If you are not nervous for a job interview, you’re probably dead. Everyone else is though they might not show it. It’s perfectly natural to be nervous.

Nervousness is excess energy, which is not channelled properly. Use your nervous energy properly and increase your chances to getting what you want at the interview.

So, you’re waiting there about to be called for the job interview and you would really like the job.

• Check that your dress, shoes, hair are OK and hands are clean

Do this ritual just once. Then tell yourself that these things are OK. Nothing to worry about any more.

If at this stage you notice that you’ve left your file with the supporting documents at home, don’t panic. It’s a mistake, but you just have to do without them now. You can send them later. All documents are supporting documents only. The impression you make on the interviewer and how you manage at the interview is the deciding factor. So concentrate on that and forget things you forgot.

• Be the profile for the job

How will the interviewer profile you as a candidate? Are you a globally famous expert in your field, a beginner with only summer job history? Are you going for a marketing job, which would require superior people handling skills or an accountant’s job, which would require meticulousness?

The impression you make on the interviewer should be the same as required for the job you seek. If you give the impression of a meek and shy person, then the interviewer wouldn’t rate you high for the direct marketing job. It is very likely that you would create a bad impression, if you want to be an accountant but are late and sloppy or have spelling errors on your CV or application. Visualize yourself in the job and assume the profile of the person doing the job. Your message “Yes, I can” should remain with the interviewer even after you’ve left.

• Greet the interviewer politely

In most cultures, it is polite and necessary to look in the eye (but not stare) and shake hands firmly when meeting. Many people in some Asian cultures like Japan do not appreciate eye contact from subordinates, and they are not very eager to shake hands either. Observe the body language of the interviewer. If s/he is not eager to shake hands, just nod politely and respectfully. Remember, you must always stand up when the interviewer walks into the room.

• Listen to the interviewer carefully

Be present and pay attention to the interviewer/s. If you don’t understand one question fully, ask a clarifying question like “Do you mean that why do I have the three-month gap between the last two jobs?” or say “Sorry, I didn’t get that, would you please repeat your question?”

• Engage the interviewer

Observe if the interviewer is interested in you. Show interest and enthusiasm for the job and for the organisation by asking detailed questions. Ask questions that show you are really visualizing yourself doing the job. “So there are two teams. One of them is overseas and that means we should have virtual meetings when it’s office hours for them. This means I should arrange late working hours one day per week, doesn’t it?”

Don’t ask questions like “What is your website address?” You are supposed to have done background research before coming to the interview. Avoid saying things like “I absolutely love your company and would be the best candidate”. This does not sound very convincing.

Discuss with the interviewer how your skills and competences would be suitable for the job – “Ah yes, I could make good use of my Spanish skills then with the Chilean customers” or “My experience in using Excel Pivot Tables would really come in handy here”.

• Thank the interviewer

No matter how the interview goes, remember to say that the interview was a good experience and thank. That particular interviewer might become your next boss, or client. In my previous job, I interviewed a person I did not hire then. Years later she became my client and hired me. She said this was because she instantly remembered on seeing me that I had treated her nicely and with dignity.

Wishing you success in your job interview.

Where I work there are only a handful of employees. We have to work side by side and get along fairly well in order for the day to be productive. For the most part it is one of the better places where I have ever worked because we would all rather get along than fight, however some issues, and differences of opinions, come to the front at social events such as the "Staff Christmas Party".

For a few days following these events some feathers remain ruffled but we go back to getting along very shortly. I am well aware, however that in some work places the staff are not so tolerant of each others beliefs. In fact in some places they form up into sides based on political opinion or religion.

If people work together, they will be more productive if they want to help each other, rather than harbor any feeling of hatred or wanting the other person to look bad.

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What are your employees talking about or fighting over when they gather at the water cooler?

Not everyone is passionate about politics or has strong political views, but for those that do, their opinions are more than just political ones. If you support a party that is high on supporting environmental causes, chances are you are too. Therefore you are not going to want to be working with a bunch of people who drive Hummers two blocks to work, and who are generally wasteful people. If you support a political party that believes wealth should be shared equally among the people, you are not going to want to work with people who think that rich people deserve more or are more important than everyone else. You get the picture.

People cannot help the way they believe, or how they feel on certain issues pertaining to everyday life. Those issues are then put forth into our political views. This goes hand in hand with how we think in our daily lives. Most of us have friends with similar views.

Again, having co-workers who get along is very important to the running of any business, particularly a small business where people are often working along side of one another in, what should be, a co-operative manner.

While maybe it is illegal to ask a person what there political views are, and illegal to hire based on this, it might be something we should be aware of when staffing. Similar minded people will get along better. People of opposing views might just try to sabotage each other, and thereby hurt the company in the long run.

Human resource departments have invested thousands of pounds into a technique that has little or no value at all. The reason they have little value is because they don't take into consideration the simple lateral conclusion of variables. There is simply to many to measure. Lets take a look inside the box for moment. These tests can be designed by anyone, each question can be tailored to the job type, which straight away narrows the opportunity for the employer.

The outcome can be measured on a scale of the person who designed the test, came to a conclusion based on a average. Therefore decides on categorised rules, which is based on one persons personal preference.

A personal preference is always a singularity of many possibilities.

• Peoples state of mind can change several times a day depending on what mood they are in.

• what people think is not how they act in a professional environment.

• Humans react and are able to mould to unfamiliar environment and procedures.

• Minds work differently, a left handed person will use both sides of their brain before answering, a right handed person will only use one. The out come can be totally different.

• We tend to answer psychological questions based on life experience, a teenager will answer a test totally different to a much older person.

Even a top performing employee who has been doing a particular job role for over a year. Can take a test designed for that position and still fail the personality category desired. FACT!

Psychometric tests rule out a simple connection of human behaviour. The ability to learn.

If employers are prepared to use a tool of insignificance on possible employees. Maybe they are telling you! the candidate, that they have become lazy, haven't or don't want to spend the money on training you, They have weak management or work ethics, the company has so much red tape in each department, you will be waiting a long time for any type of career break.

It might be the fact the company have been bought by a very good sales representative on the hard sell, offering these test as a solution to employment turn over.

What ever it is the logic doesn't add up.

So next time you are asked to complete a psychometric test for a particular job role. Remember to try and answer the questions to suit that job type. To answer the questions honestly will only bring you a closed door.

Some top mistakes made by people that command leadership.

Lack of training and or experience.

When did it say that once you receive that gold badge with the title of "Manager" it went under the assumption that you knew it all.  Many people are thrust into that position not knowing what to do.  Often times in your career there will come a time that you know more or have more experience than the person leading the group.  Management should not ever stop training.

Lack of employee appreciation.

In hospitality, for example there are three main cost.  Food, beverage, and labor.  The  most expensive is the recruitment, the training, and the retention of all employees.  This falls squarely on the management of any operation.  Managers should try to hire an employee for the long term.  Productivity from said employee will not be seen for weeks if not longer.Managers must find employees doing something right.  Praise in front of others, reprimand in private.

Lack of effective communication.

Just because a manager said it, doesn't mean it was passed to all concerned, and if so, understood. Managers  must make an effort to ask question concerning directions given.  If not understood explain again or find someone who can.  Often times we forget the barrieres to this communication.  Language, background, work experience, education; these are but a few reasons why a given message could have a totally different interpretation. 

Lack of compensation, upward mobility, and timely reviews.

Today's economic conditions have made it impossible to hold mid-level management employment  consistent.  Industry trends show that these jobs are all but extinct.  Upward mobility must take large steps within a corporation, often times due to the elimination of said positions.  Without title changes, compensation is not justified.  Corporations can barely keep up with a cost of living raise and when possible, to those select few.  The majority of staff is just happy to keep their jobs.  Reviews are just another way to say no, and are usually based on the last good or bad thing a manager remembers about you in the past month.  Think about it..you manage 75 people, some you don't even know by name, but you hold their employment fate in your hands.  All reviews are due tomorrow.   Sound fair.

A. The Covering Letter

This should be quite brief with no more than three paragraphs over one A4 page. The opening paragraph should mention what you are applying for and why. Try not to repeat your resume. instead, mainly summarise key points relevant to the post. The second paragraph should state why you are particularly suitable, especially in acquiring customers and giving value for money, and using certain key words the advert might have mentioned, while the third contains what you hope to gain from the post and any special skills/expertise you would bring to it in return.

The letter should stress your experience, knowledge and expertise that would suit that job and enhance the company's service and reputation. Mention the desire to face that next challenge in your development which the new company appears to offer and the enthusiasm and drive you would be bringing. The letter should be more professional and emotional in tone, i:e stressing the kind of person you are, your personality, your objectives, reliability, resilience, successes etc, with certain key words like flexibility, adaptability and challenge strategically placed. Overall, the letter should give a brief flavour of you while the resume fills in the details. End very hopefully, thanking them for a positive response soon.

B. The Resume

No resume should be longer than two A4 pages, and at the most, three. banking is now a global activity so be prepared to address that aspect in your resume. You could arrange the details in the following order for clarity:

1. Education - all your college and university experiences, along with your qualifications, especially if you are an older candidate. Include your high school if you are younger.

2. Current Post - This should have a brief outline of your present job, its responsibilities and roles, and the main skills you employ within it, especially the ones relevant to banking.

3. Professional Experience - This is where you would list your other key and recent jobs, making sure you outline what you did. Use certain key buzzwords associated with the finance field, so that your specific skills in handling the potential tasks are plain to see, and in accepted banking jargon. Highlight the experiences which actually match the requirement of the advert rather than just speaking generally.

4. Additional Experience - This part is suitable for all the things you might have done in between jobs or as voluntary work, again emphasising the relevant knowledge and skills gained within them that would be useful to the new post. These would also help to fill any noticeable gaps and give a more rounded picture of you.

5. Computer Skills - Mention the computer awareness you have, the different kinds of applications you are adept in and your actual experience in this field. Computers are our future and you being comfortable with them shows your adaptability and flexibility. Confidence in technology has to be your keyword, especially when computers are now essential to the vast amount of banking data.

6. Languages - This is another crucial aspect in our global banking world. Any language could be useful to your role, especially the main ones like English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Japanese and Chinese. These kind of linguistic skills can often be priceless to potential and existing customers.

7. Honours and Awards - List these clearly with brief explanations of why you received them, specially the most recent. Honours which match the new job field should come first.

8. Recent Training - List all the courses and training you have had, especially the ones that are relevant to this new job. Even the occasional one day course in banking functions shows that you wish to keep up with the trends and not hang back in old ways and mindsets. That is also how you would be able to compete with younger people who might be at the cutting edge of their profession.

9. Six Key Words (Optional) - These are words you would use to describe yourself or other people have used constantly to describe you. These would be useful as a snapshot to tell the recruiter what kind of personality you have and could work in your favour, especially if those words are also in mind for their ideal candidate.

10. References - List two key referees that can be contacted as recommendation and support for you. One is usually a business leader, like your last boss, and one personal, or both could be from past experiences. If you are younger, one should be a principal of your college or headteacher.

On the whole, you have to stress your experience, accomplishments and the results you are capable of producing, where people are also concentrating on money. In effect, how you would improve the bottom line. That's all banking businesses are interested in. If employers think you will make things happen, while being sensitive and adaptable, you are halfway in. A fine balance in demonstrating experience, clear objectives and a love of the profession itself will get you even farther.

When meeting new people on the job, the one thing you never do, is lend money to your newly found friends, no matter the amount. You're money is yours, don't be too quick to lend it out to people who seem nice, but you know nothing about them. While trying to be the good person and get recognized by your fellow workers, do realize that you don't really know these people all that well, and even if you do know them well, keep your money in your pockets. There's nothing worse than lending money, and then having to chase after the person you lent it to, as it will cause bad relations between you and that person. If families can't agree concerning money, don't think a stranger will fair any better.

Do be friendly in other ways. When possible, always have a positive attitude and an open mind, this will take you far in any company, and it won't take long for people in higher positions than you, to notice that you always seem to have a smile on your face.

Maybe you are single, or maybe you are married, and either way there's a guy or a woman who seems to smile at you each time you walk past their desk. How do you know if the smile is friendly or not? Is the person smiling at you just because you are new, or does he or she have a crush on you? This is a territory that is best left alone. Smile back and keep on trucking, as in office, or on the job relationships, rarely last once the lust has been satisfied, and you may feel that you will have to leave this good job, because you can't stand to see that other person's face. Not a good thing to do. Office romances more often fail, than make it.

When work is finished, sometimes employee's get together for a few beers to unwind from the day at work. If you don't drink, then don't let anyone force you into drinking.It seems to be the in thing, getting someone who doesn't drink, stinking drunk, so they can make a fool of themselves. Drink what you are comfortable with, and no more than that. Don't be a yes person for your new friends at work, do learn when to say no, and stick to your decision to say no. You will be more respected for your values as a person, than you can ever realize.

Three months are already finished and it's time to see your boss, for your first raise. Take a few minutes and write down what you have accomplished in the last three months, and present that to your boss when applying for your first raise. More than likely this person will be impressed that you wrote everything down. In doing so, you're manager will respect you more, as most people don't write things down. Also in writing everything down, meetings ect. You get to bring certain abilities to the bargaining table for your first raise, and continue to write down the good things you do, not only as a person, but also as a part of this new company. Again, this won't go un-noticed.

In most jobs you spend as much time with you're fellow co-workers, as you do with your family. Don't be afraid to express your views on certain matters that you deem important and most of all, do try to cooperate as much as possible. In some cases people do put in 12-hour days, so that's a lot of time to spend with your fellow workers. Do make friends, do invite them home for a cooked meal, but never allow anyone to walk over you like you are a blade of grass under their shoes. You have rights, be sure to exercise them.

Maybe you will find yourself in a position where you feel your boss isn't being fair with you, and you don't quite know how to handle this situation. Make notes on what this person does to make your life miserable, and when you can no longer take it, go above this person's head, to his or her boss, and make sure that the person you are now seeing sees your note book, and the things you have written in it. When you write things down, do make sure to put the day and date you were given a hard time, over and over by this boss who seems to have it out for you. Confront your new boss, he or she may not always like it, but you don't go to work to be made to look like a fool. Always stand up for what you believe, without being saucy or rude. State your points, and make sure this new manager gets your entire drift that while you respect him or her as a boss, you aren't about to take crap from them. Most times when this happens, and an employee confronts them they back off. I say most times, but not all times, and that's when you have to go over their heads, to a higher boss.

It doesn't really matter what job you chose to do, but now that you have it, you don't want to loose it. Always give 110% of yourself, and people will respect you for what you give to this new company. Maybe the next time a review comes up, you won't have to go to your boss, he or she, will come to you, as they now can recognize you as a superior employee. There aren't that many superior employee's in any company, but if you are this type of person, more than likely you will get more promotions faster than you think as companies need people like you.

Try very hard not to loose time, or be late, as no employer appreciates tardy employees. Always try to be at your best, and you will find that in being the best you an be, the big bosses will see you for what you are worth, and you will grow with the company, moving up the ladder of success, very quickly.

Most bosses don't give a good hoot about your personal lives. If your babysitter quit, that's not their problem, it's yours, so try really hard to have a back up plan in case your original plan doesn't work out. Find out if there are people who live around where you live and maybe pay them money to help with gas costs and you get a ride to work daily instead of taking a bus or your own car. By paying someone else to give you a ride to work, you are saving money on gas and possible car repairs.

In closing, do always try to be one step ahead of everyone in the new company, where you now work. Do always try to be extremely honest and loyal to this new company, and the rewards that will come back to you, you just won't believe.

Good luck.

I'm going to list ten attitude problems that employees can bring to work, and offer some suggestions as to what you can do about them.

1. Those with an antagonistic attitude. This one affects not only employers, but other staff, and even more importantly, the customers. One woman I worked with delighted in biting everyone's head off, answering the phone in an abrupt manner as though she was being interrupted at her "real" work, and playing favourites, so that only those who were really part of her clique got good treatment.
2. The person who'll never take any blame for any mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes in a work situation, but the person who always has an excuse and never offers an apology is bad news.
3. The person who complains whenever they're asked to do anything different. As a whining child gets on his or her parents' nerves, these workers get on the nerves of the responsible workers around them.
4. The one who's never motivated to pick up work when they've finished what they're doing. They either lack initiative, or don't care to use it. I remember one man I worked with who would get to the end of his particular tasks around 1 pm, and then would sit there for the rest of the day literally doing nothing.
5. The person who challenges you, not just to your face, but in front of everyone else. The sort of person who's forever trying to get other people on his or her side, who rolls their eyes at anything the boss says, or who drags other workers in for a gossip session about the boss or the management.
6. Those who are never there when the clock hits 8.30. Or who just don't turn up, and require someone to waste time calling them to see where they are. They're particularly irritating when they're not there on a day when they're specifically required. In the end these ones can never be relied on, and consequently they can duck any responsibilities, such as opening up the shop, or coming in early to get special tasks done.
7. Their opposite number is the person who's there on time, but who always insists on leaving on the dot, both at lunchtime or in the evening. They never have time for any last minute jobs, and can never be persuaded to give a minute or two more of their time.
8. The one who has to be supervised at all times - just in case they do something wrong. You know they probably won't but they're "afraid" that they might, and they need you virtually to hold their hand. These are the sort of people whom you sometimes have to teach a task to over and over.
9. The people who are so looking forward to their retirement that they start acting as though they've already retired - while they're still being paid to work. They'll just slip out to do a personal errand, or they'll sit reading the newspaper, or take extra coffee breaks, or make long phone calls - usually about things related to what they're going to do when they're finished in your employ.
10. The ones who bring all their worries to work. Sometimes personal issues do take over, but when it's basic matters that don't affect the job in any way, or things that need to be kept out of the work scene, then these people can be a real time-waster. I worked with someone who was studying at University part-time. She would come to work in tears, because she wasn't sure whether she'd done well in her latest assignment or test. It would take a half an hour or more to calm her down.

What do you do with any of these kinds of employees?

Once it was possible to sack people on the spot in the hope that you'd get someone better to replace them. This is no longer an option for most employers, and dismissing someone can be a time-consuming and stressful task. Badly handled, it can also be expensive.

So what to do?

• Firstly, keep your eyes and ears open. Some employers overlook warning signs until too late, and by then other good staff are handing in their notice.
• Don't get so involved in your own work that you don't keep an eye on what your staff are up to. I worked for a man last year who was filling in until a new supervisor was hired. He chose to ignore the rudeness of one staff member when she contradicted anything he would say, and even though he was aware of the tensions in the office, he failed to act.
• If staff members are expressing concern about any particular person on a regular basis, be proactive. You have to be deaf and blind to miss bad attitudes; most often the fault becomes that of the boss if nothing changes. In the situation mentioned above, it was only when the new supervisor arrived that anything was done, and because the bad situation had been left so long, it took another six months before changes could be made. In the meantime at least two good staff had left, and the office was an extremely unpleasant place to work in.
• Don't react in negative situations. But do act. Don't let staff bully you, or cajole you, or seduce you into their poor attitudes. You're the boss. Act like it.
• In some situations, constructive feedback is required. Start off with the positives, and then bring in the matter that's causing concern. Even staff with poor attitudes often work well in certain areas. Don't forget these when giving feedback.
• Sometimes counselling is appropriate. Sometimes people with bad attitudes need someone to express themselves to, such as a workplace chaplain. Sometimes their behaviour is a way of saying something they can't otherwise say.
• But don't think that's the only approach. In some cases formal disciplinary measures will need to take place. Always, always do this in the presence of an objective witness. When I was first a manager, I chose to try and discuss an employee's work attitudes in private. She turned on me and accused me of all manner of poor behaviours. A few of these were justified; most were not, but neither of us had a witness to the conversation.
• Sometimes an employee needs coaching in a different way of behaving. As the boss you may be the best person to do this, but not necessarily. It may be appropriate to bring in an outsider to do some attitude coaching, or to send the employee off to a related course. Often a person outside the situation can get the message across more clearly.
• Set measurable performance standards amongst your staff. Do this in discussion with them, but don't let them reduce your requirements to their level. Insist, however gently, on improvements.
• Sometimes the only option is to move an employee sideways. This isn't easy, and will require a good deal of negotiation in order not to make it look as though you're getting rid of them, and dumping them on someone else. But the advantage is that in new surroundings they may find their attitude isn't tolerated, they may enjoy the new job more than what they'd been doing (and will get on with it more readily), and the mere fact of being in new surroundings, where they're no longer required to hold the attitudinal position they formally had, may work wonders.
• The worst case scenario is to look at dismissal. This is too complex a matter to go into here, but unless there is no other option, it's something to avoided. Training new staff is always costly, the dismissal process is time-consuming, and it can often leave bruises and scars that will take considerable time to heal. Try alternatives first.

If you are employed and you are able to invite your fellow co-workers to visit your website and read your writings is an excellent marketing opportunity. However, always make sure that you have permission from your employer, before you ever start marketing your writing at your workplace. Some employers do not allow these kinds of self-promotions, but some still do and may allow you to do so on your own time, just as long as you have asked your boss in advance.

School and college students have an excellent opportunity to reach hundreds or thousands of potential readers by networking to the student masses that are attending their school(s). Passing out business card or posting flyers on public bulletin boards are great places to start, but attracting the attention of the student newspaper staff would be an even better place to get your name out there in a very big way. If handled correctly, then you might be news enough to get interviewed by the school's newspaper and have your website address published, so that the entire student body will have easy access to the information.

Church is another great place to meet great people and kindly introduce yourself and your writings to those people that you fellowship with each week. Do not go to church only to promote your work to other Christians, but wait until the service is over and maybe in the parking lot or out in the hallway you can pass the business card that you should always have on hand to pass out.

Pass out your business cards and/or flyers when visiting your bank or credit union, as these places will usually have a bulletin board, so bank or credit union members can post a flyer or business card for other member's to see. When visiting a local coffee café or eatery, then another good idea would be to leave a couple of your business cards laying near any computer bays or pay phones. Leaving a couple of business cards on the table or counter that you were sitting at is an excellent way to introduce yourself to strangers and you never know, some of them may actually become curious enough to visit your website and stay long enough to read your writings.

Word of mouth is the best form of advertising and these ideas are where it usually starts.

When the recruitment process has advanced to the interview stage, the recruiter, typically from the human resource department, needs to decide what kind of interview would be used. Some of the criteria affecting this choice of interview type is the nature of the job, industry, or field, age of applicant, corporate culture etc.

• Unstructured Interview - The interviewer has a list of points that needs to be covered though the interview flows naturally like a chat. This method is very useful for relaxing the interviewee. The interviewer, however, should go through every point and must carefully note down all the answers and evaluate them systematically.
• Critical Incident Interview - Candidates are given some job-related critical incidents. They are then interviewed about what actions they would take in these particular situations. The interviews are then scored using a scoring system.
• Behavior Description Interviews - Candidates are asked what actions they have taken in prior job situations that are similar to situations they may encounter on the job. The interviewees also may need to give justifications for their actions. The interviews are then scored using a scoring system.
• Structured Behavioral Interview - This technique involves asking interviewees, standardized questions about how they handled past situations that were similar to situations they might encounter on their job. The interviewer may also ask probing questions for details of the situations, the interviewee's behavior in the situation, rational for particular decisions and the outcome. The interviewee's responses can then be scored with behaviorally anchored rating scales.
• Comprehensive Structured Interviews - This technique is wider in scope than the previous technique. In addition to the former, interviewees are asked about job knowledge, worker requirements, and how the candidate would perform various job simulations. This method of interviews is a way to assess a candidate's current level of knowledge about different dimensions of job performance, which are difficult to quantify (i.e., "tacit knowledge," "emotional intelligence," or "practical intelligence" related to a specific job).
• Oral Interview Boards - The main difference here is that instead of one or two interviewers, there is a panel of interviewers firing questions in rapid sequence. Each member of the panel then rates the interviewee on such dimensions as work history, creative thinking, motivation, and presentation. The scoring procedure for oral interview boards is typically subjective. This technique is very time-consuming and expensive and may not be feasible when a large number of applicants must be interviewed.

The main purpose of the recruitment interview is to get information on certain pre-defined issues. In addition the recruitment interview also should give an in-depth impression of the interviewee. Whatever technique the interviewer chooses, the overall impression the interviewer gets should also be noted down and should be considered when making the final decision. A hunch ignored at the interview could have in many cases helped avoid an expensive wrong recruitment.

Employers often use salary requests to weed out the unsuitable job hunters from the candidate pool. If you put in too high a request, the employer naturally thinks you are too expensive for them. On the other hand, if your salary expectation is too low, the prospective employer might think that you don't value yourself and thus many not be a valuable employee for them.

There are three kinds of advice experts give on how to tackle the issue of mentioning salary expectations. These advices may seem contradictory, but each advice has sound logic. Read them carefully and decide what is suitable for your particular case.

Three strategies for replying to salary requests:

1. Ignore salary request
2. Get around the salary request
3. Meet salary request with a range

Some experts will tell you to ignore the salary request. Now, what are the repercussions? If you totally ignore the salary request, the employer might think that you overlooked it because you are unsure of what you deserve, you are careless in filling forms or you are desperate and want to negotiate about salary but would accept whatever you got. If the employer specifically mentions a salary request, they have reasons for doing so. Usually, the salary request is a method for making sure that the candidate knows her/his market value.

The second advice you'd get is “Don't think that employers are so easily fooled if you omit your salary expectations! They will wonder why you didn't mention it.” So, try to get around this dilemma by using phrases like “Each position in my career has brought fresh challenges. I've been promoted regularly with suitable benefit packages. I'd rather discuss this issue of salary and benefits face to face during the interview.”

The third advice from the experts is “Meet the salary request directly with a range.” One good way is to put a little more than the minimum you can accept as the lower figure on the range and the higher figure a reasonable notch higher. A typical example would be “Depending on the nature and scope of my responsibilities, I could negotiate for $35,000 - 45,000.”

Overall, if the job ad doesn't mention a salary request, it is better that you don't either. There is a possibility that you are screened out if you give the wrong salary expectation. You have better leverage in negotiating a better salary package during the interview process itself.