Is this good?

I had a first interview the other day and the guy brought up salary which caught me by surprise. I was wondering if it was good that salary was brought up on a first interview?

We do it all the time. We ask for "salary requirements". We try to weed people out thus not wasting either parties time.

We use monster.com to find posted resumes and applicants can put in a salary range ($40-$50,000) and then they tell us another salary range in person ($60-$75,000). When we question everyone claims ignorance on the monster.com listing. Then they say they hope to make $100,000 in three years. Good Luck; we sell hose.

its definitely not bad. however, some companies do this as a matter of process to weed out those hey cant afford from second interviews. as long as our answer wasnt crazy it definitely wont hurt.

And who knows by asking they might find they can get you for less than what they were considering paying.

if you like the number, don't worry about it.

In that situation I'd give a range based on what my research tells me is the typical going rate. I'd say it was neither good nor bad.

If they ask me that during a first interview I turn it around and simply reply, "is that a job offer?"

It's a time saving measure. Don't be offended. Personally, I prefer this.

Interviewed at a place all day long. HR offers me a gig....at half the going rate. Wasted a whole day hob nobbing with those jack wagons. Ah well. Interview experience is always useful.

I bring it up if it's a concern. Probably a good thing, but certainly not a guarantee. But, as others have said, if they're asking they're making sure that they're not wasting their time if they can't afford you. Typically wouldn't do that unless they were interested. Of course, they could be interested in several people.

Xceler8x wrote: Interviewed at a place all day long. HR offers me a gig....at half the going rate Wasted a whole day hob nobbing with those jack wagons. Ah well. Interview experience is always useful.

You interviewed at the company I work for?

I have done hiring in my corporate world for Field Reps. I know that I am given a pretty tight range of what I can pay for this entry position. I tend to bring up salary very early. I need to make it very clear that it is a $40k opportunity not a $80k+ opportunity that many people hope that it is.

jrw1621 wrote: I need to make it very clear that it is a $40k opportunity not a $80k+ opportunity that many people hope that it is.

Same plan for my hiring. I said earlier guys mention they want to make $100,000 in three years; at that point we encourage them to get into pharmaceutical sales and not into the industrial sales we are in.