Interview etiquette for finding out the pay!!!

It's been my experience that with any job, pay is usually not discussed until a job offer is extended or in the works.

I would be cautious when asking regarding $$ and bennies, especially in this economy.

All the best to you,

Diane

Rule #1 of interviews.

NEVER discuss pay or benefits until you are actually offered the job.

Not sure what you mean by "what if there is two of us"...being married or single should have no bearing on your interview or job offer, when they will give you paperwork regarding the costs of family insurance, etc.

So, why especially in this economy? Why do the tough time make it a more sensitive issue?

I know it's "proper" not to ask, but it just doesn't make much sense. I'm interviewing over the phone with these people and some of them are very difficult to get ahold of. When you finally have someone on the phone who can answer all your questions, you just want to get them answered. I guess like I feel as though the hospitals are being interviewed just as much as I am, and I have every right to want to know how much they value their employees as reflected in their pay...

You don't ask because right now the have they power. You need a job and they have one.

You need to wait until the playing field is level.

When they extend a job offer that means, most likely, out of everyone that applied you were the best. They want YOU.

They then give you the job offer. Now you have some pull and can discuss pay and benes.

It's just the way things are done.

As to you interviewing the hospital. You are supposed to do that BEFORE the interview on your own time.

You select the best hospitals (your criteria) and rank them. Then apply. Then interview and sell yourself. Then get the job offer. Then haggle.

We are used to thinking we are interviewing them. No we aren't.

If it's a crappy hospital they will be desperate and you'll hate it, no matter the pay. If it is a good hospital then they don't NEED you as much as you need them. Good employers attract employees.

If you bring up money at the start you'll talk your way out of a job.

So, why especially in this economy? Why do the tough time make it a more sensitive issue?

Say you have 20 candidates for the same new grad RN position (which is probably the case in a lot of places, unfortunately).

Would you be interested in hiring the one that asked about pay and benefits? Seriously?

I found a part time job (nocs) as a graduate nurse, and I start next month.

At this point, I'm thanking my lucky stars even for a part-time job.

And heavens no, I NEVER asked about pay/benefits. They let me know how much the position paid when they OFFERED me the job.

I was once a recruiter in my 'former life.' If someone asked me about salary in their first interview, that was usually the last interview that they would have. A total turn off for me.

You don't ask because right now the have they power. You need a job and they have one.

You need to wait until the playing field is level.

When they extend a job offer that means, most likely, out of everyone that applied you were the best. They want YOU.

They then give you the job offer. Now you have some pull and can discuss pay and benes.

It's just the way things are done.

As to you interviewing the hospital. You are supposed to do that BEFORE the interview on your own time.

You select the best hospitals (your criteria) and rank them. Then apply. Then interview and sell yourself. Then get the job offer. Then haggle.

We are used to thinking we are interviewing them. No we aren't.

If it's a crappy hospital they will be desperate and you'll hate it, no matter the pay. If it is a good hospital then they don't NEED you as much as you need them. Good employers attract employees.

If you bring up money at the start you'll talk your way out of a job.

You hit that one right on the head...

OK, OK I give... I may not necessarily agree, but I clearly see the point being made. No more asking about pay. :trc:

OK, OK I give... I may not necessarily agree, but I clearly see the point being made. No more asking about pay. :trc:

Best of Luck with your job search!!

Best of Luck with your job search!!

Any suggestions how to make a recovery with a place I REAALLLLLYYY want to work at? I've only spoken with the RN recruiter, no nurse managers.

Say you have 20 candidates for the same new grad RN position (which is probably the case in a lot of places, unfortunately).

Would you be interested in hiring the one that asked about pay and benefits? Seriously?

I found a part time job (nocs) as a graduate nurse, and I start next month.

At this point, I'm thanking my lucky stars even for a part-time job.

And heavens no, I NEVER asked about pay/benefits. They let me know how much the position paid when they OFFERED me the job.

I was once a recruiter in my 'former life.' If someone asked me about salary in their first interview, that was usually the last interview that they would have. A total turn off for me.

Interesting - because I would never, ever take a job without asking about benefits and pay. Every interview I've ever had - I've asked. Why would I not want to know about benefits? What if the benefits suck - why would I keep considering the position?

I wouldn't.

In fact, nine times out of ten - they bring that stuff to the interview! Pay and bennies are how the company sells itself to you - which is part of their job in the interview. ESPECIALLY during a nursing shortage. I walked out of every hospital with a little sheet ENUMERATING their benefits in black and white!

And if my asking put off the recruiter - then, sorry, but unfortunately I take that as unprofessionalism on the part of the recruiter, and I wouldn't want to work for the hospital as a result.

I've never not gotten a job I've applied for - and I've asked about benefits every time. And in school - we were told to ask. The person applying has a right to know. An interview is a two-way street - especially with a nursing shortage - and the person applying has every right to ask the professional equivalent of "what's in it for me if I work for you"? If I was told in an interview that the company doesn't discuss that until they make an offer - what kind of company are they, and what are they hiding? Fat copays with their health insurance? A thousand dollar dental deductible? Crappy retirement options? Nuts.

I got four job offers from the four hospitals that I applied to in October/November 2007 - just before I graduated and before I took the NCLEX - and every one of the recruiters got asked about starting hourly salary and benefits.

Recruiter: "Do you have any questions for us?" - this is usually at the close of the interview.

Me: "Could you tell me about your benefits packages?"

And then me again: "Could you possibly tell me your starting salary for new grads? What is the current clinical ladder/career progression program?"

(and the other question: "What type of support/program do you offer for new grads in their first year?")

You can bet the place that quoted me three bucks an hour less than Duke's per hour didn't get a followup call from me - because they couldn't follow it up with sexy health insurance or any type of loan payback assistance. Had they 'fessed up something awesome, my commute might be a bit longer than what it is. :) Sometimes compromises are appropriate.

You don't know what they have if you don't ask. What if you don't ask, and part of the bennies are a six grand bonus after one year for your loans? And you didn't know that because you didn't ask, and the recruiter wasn't with it enough to tell you, or you were his/her tenth interview that day, and they could have cared less? It happens, folks. (Uncle Sam will take his cut, yes - but money's money.)

I asked every hospital - and the recruiters nearly killed themselves to sell their stuff to me. I was pretty sure of where I was going to work anyway - because of what I knew Duke had on the table for me as a Duke grad - but I didn't put my eggs in one basket. If the benefits here had stunk (and while they're not the gold standard I certainly can't complain), I would have probably not worked for DUMC - because benefits are a big deal for me - as they are for most people.

Actually, now that I think about it, all the hospitals at our job fair when I was in school TOLD us what they were paying.

How can a person - especially an RN in the middle of places CLAMORING for bodies - be expected to make an informed decision when the likelihood of multiple job offers is high? Why would you keep waiting for a phone call from someplace with nasty benefits? No thanks.

You have an RN license. These places want you. Let them sell themselves to you as hard as you're working to sell yourself to them. I have never, ever been told asking about starting salary for new grads was unprofessional - if it's done correctly. Preposterous. And trust me when I say I want to know what their retirement benefits are (and most of the time, these places are sticking this stuff on their websites anyway - about benefits, I mean) and what kinds of health insurance they have.

Mind you, that starting salary is definitely non-negotiable - but what if one place is paying five bucks an hour more than the other (unlikely, I know, but it could happen), or one hospital has crappy health insurance coverage? Even three bucks (which is the case in our area) is a big difference - and then shift diffs also vary across the board. You have a right to know all this up front.

If you were experienced, I would say that the pay potentially becomes a touchier issue, but I swear to you I'd still ask.

On hospital websites, I've seen approximate starting pays right by the position description. So what's the big secret?

I don't know how you can make informed decisions without this information ahead of time - and keep in mind, I'm not twenty-one, I'm a couple of months shy of 36, and have worked more than one place in my life.

Do it professionally, by all means - but I see no reason why this is such a taboo question, and neither does anyone else I've polled on this topic either.

Sorry - for some reason this has put me right on my soapbox.