what questions have to be answered by agencies

[stephenO]

Looking for new job for the first time in a while. Agencys and employers ask several Qs. In the I.T area.

1. why am I leaving current position?
Do I have to give any answer to this, can I give any asnwer/are there any golden answers ie, want more money, hate my current boss, career enhancement, Id rather not say.

2. What are your salary expectations
Obviously have to answer this but should I go x% over the amount that I think I'll get, are there offers usually made below what I say I'll expect or will they just not consider me if the rate is too high.

3. How much are you currently on?
Can they ask this, do I have to answer, can I lie, can they find out?

Thanks for any input.

 

[WaterSprite]

Re: what questions have to be answered by agencys

1. why am I leaving current position?
Do I have to give any answer to this, can I give any asnwer/are there any golden answers ie, want more money, hate my current boss, career enhancement, Id rather not say.

Definitely NOT "I hate my current boss" Keep it generic but true, if at all possible. Certainly "career enhancement" is good - "expanding expertise" is another one. Why do you want to leave? That's your starting point really. Don't lie, but you can make the truth palatable with the right wording.

2. What are your salary expectations
Obviously have to answer this but should I go x% over the amount that I think I'll get, are there offers usually made below what I say I'll expect or will they just not consider me if the rate is too high.

That's up to you - I always say what I would like to get and don't go a %age over that figure. You can give a range if you like.

3. How much are you currently on?
Can they ask this, do I have to answer, can I lie, can they find out?

You can tell an agency what you are on at the moment and ask them not to share that info. However, there's nothing wrong with saying "I'm on €30k per annum but I feel it's underpaid - the job I'm looking for pays €40k per annum". Be realistic - if someone is looking for e.g. a C++ person with 3+ years experience, there's not a huge range of salaries within that - +/- 15% perhaps. While no one can find out before you get the job, they can find out afterwards from your P45. If I was interviewing someone who was really bolshie about their pay and made a big deal about it, then found out that they had lied about what they were on previously, I wouldn't be too happy and it would start the employment relationship on the wrong note. Make sure to include all bonuses etc. in your pay if you are saying it (so you'd say "I'm on €33k including bonus, not €30k plus a non-guaranteed bonus of €3k")

Sprite

 

[stephenO]

Re: what questions have to be answered by agencys

Thanks sprite, very helpful.

Ive had 4 interviews and most of the questions have been the same.
The "career ehancement" line is being wheeled out with much gusto, its probably true anyway (well, that and the hardbacks), but the lads eyes light up when I use it.

One other question on salary expectations, of the 4 interviews Ive been on, Ive had good feedback and it looks like offers are going to be made as Ive been called back to 3 of the places. For the first place I undersold myself a little with my expectation and asked for 60k but late 60s in jobs B,C, and D after finding out 60 was a bit low. Job A is one that I would be most interested in but how to proceed if I get offered the bigger money from one of the other positions? I'll probably just have to be honest with job A and see what they say.

 

[WaterSprite]

Yep- honesty is the best policy for Job A, I reckon. The best thing to happen would be if you get an offer for B, C or D in the high 60's - then I'd call company A toute suite and tell them that you have an offer at that level. That means that, if they haven't put out the offer, they can revise it (if they want) before they send it to you. Also, telling them that, all things being equal, you'd like to join Company A will be a good thing and will create warm fuzzies. For me, if Company A offered e.g. €65k and Company C offered €69k, I'd probably go for Company A if that's the one you're most interested in.

I find that people are happy if you give them as much honest info up front - so if you get an offer from Company C at 69k and Company A at 60k, just let them (Co. A) know that you have a higher offer at 69k and you are keen to join company A and ask then if there is is anything they can do about their offer. I'd be surprised in those circs if they wouldn't raise it by a few bob.

Good luck with it - sounds like the interviews are going well!

Sprite