Changing levels is one area where you can jump big, within certain limits. These limits are that your last job should appear to lead into the new job you are seeking. For support you can use one or more of the following:
- Salary level
- References (level and type)
- Title of individual you currently report to
- Number of people you currently supervise
- Responsibility (quantified in dollars)
- Title of your present job
Do not volunteer any information that does not offer support for the job level you are seeking. As a rule, you should withhold exact information on references and salary until final negotiations. You can usually sidestep any other questions you would like to avoid by controlling the interview.
When you get down to final negotiations, you will have to furnish references, and you may be forced into stating your last salary. Make certain your references are of the same seniority as or higher than the position you will report to. You will do nothing to help your cause if you are looking for a position in top management and offer as a reference a first-line supervisor. A cardinal rule is to avoid discussing salary at all; if you must, use the techniques outlined. Make certain that the salary fits in with other job information you have given and is at most 20 to 30 percent lower than the anticipated salary of the position you are seeking. If you are shooting for even bigger gains, read on.
Compensation
Whether you are employed are not, it is always easier to take a jump up in salary, barring a major depression. If your goal is to make a really big jump in salary, do not tell any PE your present salary level. You should negotiate salary on the basis of what the new position merits, not what you have made previously. Even if your goal is a moderate increase, you should follow this principle. If for any reason you are forced into revealing your former salary, be certain to include bonus, automobile, stock options, and other fringes as part of the total compensation package.
Once you have released salary information about yourself to a PE, you should recognize that you probably limited yourself to a 10 to 20 percent increase. But there are exceptions to misrule, and you are still free to try to negotiate whatever compensation you want. As a headhunter, I once watched a young oil landsman who was in great demand negotiate himself a 66 percent increase in salary. I also witnessed a much-needed professional turn down a 300 percent increase over what he had been making. In each case, the PE knew the candidate's compensation level. But these cases are exceptions to what is most definitely the norm.
Geographical Location
Geographical location, unlike the other five factors, is rarely negotiated. Still, it is an important part of your job objective, and you must give it some thought. If you are willing to go anywhere in the world to meet the other parts of your objective, that is fine. If you are not, you should decide on location before you get started. If you are after a certain location and none other, you will have to limit the target companies you select for your campaign. There is no point sending out sales letters to companies in the East when you know that you will accept a new position only in Arizona. I needn't add that certain garden spots are almost impossible to capture because of incredible competition, coupled with low demand. A little investigation at the beginning can save you much time and effort.
You won't need to bring up the subject of geographical location to your PE. Either the location will be self-evident or at some point the PE will say, "Would you consider an assignment in...?" You should know the answer to this question before you begin your campaign.
