hey #tribe, how do you reply to current compensation questions? when your current workplace is indian and compensation comes no where close to global ones

I say “can't disclose, it’s part of the NDA with my employer “

gonna use this, thanks!

@stocky-magazine-34642 damn, I never used that but now I realise I could use it

I find answering the “what’s your expected compensation?” question a bit more complicated

great read: https://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/salary-negotiation/

adding on to this how’d go on about answering expected compensation question? coz that has arrived now.

@stocky-magazine-34642 regarding "what’s your expected compensation?" I follow the trick of - question for a question (like an eye for an eye 😀) For instance, first I tell them that its too early to discuss my expectations since I am unaware of what the role entails and what is expected from me among other things. If they still persist, I ask them a simple question - "What's your budget?" (mostly they wont answer and the conversation is shifted towards other things, if they do answer, then you know if you would want to continue the process further).

@quick-judge-84214 that's a great way to steer the conversation. I've tried this multiple times but what I mainly face is that the recruiter is not willing to go forward with the interview process unless I give them an expected number. This mainly leads to the end of interview process and has happened a couple of times with me for companies like Salesforce, coinbase, etc

And that is FINE!!! It's a two way conversation. You cannot expect to get everything from me without giving anything in return. I consider this a red flag (if the conversation is one-sided). Every open position has a budget allocated to it. I am asking for your budget, not for an offer letter 😅

I say “can't disclose, it’s part of the NDA with my employer “

If this isn't real, you're lying on record. Not a good strategy. Just tell people you don't want to be low-balled and you prefer the employer to make an offer. Alternatively, have good market benchmarks ready with you if you're skilled or you know you aced your interview. I once interviewed at a place where they did not have any compensation slabs at my level, so we looked at Levels.FYI and friends to come up with something.

Apart from everything mentioned on this thread, I have also tried: 1- "As much as possible". Makes the discussion light, lets them know that they can't lowball you. 2- "The standard going rate will do"

@quick-judge-84214 that makes a lot of sense. After a series of bad recruiter calls I was under the assumption that this doesn't work with Indian recruiters and giving a number is absolutely necessary. @victorious-energy-56764 this approach hasn't worked very well in my case. They are very persistent on getting my current number and give a raise on that instead of the market number from levels.fyi.

I usually don't go into interviewing for a company unless I know a ballpark of the range they are offering. Actually, it is one of my first questions (if they haven't disclosed it already). "What is the ballpark that this position pays?" I have heard of some startups say: "Oh! We don't want people who want to join us only for the money" -- which ends the discussion. (These people pay the lowest anyways). Also, always have your own ballpark. If they refuse to give their ballpark, I give them mine: "I am looking for a position which pays between X & Y" Is that something that works for you? It is best not to waste time -- waiting to talk about money till the end. I have been there too many times and if the comp is not disclosed upfront, I don't really bother (Unless it is a company that I REALLY want to work for).

@loud-glass-33663 how do you deal with the annoying “there is no way any company pays that much money, good luck for your search :)” when they are the one emailing you every day 😂

@millions-solstice-56787 I have been at the same place for almost 5 years now. So I don't usually get those requests. Not that sought after 🙂

One more thing to keep in mind, many times once you had this discussion around "expected CTC" and it goes well, then you go through the entire process spanning weeks only for the HR to come back and say, that they can offer MAX Rs XX amount (which is not what you discussed initially). Try to ensure early in the process that the range that you discussed, is REALLY OK for the firm. You would not want to spend weeks in the hiring process only to hear that they cannot afford you at the end.