Yesterday I was walking with a good friend. We were remembering when we left school and got our first ever jobs. My first job started the day after I left school. There thing for us no such thing as a gap year wages had to be earned.
I had no interview for my first job. I went and met with the boss, he told me what was expected of me the hours I would be expected to work and so on.
Then as if almost a last thought he told me what my starting wage would be.
Now there is an expectation that the employee might have some input into the agreed salary and the interview might even include a section at the end for input by the prospective employee. This is a great step forward and good.
This reminded me of a true story I heard.
The interview had gone well and was nearing its end.
The Human Resources person asked the young engineer fresh out of university, she asked "And what starting salary were you looking for?"
The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of £45,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of five-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50 percent of salary, and a company car leased every two years, say, a nice Land Rover?"
The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
And the interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."
Have a great day.
