One of the easiest ways to find out salary information is online. There are websites that offer solid salary information, including:
Bureau of Labor Statistics (wage data by area and occupation)
http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm
Occupational Outlook Handbook (click on a specific job and look at the “Pay” section)
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/a-z-index.htm
CareerOneStop Salary and Benefits Information
http://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/Wages/wages.aspx
U.S. Office of Personnel Management Salaries & Wages (federal salary information)
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/
Salary.com (offers free data and personalized salary reports for a fee)
PayScale.com (requires you to contribute data in order to receive information)
Glassdoor.com (requires you to contribute data in order to receive information)
http://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/index.htm
SalaryExpert.com (input your information and it creates a salary report)
JobSmart Salary Surveys (site can be hard to navigate, but offers links to industry-specific salary surveys)
http://jobstar.org/tools/salary/index.php
National Association of College and Employers
(annual summary of employment outlook and starting salaries for new graduates)
https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/compensation/
Robert Half International Salary Guides (accounting, finance, financial services, technology, legal, creative positions, administrative jobs)
http://www.rhi.com/salaryguides
Indeed.com also offers salary information in general and for specific businesses and organizations on their Company Pages:
https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries
You can also do a Google search for “average salary for (job title).” This can sometimes lead you to more specific salary data for a profession.
When using sites like Payscale.com and Salary.com, compare job responsibilities, not job titles. A job title can mean different things at different companies.
If you are relocating, part of your research should include cost-of-living adjustments. You can use the CNN Money Calculator (http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/) to assess differences between cities.
It can also help to understand what a prospective employer considers when offering a salary. The employer may evaluate:
- the level of the job within the organization
- the scarcity of the skills and experience needed for the job in the job market
- the career progression and experience of the individual selected
- the fair market value of the job you are filling
- the salary range for the job within your organization
- the salary range for the job within your geographic area
- the existing economic conditions within your job market
- the existing economic conditions within your industry
- company-specific factors that might affect the given salary, such as comparative jobs, company culture, pay philosophy, and promotion practices.
How to Handle a Request for Salary on Application Forms
You may be asked salary information on an application form — or be faced with a “current salary” or “desired salary” field on an online application. The answer you provide may be used in the screening process — answer too high and you may not be considered for the position at all. This number will also likely come into play at the interview/offer stage — it can establish the range for the offer the company makes.
On a paper application form — or if the online form allows you to type in whatever you want — you can write “Negotiable.” This gives you the opportunity to discuss your salary history and expectations later.
If it’s not a required field on an online form, leave it blank. If the “desired salary” field requires you to enter a figure, however, you have a couple of options:
- Enter $0, $1, or $10 (the minimum number you can) — it will be clear you’re not answering the questions (most employers will know you aren’t offering to work for free).
- Enter $999,999 (or the highest number you can). Like answering $0, this shows you are purposely avoiding the question.
- If you can, enter a range — some online forms will allow you to enter two numbers.
- You can enter your desired salary — but know that it may lead to you being screened out (if it’s too high), or being offered a lower salary in the interview (if it’s too low).
