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2 interview questions (UPDATED)
UPDATE BELOW (a few posts down)
I have 2 interviews on Monday and I'm trying not to freak out and over think things. Can I ask opinions on the following 2 matters?
#1 - Taking notes during an interview - a book I'm reading, 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, presents both sides to taking notes in an interview and has hiring managers thinking that its a great idea and that it's terrible. Should I take notes? Obv, I would never do so without asking if they minded.
#2 - Salary - I get super nervous whenever this comes up. At my last job I had taken a $5k cut in salary when accepting the position but they also added in the monthly rent on my parking spot (about $330/month.) Because the job market is so bad and I'm desperate for a job (unemployment is not cutting it), I usually say my salary rqmt is the $5k less amount. Am I making a mistake by doing this? I don't want to scare companies off by asking too high above what they're thinking, but I'm afraid of giving a range and they immediately want to give me the lowest end. My absolute minimum would be about $10k less than my last job but I want to avoid that much of a cut at all costs.
Sorry for the rambling, as I said, I start to over think.
Re: 2 interview questions (UPDATED)
For taking notes - I could see it both ways. Personally, I would not take notes so my complete focus is on the interviewer. Afterwards, in the parking lot, I would write down everything I was told so I don't forget.
For salary - It is difficult to know how to handle this. I would state "between the $5k below and previous job range". The other option is to say the higher amount and see what their reaction is. If they seem to act like it was high, you could folow up with saying it is neg. though.
Good luck tomorrow!
#1: I would have some questions jotted down beforehand that you can peruse in beetween interviewers, and perhaps write notes in between as well. But actually taking notes while trying to have a conversation with someone is a bad idea IMO
#2: Give a range, but make it relatively narrow. For example, if you last job was $45K + parking, which turned out to be almost $50K, I'd say you were looking in the $45-55K range. I wouldn't immediately assume they're going to give you the lowest amount. They may lowball you with that offer, but you can always negotiate in a myriad of ways. A company is typically authorized to offer you a certain range, and they may start at the low end and see if you'll negotiate higher.
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Could you take minimal notes? Not every word spoken but enough that I could reference back if I had any questions at the end.
I've always told employers I'm willing to negotiate between a certain dollar amount. Like say 55k-60k. I usually set the lowest number at the absolute lowest I can accept.
thanks girls again for your help.
Interview #1 went great and they offered me the job on the spot, right in the middle of the range I gave them, and they want me to start on Friday so I have to let them know ASAP.
Interview #2 also went really well and they said that they had to discuss salary with the powers that be and that I should hear from them by Weds.
I'm so glad to know that I can finally get back to paying off the debt, instead of scraping by. A former coworker actually works at interview #1 and she says its a great company (I'm pretty sure that's why they felt comfortable offering me the position on the spot), I just wish the commute was less (at least 1.5 hours - which is common around here).
Interview #2 The job wouldn't start until July, but it's about 2miles from my house and I don't have an offer yet.