Why is starting salary the biggest secret of all?

[ixchel]

I feel like 10+ years ago when I was in property management salaries were advertised up front more often. Is it just a sign of the times, or is has it always been common in nursing that salary isn't mentioned up front? I need brushing up on my interview etiquette. Is it bad form to talk about salary up front, or before the employer brings it up?

I hope this doesn't come across as snotty, but I know going into this the lowest wage I'm willing to make. I believe it is a very reasonable amount after reading here, salary.com, and knowing what area hospitals pay. I am concerned, though, that I might go through the entire vetting process, only to be offered something lower than I think is fair. It's a kindness to talk salary up front, I think, because we can be sure no ones time is being wasted. But perhaps I'm in the minority.

Any thoughts? Is there a way to gracefully approach this? Or is it really in my best interests to suck it up, buttercup, and politely decline after the offer, if it is below my needs?

[llg, PhD, RN]

It's always been a "no no" to talk salary up front in nursing. It is assumed that you have done your homework and know the typical salary range for people in the position before you apply. The exact numbers are discussed at the end of the interview and you should only try to negotiate after you have been offered the position. The point at which they have said "they want you," but you have not yet said whether "you want them" is probably going to be the only point in the process at which you will have any advantage to use.

As a new nurse, you will probably have very little (if any) room to negotiate unless there is something highly unusual in your situation. The current job market is horrible for new graduates in most regions of the country and the employer probably has over a dozen applicants for each open position. If they give "the new guy" more money than some current employees, that will be disasterous for morale and team-building. Therefore, most good institutions to work for have a set payscale and rarely deviate from it. They try to avoid the drama that comes as a result of "playing favorites" and not being consistent with compensation. Even if they really like you, destroying their morale and spirit of teamwork is usually not worth "treating you special" to recruit you. The employer loses in the end by doing that and they know it. In most cases, a good hospital would rather watch the you walk out the door than give you special treatment and slap their existing staff in the face.

Of course, there are always exceptions ...

You can ask politely ... but don't expect much. And if you are going to want more than the "going rate" for the region, prepare to be unemployed.

Oh ... and for you title question ... It's a scary secret because many hospitals have policies forbidding employees to disclose their salaies to other employees. People can be fired for that in some places and a reluctance to discuss numbers has come to permeate the culture over the years.