and then after six months you can ask them to increase your salary.

There is probably somewhere around 0% chance that this will actually work though.

TheFORCE

Danielm7 wrote: »

There is probably somewhere around 0% chance that this will actually work though.

^^ is correct, once you get a job and you are inside the company, there is no way a company will give you an increase of 20% salary from your original salary. We all have been in this situations, this is why people move positions, because the increase % from within is always less than what you get when you go as a new hire to a new company.

nigelwebster86

I agree.

The increase from salary review can be small and difficult. They can simply pick any of my errors during the training/warming-up process or set a higher target for me to reach as an excuse to postpone pay rise.

Instead of explicitly tell them I am changing mind and need a higher expectation now, would implicit suggestion make any difference?

For example, I am wondering, what would happen if I tell them that my current employer or another prospective employer is now considering a higher pay for me, etc.

TheFORCE

nigelwebster86 wrote: »

I agree.

The increase from salary review can be small and difficult. They can simply pick any of my mistakes during the training/learning process or set a higher target for me to reach as an excuse to postpone pay rise. If I am new, making mistakes will be inevitable.

Instead of explicitly tell them I am changing mind and need a higher expectation now, would implicit suggestion make any difference?

For example, I am wondering, what would happen if I tell them that my current employer or another prospective employer is now considering a higher pay for me, etc.

Trying to bluff or play any type of Russian roulette game is probably not worth it and it might backfire on you. The nest suggestion were already given and mentioned in the above posts. Tell them that since you were not aware of the living costs in this city after your research and the job market there you feel that you deserve an extra $$ additional.

nster

Don't say anything for now. He'll notice if you are trying to play it up. Does you high end and their low end intersect?

nigelwebster86

My high end is exactly same to their low end.

MTciscoguy

nigelwebster86 wrote: »

My high end is exactly same to their low end.

But obviously, that is not what you told them....

nster

Would you be happy with their low-end in that case? Is the living costs much higher there than where you live?

nigelwebster86

I'd be happy with their low end budget too. My mistake was I told them a range with my lower end is way too low.

I have read on Internet that many employers will just choose whatever the low end the candidate quoted by default, and ignore the high end the candidate said. In other words, if you say you want a salary range from 10K-20K, or 10K - 80K, the result will be the same. They just choose to offer 10K. The 20K or 80K has no effect. Is that true?

AverageJoe

No, that's not true. A lot of other factors come into play. They know the cost of living for their area, they know how much they'll have to pay to replace you if you quit after 3 months because you realized you accepted too low a salary, and they know they build a better relationship with you right from the start by not being cheap in the beginning. Not every HR or hiring manager will look at it exactly the same, but they'll consider those factors and more.

Just my guess, but my bet is that they'll come back saying they like you so much that they're going to offer 5%-10% over your high range (maybe even more). They want you to say "wow" and be impressed, ready to work hard.

And if they do the opposite and low-ball you, then that's a good indication that you don't want to work there anyway because they're short-sighted in how they approach costs/expenses, and that'll only get worse as you wind up requesting training, conferences, new furniture, raises, etc.

Just my 2 cents.

anhtran35

When they give you the offer letter. NEGOTIATE. They should expect a counter offer from you.

iBrokeIT

anhtran35 wrote: »

When they give you the offer letter. NEGOTIATE. They should expect a counter offer from you.

You screwed up big by not doing your research but I have to agree... if you can risk losing the job I think you should negotiate.

"Is that the best offer you can make?"

AverageJoe

I agree, if the offer comes in low, negotiate. But if it comes in too low, they're not serious... walk away.