My advice is just give them whatever number you think they’ll pay.

The only reason it feels crazy is because you know what you make now and you know how much more you are asking for. They don’t.

I just asked a job for a $100K raise. I didn’t tell them it was $100K. I told them it was “market”. They came back with a $150K raise to make it a lock. I pretended to hem and haw about it, and then accepted the job today. I tell my boss tomorrow. She’ll have no idea what’s coming, but who turns down $150K+?

Normal strategy would have been to ask for $10K or $20K. How many years would it have taken to get to $150K more? A decade?

Anonymous wrote:

We don't offer one year of family leave, but we do offer 6 weeks of PTO to all employees, 100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision and two separate company-funded retirement plans. Judge that how you will.


Your benefits are average then. Not awful but certainly not “amazing!”.

As someone who gets 12 days pto ,4% match and pays 500/mo in health care these are good benefits.

Words have meaning. “Amazing” doesn’t mean “worse than federal government”


Your company sounds like it gives especially “bad” benefits.

We don't offer one year of family leave, but we do offer 6 weeks of PTO to all employees, 100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision and two separate company-funded retirement plans. Judge that how you will.


Your benefits are average then. Not awful but certainly not “amazing!”.

As someone who gets 12 days pto ,4% match and pays 500/mo in health care these are good benefits.

OP here ... thanks for all the help. I wish I had had the guts to say "current salary + $50K." There is some good advice here that I will try to work in as I move through this process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first it was incredibly intimidating to answer their salary question with a question of my own: "So, what is the salary spread for this position?"
I needed that job bad and was sweating how they'd react. NO PROBLEM! They simply answered what the salary was for the position. I've done this three times now and they answer with no hesitation.
Do it!

Almost every time I have done this, they tell me the number is confidential. And then ask for my number again. Do I just tell them mine is confidential too? I am interviewing within my current company for a transfer and am getting this line.

They’re feeding you a line. It’s not confidential because it is illegal to restrict employees from discussing their salary and they’re hoping you will take a 5% increase instead of paying an external candidate $50,000 more.

“I understand you’re not sharing the exact figure right now. From my discussions with others in similar roles I expect the spread to be “*your current salary plus $50,000* to *the preceding number plus $50-$75k depending how large the number is” obviously my interest in the role includes interest in the total compensation package so I’m happy to discuss any bonuses or other compensation I might not be including”

Anonymous wrote:At first it was incredibly intimidating to answer their salary question with a question of my own: "So, what is the salary spread for this position?"
I needed that job bad and was sweating how they'd react. NO PROBLEM! They simply answered what the salary was for the position. I've done this three times now and they answer with no hesitation.
Do it!

Almost every time I have done this, they tell me the number is confidential. And then ask for my number again. Do I just tell them mine is confidential too? I am interviewing within my current company for a transfer and am getting this line.