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More interview/salary questions

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by mustangj17, Apr 3, 2008.

  1. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    Great sensible advice, FDP. Regarding the above sentence, I agree with you but feel it's a damn shame that employers don't just make their best offer up front. The down side of making a lesser offer is, they get a timid soul who doesn't try to bump them up but learns later that he/she got taken advantage of and holds it against the employer long-term. If newspaper editors aren't professional negotiators and might tend to foul things up, so are newspaper writers and copy editors. Why don't they lay down their weapons and acknowledge that they're not dealing with their strengths, and be up front about the dough?

    Also, because the folks doing the hiring are indeed newspaper editors, I wouldn't be so certain that "it never hurts to ask for more." Some of these non-negotiators get emotional about stuff like that, take it as a sign of character flaw or greed or sense that you're not motivated by the almighty job itself. Or they might recall a day when some employer took advantage of them and, by God, they're going to make sure no one has it better than they did.

    Ideally, jobs would be listed with a salary range and then an editor could make a simple case for where he thinks you fall in that range. You could do likewise. Split the difference. Freedom of information. Done.
     
  2. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    That's a good point. I have had editors who clearly were waiting for me to ask about more money and one who seemed offended that I asked. I figure if that's gonna be a deal-killer I don't want to work there anyway.

    Except, of course, if it is the Plain-Dealer.
     
  3. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    I should have added that my comments on this topic all are largely hypothetical.

    Because in today's reality, there aren't many jobs offers to be had or negotiated anyway. And there might really be a creeping attitude of "Take it or leave it, potential blogger!"
     
  4. PeteyPirate

    PeteyPirate Guest

    He/She didn't get taken advantage of. He/She was made an offer and accepted it. If you go into the room ready to take whatever somebody throws at you without question, that's on you.

    In an interesting sidebar, do you know one of the main reasons women don't get paid as much as men? They don't ask for as much as men: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/29/AR2007072900827.html
     
  5. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    Not a paper.... its for a website thats part of a larger network that also does sports magazines.
     
  6. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Then tell Scout.com you'll take it... :D
     
  7. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    Ask about benefits. Or if you'll even be an employee or just an independent contractor. Oh, it's Web site.
     
  8. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    Haha, not Scout.com or Rivals.com.... good guess though.
     
  9. Mediator

    Mediator Member

    See if there is someone who works there, maybe through a professional org. you are also a member of, and feel them out about how much wiggle room you have. Also, some papers will give you a bonus for staying a certain amount of time rather than a higher starting salary, apparently it comes out of a different budget.

    But I think the 30K range is a pretty average salary for a first job, depending on the market.
     
  10. Diego Marquez

    Diego Marquez Member

    Well, Mustang... what happened with the bargaining?
     
  11. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    If he's just a candidate, there's really no room to bargain. That won't happen until you get an offer.
     
  12. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    Guy: We're not able to offer health benefits at this time.
    Me: Click.
     
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