One topic on which many interviewers seem to differ is the subject of salary inquiries. On the one hand, Donovan believes that interested candidates should broach the subject toward the end of the first interview if it’s going well. “There’s no need to pin down the exact salary, but you should at least ask about the range—and if the top of it is not near where you should be, based on your qualifications, or is less than what you currently earn, you should make that clear. If the range is comfortable, indicate that you would expect to be near the top of it.”
On the other hand, Lindsay Snyder, associate director of marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, recommends not bringing up compensation or benefits during the first meeting, and adds, “If an interviewer asks for your expectations, do your best to put the ball in her court. If you can get the company to give you a salary range for the position, it gives you an idea of where to start the negotiation.” Whatever your approach, always be courteous but assertive when voicing your salary preferences, and be prepared for some compromise on both sides.
Shower Them with Thanks
Following up with interviewers is a two-pronged tactic that requires both immediate and deferred action. As soon as you get home after the interview, send a brief, cordial thank-you email to each person you met with. Then, using professional-looking stationery, pen neatly handwritten notes to the same people and drop them in the mail by the next day at the latest.
In the weeks after the interview, keeping the company’s hiring timeline in mind, continue to contact your interviewer persistently (but not too aggressively) until she either offers you the position or tells you she’s decided to go with another candidate. If you don’t get the job, thank the interviewer once more for her time, and ask that she keep you in mind if future positions for which you’re qualified become available at her company.
Use Your “Wow” Factor
As U.S. unemployment rates have soared, the job market has become saturated with applicants for every open position out there. Now more than ever, it’s critical that you arm yourself with the career know-how, the polished appearance, and the interpersonal skills that will help you edge out the competition when you’re seeking a new professional role. To err is indeed human, but job interviews are an ideal forum in which to showcase just how put-together you can be. By doing all the right things at all the right times—and looking the part—you’ll be sitting pretty in that corner office in no time.
