So you’ve finally landed your in-person interview at a highly creative, respected ad agency. You’ve done your research, you’ve prepared yourself and your family for a potential change or relocation. You’re starting to feel really good about yourself…in fact, your confidence is sky-rocketing. You nailed your phone interview and they want to bring you in for the real deal. All your daydreams of the great creative work you’ll be doing and the awards you’ll be winning are no more. Now you’re dreaming of your own private office, your new title, the posh treatment you’ll be getting when they welcome you to town with a parade. The new car the agency will most certainly provide – after all – they love you. In fact, the more you realize how much they LOVE your work…the more you start thinking…”I’ll bet I could ask for more money. I mean, after all, I’m worth it, aren’t I?”

The above is what happens when creative candidates allow a healthy self-confidence and praise from a perspective employer to become an alternate reality. Please, nominate someone in your life to give you periodic doses of real life and/or reality checks. This way of thinking is counter-productive in many ways. Besides the fact that you will be sorely disappointed with your offer, you will put out egotistical and greedy vibes during your interview. I have seen this often. A candidate who was thrilled to be receiving a 70K position with perks and benefits will be asking for more than 100K by the end of the process. In this market! Not gonna happen. I have seen candidates ask for a company car.

Those days in advertising are done. They are no more. Do not expect the same salary in Indiana that you made in New York City. Please listen to reason – it will not happen.

Do not go on an interview with numbers swimming through your head. You will end up making salary the primary focus of the interview – you will come across as demanding and more so, like you care more about what THEY CAN OFFER YOU VS WHAT YOU CAN OFFER THEM.

This is very obvious to hiring managers and when you leave you want them to be thinking of what a great candidate you are…not about your preoccupation with salary.

Yes, I know that salary is important. But you have to “WOW” them before you start the numbers game. Let’s not put the cart before the horse. Let’s work on getting the job first.

For more info on appropriate salary negotiations read here:http://www.iseek.org/sv/41490.jsp

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