The Unexpected Salary Expectation

In the world ofrecruiting, there's often a premium put on quick decisions and the prompt ability to seize opportunities leaving little room left for deliberation, precision, and nuanced conversation. Yet, when such opportunities do arise, they can dramatically transform the recruiting experience, making it not just a career but a calling.

The case of "The Unexpected Salary Expectation"

During my recruiting career, I encountered a candidate whose salary expectations were completely off the grid. As recruiters, we are typically socially conditioned to respond with a pitch about the organization's competitive benefits, positive culture, and defined salary range.

However, on that particular I chose to harness my strength: natural focus on the conversation. I asked the candidate the premise of the rationale on why he was looking for that particular salary and what has informed his expectations. He mentioned seeing the number on Glassdoor, a popular job review site. Rather than dismissing his research or pivoting the conversation to company benefits, I decided to understand his perspective better. This approach wasn't just about agreeing or disagreeing with him; it was about genuinely engaging in a meaningful dialogue.

Value of Exploration

It turns out that the candidate was new to the country, and his salary expectations were based on his previous experience and geography. In his past location, the compensation benchmarks differed significantly from our current market.

This presented a perfect opportunity for me to act as a coach and advisor. Instead of simply stating that his expectations were unrealistic, I guided him to research further, exploring other available resources, benchmarking reports, and similar tools. I wanted him to understand the lay of the land himself rather than just taking my word for it.

The Transformative Power of Conversation

This dialogue served as a catalyst for the candidate to adjust his expectations based on local realities. He took a couple of days to conduct further research and returned with a new, well-informed ask that aligned perfectly with our compensation structure. What could have been a dismissive rejection turned into a productive and enlightening exchange for both parties.

Small Moments, Big Impacts

This experience reinforced my belief in the importance of small moments in making big changes. As a recruiter—or anyone involved in significant conversations—it's crucial to ask questions that may initially seem tentative. These questions, however, often gain momentum and can lead to deeper understanding and alignment.

It was a powerful reminder that our role as recruiters goes beyond filling positions; we are advisors, coaches, and facilitators of meaningful conversations that can profoundly impact careers and organizations.

Recruiting isn't just about numbers and quick decisions. It's about people, their stories, and helping them find their place in the professional world.

Authors

---