Job Discussion Forums

NEW GUY · Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 7

Hello:

HCT wants to know my salary expectations and I don't know how much to ask for. I have an MBA with seven years of teaching experience and I would be teaching in the Faculty of Business. Facing a typical dilemma, (i.e. I don't want to drive them away but at the same time I don't want to sell myself short) I would really appreciate your educated suggestions on the range I should ask for. Or should I just ask them to make me an offer?

A general suggestion would be great - I know I didn't provide a lot of details to go on here...

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Personally I find this question so obnoxious. I would like to answer that I expect to receive their scale for my degree and experience, and we will discuss from that point. It is like when employers put some phrase in an ad about salary rather than the range normally offered for the credentials that they have requested.

If you are filling out the form to apply, just leave it blank. In the meantime, see what similar EFL teachers are getting with MA+7 and let it be part of the interview discussion. (read around the board if none of our current HCT posters are around) I am assuming that teachers in other departments get equivalent salaries, but one never knows.

VS

yellofello · Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 68

Nobody asked me this question at my interview but I was asked this question by another institution in the region that I interviewed for. So far so good at HCT - hope it will last. Job is not too bad and most of the people are OK - some weirdos but I guess they're everywhere.

- the inteviewer I had for QU gave off bad vibes - really weird behavior and then what do you know? - I find out he was fired from HCT - so I was lucky I didn't accept the offer.

I just hope things continue to be OK at HCT.

younggeorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 350 Location: UAE

This question's been on the application form for years but I don't think anyone pays much attention to it. As a rough guide, take what you're getting now, add 10% and then round it up to the nearest number that takes your fancy - if it looks excessive, they might ask you about it at interview or warn you that it's unrealistic, but it's not going to bring down what they offer you.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

What about if asked this question in an inteview environment and not just an application form?

I've read that Rule number 1 is: Never talk in dollar amounts. Unless you're in salary negotiations, naming numbers is highly inappropriate, not to mention tacky.

A Model Answer might be:
I believe my talents can earn me a decent living that's why I'm applying with HCT, which is a leading and presitigious school. I plan to make enough money to live comfortably and am willing to do what it takes to ensure that I'm well paid throughout my career.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

HCT's online app doesn't give you the choice of not answering. It shows the field as incomplete and prevents you from submitting for a position. Confused

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

Thta's interesting....So, they definitely want you to provide an expectation of salary.

Well then, applicants need to resarch what the range of salaries are in the UAE and aim for a realistic salary.

My interview skills training has taught me never to mention money in an interview.

Curious why HCT wants to know this?

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I have seen this on other applications through the years.

It is always the same people who refuse to put even a pay range in their adverts.

I still wouldn't put an amount in there. If it only took numbers, I would put in a 1 - and nothing more. Just to be able to complete the application.

VS

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

I have never understood why people are reluctant to talk about salaries or indeed mention them.

You are selling your labour and you need to be able to talk about what you expect as due compensation.

Places that don't even give salary ranges would never get an application from me.

I certainly wouldn't waste my time filling in application forms for a job which didn't provide me any idea of a salary.

Institutions that provide good salaries in most cases advertise their wages and conditions.

You have to be suspicious where these conditions are not advertised.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

People here have conflicting views on discussing salaries in the interviews.

Could it be that those from the U.S. and those from the U.K. have different ideas about the appropriateness of discussing dollars and cents in an interview?

Like I said, there are many interview skills books that suggest not to discuss money in the first interview.

Further, HCT for example, does not disclose their salary ranges. I was able to get a hold of an HCT pdf file from about 4 years ago outlining their starting salaries. I also remember that they discolsed salary ranges on their old website about 4 years ago. I see that they have now removed the salary ranges from their website.

The Lemon · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 42

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Over the years, I have encountered quite a few different approaches from employers. Some have send a breakdown which one could use to see exactly what you would get before the interview. I have been places where it wasn't discussed in the interview because they didn't know and sent me to their pay department where we sat down and figured it out. I have been at places where they brought it up very early in the interview because they knew that their scale was lower than I should be getting. With HCT, again the interviewer didn't know and I found out the next day when they faxed me the offer... and it was significantly higher than I expected.

I'm an American and I see no reason not to discuss salary and benefits at an interview... but one shouldn't to bring it up first thing obviously. Personally I would never leave an interview for a job that I was interested in without discussing this topic.

But that said... I would never provide them with the starting point by including any number with my applications. If I had done so with HCT, they likely would have dropped my offer.

VS

harmonious · Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Oman

I interviewed with HCT in 2005 at TESOL in San Antonio and we discussed their entire package including salary and benefits. It didn't appear to be a big secret there. I had similar conversations with numerous other Gulf employers including other UAE universities and ones in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait.

To me it makes perfect sense to discuss such things as they are a large part of the basis of any decision that one may make. What I find unfortunate, however, is that many employers take advantage of prospective employees by asking or requiring them to give a figure of expected salary or past salary without sharing their own information mutually in terms of the salaries they have offered. I'm all for transparency, but it ought to work both ways.

Application forms, unfortunately, are designed by employers for their own purposes. Thus, I would probably follow VS' advice and put something like a 1 to satisfy the computer application and then look forward to a serious discussion at an interview.