Ask About the Money

Ask about the money.

Let me tell you a story. I was a high school science teacher: 8 years’ experience, age 49, M.A. in Education, B.Sc. in Zoology. I liked my job: good school, well-supplied lab, good admins, terrific counseling staff. I was also a coach. I had the freedom to do nearly anything to engage my students; internet integration in those nascent days was not welcome in every school.

But we’re always looking, right?

The Metropolitan Zoo (which shall remain nameless) was looking for an educational director. I ticked their boxes (see prior paragraph) and then some. They ticked mine.

To head up a staff tasked with increasing school outreach in underserved minority neighborhoods? Yes, please.

To create substantive patron-zoo educational interactions in collaboration with the zoo’s professional staff? Indeed.

To sell the educational value of the zoo in the tri-county area among Pre-K to 12 schools and parents? I’m on it.

I say without pride or shame that I was a perfect candidate. I suspect there were others. I was excited.

Based on the first 20 minute phone interview, so were they.

The second, hour long interview went well.

And the third, 10 minute long conversation promised a future.

They asked me to drive down for an in-person.

“Not a problem,” I said, thinking about the 2.5 hour round-trip commute I’d be facing with this gig. “Now, we’re serious,” I thought.

I’d done the salary research. Comparable zoo positions in comparable cities paid in the 90K to 140K range. I was at 74K at my high school job, plus some ancillary cash for coaching.

“Before I drive down, what salary range are we looking at?”

“We’re prepared to offer the right candidate from $45-52K for this position.”

“You know pay at comparable parks is double that?”

“Well…”

“You probably know, a teacher with my credentials, I’m in the 70s, right? Low 70s, but still…”

“That’s all we’ve budgeted for the position.”

“I’m going to withdraw my name now. I’m sorry that we’ve wasted each other’s time. Good luck to you in filling the spot.”

End of call.

On my end, 2 hours of phone calls; perhaps 10 hours of research. Quite probably, the same on their end, too.

All because, early on, I lacked the cojones to ask at the end of the very first phone call, and they lacked the common sense to do the same.

In a prior life, I was a corporate guy, suit and tie – the Gordon Gekko era – and I’d have asked about the money long before we blew ten hours of our lives. But as time went on, I’d forgotten how to do that.

There is no reason, once you have a bit of experience, to ask about the salary before the big interview. Or at the very worst, near the end of any good first conversation. And if the conversation wasn’t useful, you know it, so don’t ask. Because you’re not getting a call-back.

Corporate culture be damned.

If the job doesn’t pay enough to put gas or electricity in the car, roof over the head, and food on the table, you’re not taking it, regardless of free Friday massages, dogs roaming the office, and solitude pods with bean bag chairs.

And listen up, if you read somewhere that you shouldn’t send the signal that you’re only taking the gig for a paycheck, well, about 99.2% of us need that paycheck.

“YES, I WANT TO WORK HERE BECAUSE YOU NEED SOMEONE TO DO THIS THING THAT I KNOW HOW TO DO WELL AND I AM REASONABLY SURE MY PAYCHECK FROM YOU WILL NOT BOUNCE.”

Lemme tell you, just about every HR pro in the world would leave their current gig for an 12% salary bump, a 3% increase in matching to the 401(k), and a better parking space. I know because I took a poll. (Why mention HR? Because these unwritten hiring rules seem to come from them.)

So would darned near every other professional, too.

1)We work in our particular fields, most of us, because we are fascinated by what goes on in them. (If you’re not fascinated, get your why straight before you start looking because your worklife is going to suck so hard.)

2)We work for a particular company because they compensate us fairly. (Compensation is a broad term, and you can nitpick this one if you want, but I’m trying to stay under 1000 words here.)

3)You put No.'s 1 + 2 together, you get to No. 3- a good gig that you enjoy, that makes you happy, AND pays you fairly.

If you have a few years in the field with an empirical record of achievement, ask about the money sometime during the first call. If they’re somehow offended, or put off; seriously, every business is in business to make money, and you, my reader, are a business. Just like that company. They may huff and puff about their wonderful culture but trust me - You do not want to work there.

If you’re a newb, or your first gig was less than stellar, yeah, you may have to wait until the second call. Or the second job. #PayingDues

Just remember, like buying a washer, this is a business transaction. You go to Lowe’s. You want to pay the lowest price for the maximum in features/benefits. This company you’re talking to? They have the same goal; to find someone who can do their job reasonably well for the absolute least cash outlay possible. You are the washing machine. No number of free espressos on Monday morning will help you pay your damn electric bill.

If you’re a freaking rock star, feel free to ask right upfront. “Hey, love what your company is doing, but I need to know, how much are we thinking here?”

But if you’re a freakin’ rock star, you don’t need my advice.

I’m rooting for you, rooting hard. (Whew, 996 words. Made it.)