I Asked ChatGPT How to Answer Salary Expectations in an Email — Here’s What I Got

Like most job seekers, I’ve needed to reply the dreaded wage expectation query over electronic mail.

Irrespective of what number of instances I’ve accomplished it, it’s nonetheless nerve-wracking to place a quantity on the market. What if I undercut myself as a result of my quantity was too low? Or worse, what if I miss out on the job alternative as a result of my wage expectation was too excessive?

Apart from the anxiousness I really feel desirous about the result, the opposite difficult a part of the method is writing the precise wage expectation electronic mail (or making ready the script I’d use if this dialogue have been taking place head to head).

I are inclined to overthink what to say throughout powerful conversations and might discover myself writing and rewriting one thing like a wage negotiation electronic mail for over an hour.

So, I requested an professional how one can reply wage expectations over electronic mail — after which I put ChatGPT to the check to see if it may write the e-mail for me.

Desk of Contents

Deciding Your Wage Expectations

Earlier than you’ll be able to even talk about wage expectations with the hiring crew, you need to give you your goal quantity.

It’s necessary to have a desired wage in thoughts earlier than you begin interviewing with an organization so you should use it as a information all through the method.

Based mostly on my expertise, right here’s how one can give you a wage expectation in 4 steps.

1. Examine the job posting.

Earlier than you give you your wage expectation, reference the unique job posting.

Current pay transparency legal guidelines in a number of states, together with California and New York, require corporations to incorporate a job’s wage vary within the job posting. If there’s a vary listed, you should use that as a baseline for the wage you wish to request.

2. Analysis wage knowledge.

If there isn’t a wage vary listed on the job posting on your function, you’ll be able to analysis common salaries for the function utilizing web sites like PayScale or Wage.com.

If the corporate is large enough, there may additionally be knowledge from present and former staff who’ve shared their salaries on web sites like Glassdoor.

It’s additionally necessary to think about the business of the function you’re making use of for. Tech salaries differ from authorities or nonprofit salaries, for instance, so the business you’re interviewing in impacts your goal wage.

3. Consider your expertise and present wage.

As soon as the wage vary on your function, take into account your personal expertise to determine what you wish to ask for.

You’ll probably goal a wage larger than your present one — or, on the very least, the identical price, assuming this can be a function you’re very involved in.

You may additionally be open to a decrease wage than your present one for a number of causes.

Possibly you’re making a profession pivot or switching roles, and the expertise is extra necessary. Or maybe the corporate gives advantages that make up for the decrease base pay.

Utilizing your analysis on business salaries in addition to your present wage, it’s best to have a good suggestion of your goal wage. Give you a variety that you just’d settle for, ensuring you could have a minimal that you just’d be proud of.

4. Put together a counteroffer.

The wage expectations dialog usually comes up firstly of the interview course of, but it surely’s by no means too early to consider what kind of give you’d be proud of.

Begin desirous about wage negotiation and take into account what you’d be keen to barter on, whether or not that’s the bottom wage or different advantages. Issues like inventory choices, extra trip days, or a hybrid work schedule might all be negotiable.

Find out how to Reply the Wage Expectation Query

To search out out precisely how one can reply the wage expectation query, I talked to Nick Smith, a tech expertise acquisition specialist. Right here’s what he has to say.

1. Have the dialog early.

Smith emphasizes the necessity to have this dialog early within the course of. “It ought to be accomplished in your first name with the recruiter or preliminary level of contact,” he states.

Whereas the wage expectations query is normally requested by a recruiter through the screening course of, you can be introduced with this query on the job utility or in an preliminary electronic mail.

Because of this you’ll have to have a script and reply ready.

2. Set up a minimal.

After conducting analysis, it’s best to know what the going price is on your place and business. Use that quantity as a baseline and regulate primarily based in your expertise and what in regards to the function you’re interviewing for.

“Having the hiring crew settle for the minimal of your compensation window is completely vital,” says Smith.

That mentioned, you should be cheap about your ask. Similar to you could have a minimal quantity in thoughts, hiring managers even have their restrict.

“Hiring groups will stroll away should you don’t have a grounded quantity in thoughts,” Smith states.

3. Talk your worth prop.

Subsequent, you could have to have the ability to talk to the hiring crew why you’re anticipating a sure wage vary. Justify your required wage with market analysis and by demonstrating the worth you’d deliver to the function and firm.

Smith suggests writing one thing alongside the strains of this in a wage expectations electronic mail:

“Based mostly on the suggestions given to me by the hiring crew, my projected function and influence on the crew/org/firm, and market analysis, I’d gladly settle for X and withdraw myself from my remaining interviews elsewhere.”

4. Specific gratitude.

Should you’re looking forward to this place, Smith additionally suggests exhibiting appreciation and a want to maneuver ahead. You may be assured and agency with out dropping gratitude for the method.

“The way you body issues is as necessary as what you’re saying,” he says.

To specific gratitude in a wage expectations electronic mail, you’ll be able to say one thing so simple as, “I’m excited in regards to the alternative and sit up for subsequent steps.”

What ChatGPT Wrote for Me

As I mentioned earlier than, writing a wage expectation electronic mail is nerve-wracking.

I used to be curious to see if AI may ease a few of the stress of writing one of these electronic mail, so I requested ChatGPT to put in writing me a number of wage expectation emails utilizing the professional suggestions above as steering.

For this instance, I discovered a job posting for a place I’d be involved in — a Content material Advertising and marketing Supervisor at a tech firm known as ServiceChannel.

As you’ll be able to see under, the wage vary for this function is broad. It begins at $67,700 and goes as much as $125,900.

Picture Supply

1. Wage Expectations E-mail: Wage Vary

Right here is the primary immediate I gave ChatGPT.

And right here’s the chatbot’s response (warning: it’s a protracted one!):

There are a few issues I’d do to enhance this electronic mail.

For starters, it’s actually lengthy. Whereas it’s necessary to speak your pleasure for the function and underscore your {qualifications}, this electronic mail buries the lead, in my view.

If I have been scripting this, I’d lower out a few of the fluff and get to the purpose sooner.

Second, for the reason that wage vary listed on this job posting is so broad, I’d personally slim it down much more.

ChatGPT type of did this by writing that it’s concentrating on the “higher vary of the said bracket,” however that leaves some ambiguity on the desk.

2. Wage Expectations E-mail: Setting a Minimal

For my subsequent immediate, I wish to slim down the wage vary and create a minimal compensation window, as Smith suggests.

Right here’s what I requested ChatGPT to put in writing:

Right here’s what ChatGPT wrote. The response was fairly much like the earlier one, so I outlined the part that the chatbot wrote otherwise:

Apart from the size of this electronic mail (I’ll handle that subsequent), I feel the adjustment to the wage expectation portion is healthier.

You might not wish to throw out a particular quantity this early on within the interview course of. However, doing so lets the hiring crew know whether or not or to not transfer ahead.

It additionally helps you determine if this place is value pursuing. If in case you have an absolute minimal wage vary that you just’ll settle for, it’s value sharing that early on so that you don’t waste your time.

3. Wage Expectations E-mail: Brief E-mail

Now, it’s time to deal with the size. I requested ChatGPT to put in writing a shorter electronic mail and obtained particular in regards to the size:

Right here’s what it generated:

The size and construction of this electronic mail are significantly better. It’s succinct whereas checking off all of the containers of an efficient wage expectations electronic mail.

When speaking about wage, I’d personally like to emphasise the worth and expertise I’d deliver to a job. Speaking your worth proposition can also be one thing Smith suggests doing when sharing your wage expectations.

4. Wage Expectations E-mail: Speaking Worth

Retaining the above in thoughts, I gave ChatGPT one other immediate:

And right here’s what it wrote:

Normally, I feel this electronic mail works nicely. That is far more aligned with how I’d write a wage expectations electronic mail.

It emphasizes my pleasure in regards to the alternative, leads into why I’m certified for this place, and clearly states my minimal desired wage. I additionally like that it reiterates my worth prop and showcases confidence in my experience.

Lastly, in all of those emails, ChatGPT included a line about being open to discussing different points of the compensation package deal, which communicates flexibility.

Should you’re open to negotiation for the correct place, this can be a sensible factor to incorporate in your electronic mail.

5. Wage Expectations E-mail: Deflecting the Wage Expectations

For my remaining immediate, I wished to see how ChatGPT would write an electronic mail within the situation the place I wish to deflect the wage expectation query.

As Smith prompt earlier, this dialog is healthier to have in particular person as electronic mail is “impersonal and lacks nuance.” You may additionally wish to be taught extra in regards to the function earlier than you share a particular quantity.

Right here’s what ChatGPT wrote:

Whereas this electronic mail is a bit of verbose nonetheless (to be honest, I by no means specified a sure tone I would like it to emulate), it does an excellent job of deflecting the query.

The e-mail states that whereas I’m looking forward to the function, I wish to have this dialog later within the course of once I’m extra knowledgeable about every little thing this function will entail.

If you wish to delay the wage dialogue, you can additionally use this time to ask questions in regards to the wage and price range. That’s one thing that this AI-generated electronic mail didn’t embody, however that is what I’d add if I have been scripting this.

What I Discovered From AI

My largest takeaway? Utilizing ChatGPT to put in writing a wage expectations electronic mail may be good observe should you’re at present job-seeking.

The chatbot can generate responses in seconds and regulate with every immediate you give it, which forces you to consider what you’d write otherwise.

The AI-generated responses may also present a framework if, like me, getting began with one of these electronic mail is the toughest half.

Nonetheless, ChatGPT isn’t going to generate the right response on your particular state of affairs.

It’s important to present the small print and let the chatbot know the tone you wish to use if you need it to generate one thing near send-ready (warning: keep away from giving ChatGPT *an excessive amount of* details about your self or your place).

Setting Expectations

Setting wage expectations is crucial for everybody concerned within the interview course of. However earlier than you’ll be able to share your wage expectations, you need to be ready with a quantity.

Solely what wage vary or minimal you’d be snug with.

Make sure to conduct loads of wage knowledge analysis, consider your expertise and abilities, and give you a script you could confidently use when the chance comes up.

You should utilize AI that can assist you kind your electronic mail construction, however finally, you need to fill within the blanks with your personal job particulars and wage expectations.