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Script: Answering The Question ‘How Much Did You Earn At Your Last Job?’

Rrring!

Emily: Emily Brooks!

Shaun: Hi Emily, this is Shaun Jimenez from Angry Chocolates. Have you got a second?

Emily: Sure. Let me just turn this heat down a bit here. I’m making supper.

Shaun: Oh, sorry!

sheepie job seeker

Emily: It’s fine. I’ve got it on simmer. What can I do for you, Shaun?

Shaun: You sent us a resume for our Office Manager position, and we were impressed with your background.

Emily: Thank you Shaun – that’s nice to hear!

Shaun: This is kind of an impromptu phone screen, and I apologize for intruding on your evening –

Emily: That’s fine – I have a moment.

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continue of article: 

Shaun: I wanted to find out your salary history so we can see whether we’re in the same ballpark.

Emily: Oh! I thought I included that in my letter. I’m focusing on jobs in the low fifties.

Shaun: You did say that. I wanted to get your actual salary history, too.

BEAT.

Emily: Oh, okay, I understand. Let me ask you this, Shaun: is my low-fifties salary requirement a good match for this position?

Shaun: Er, I think so — I’m really supposed to get your salary history. They are interested in you, though!

Emily: I gave my salary requirement in my letter, Shaun, because my accountant would be quite unhappy with me if I shared my past salary information. It’s confidential.

Shaun. Oh. Our Director of Operations asked for it.

Emily: Do you happen to know why she wanted that information, Shaun?

Shaun: I guess, just to see if there’s a progression –

Emily: Okay, thanks. As you can imagine, I’d be interested also to know what you paid your last Office Manager, but I have to imagine that that information is confidential.

Shaun: [laughing] Oh, definitely!
Emily: Yes – so you understand. It seems to me that if your Director of Operations likes my resume and understands that I’m looking for an Office Manager job that pays in the low-fifty-thousands per year, then we have something to talk about! If that’s not your salary range, then of course I’m not a good fit.

Shaun: So I should tell her….

Emily: I would tell her that you’ve spoken with me and that I’m very interested in learning more. My low-fifties salary requirement is right in line with the research I’ve done on similar salaries in companies like yours, so I hope it will be a match with your range for this position — but if not, I completely understand.

Shaun: I’ll tell her. Wait a second — I’ll text her.

Emily: Oh — is this an emergency, Shaun? I’d hate to disturb her at seven-thirty p.m.

Shaun: Well, she wanted me to set you up with an interview if your salary history was in line with her expectation.

Emily: And what was that?

Shaun: Just that you’d been earning close to fifty thousand already, so this wouldn’t be a big jump.

Emily: Interesting. I would think that my track record would be more relevant — but to each his own. Her own.

Shaun: She texted back! Her name is Gloria. She said “Invite Emily to an interview.”

Emily: When is she thinking about?

Shaun: How is Thursday morning?

Emily: Thursday morning is great.

Emily went on the interview, and she got the job! She educated Gloria during the recruiting process. Gloria is a good boss, but she’s never thought much about the recruiting process before. She’s always heard that an employer should check a job-seeker’s salary history. Emily set Gloria straight!

Once Gloria realized that Emily isn’t your average Sheepie Job Seeker, Gloria got excited about the possibilities that Emily could bring to the company as its new Office Manager.

RRRRRRRING!

Emily: Emily Brooks!

Shaun: Hey, Emily. I’ve got that offer letter — should I put it in the mail? We’re all excited for you to join us!

Emily: I’m excited, too, Shaun! I can stop by your office and sign the offer tomorrow.

Shaun: You know what, Emily?

Emily: What, Shaun?

Shaun: At first when I talked to you a few weeks back, I was thrown off guard. I’ve never had a job applicant refuse to give me their salary history before. Not that you refused — I mean,  you were nice about it. But you got me thinking. What does salary history have to do with anything? Who cares what you earned before?

Emily: You’re a great HR person, Shaun!

Shaun: I learned how to do HR a certain way. Now I’m learning a lot of new tricks!

Emily: Rock on, Shaun! See you tomorrow.

What would Emily have done if Gloria had insisted on knowing Emily’s salary history? Emily would have gone to work somewhere else. Emily knows her value. She knows that since she’s worth at least fifty thousand bucks a year to lots of different organizations, she might as well hold out for an organization that will pay her target rate AND treat her like a human being.

After all, the salary surveys that Emily consulted didn’t say “The salary range for a person like you is fifty thousand dollars with emotional abuse, or forty-five thousand dollars without it.” Emily knows that not every Office Manager in the world can deliver what she brings to her employers. Why should she grovel? Emily gave up being a Sheepie Job Seeker long ago.

How about you?

 

Forbes.com | January 17, 2015  | Liz Ryan 

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