Job Interview Medical Insurance

[John213]

I'm at 90k/year right now but I am in the process of looking for a new job. With my background and especially finishing my graduate school soon, I can get switch job and easily get 100k/year and I think that's fair with what's the industry pays for my position.

I've been into different companies and some of the health insurance sucks. My current health insurance is sucks. I want to get a Kaiser Permenante Copayment Platinum for both me and my spouse but it will cost me around $7,500 per year. Gold is like $6700 per year.

A perfect world for me is earning $100k/year and have the KP insurance. I would be happy with that compensation and insurance.

Is it better to ask $110k in the interview when they ask my salary requirements so I can just buy my own or just say $100k then I want them to pay my own private health insurance?

What looks more "fair"?

[ua_guy]

Focus on the interview and establishing a match for employment first.

It's unlikely you'll be able to negotiate them paying for your private insurance plan, and asking for an extra $10k/year so you can go buy your own because you don't like theirs is a great way to not get a job offer, either way. You really need to focus on your merits and not the cost of benefits for the majority of the interview process.

If it was me, I'd shoot high with the salary because that's good for other reasons-- subsequent raises calculated on base, better income, more ability to save for things you want. If a base was negotiated, before I'd accept, I'd ask to see a benefit cost sheet for insurance, etc. It's something they should be able to provide at that stage. It shows you're contemplating the total offer package. Then, make your decision whether taking the job is a good value for you at that base or not.

Are you certain this prospective company offers crappy insurance?

[FrankFacts]

I agree. Get through the interview before you start thinking about these things. In the grand scheme of things, I think it's also important to understand that no option (job or otherwise) will ever have a perfect choice. You have to weigh the costs and benefits. Is a new job with $100,000 but not your favorite insurance better than your current situation? It sounds like it. Could you do better on insurance? Maybe, but you have to again weigh costs and benefits. Is buying your own private insurance financially better than taking your company's? I kind of doubt it, but you could see!

[FLA]

even in Hospice, dealing with a need to fill spots with warm bodies quickly and get them be willing to accept a low salary, no matter how desperate we were for those warm bodies, if the person kept asking about benefits, they did not get a second interview. I would do what all the others have said. Wait for an offer and negotiate at that point.

[John213]

Thanks guys for the reply but I don't think I was able to express clearly what I'm asking.

I've been into many hiring process and job search for the last 5 years and whenever I send my resume, at least from my experience, the first initial phone call, they always ask what is my current salary and/or what is my salary requirements and if they did not, I initiate it because I don't want to waste my time and the interviewer time if we are not on the same range.

My question is what would sound nicer in the initial phone interview process if they ask what is my current salary and what is my salary requirements.

The first option is to say "I'm earning 90k per year and I'm looking for around 110k". But if I do this, I need to justify why I want the big jump. Although I think it is still fair considering my background and what the industry pays in average and especially I can add the graduate degree in my case, I don't know if this is a big turn off in the initial phone screen. The pro in this is I don't need to talk about insurance and I can just buy my own. The con, I'm asking a bigger base salary.

The second option is to say "I'm earning 90k per year and I'm looking for 100k as a base but health is more important to me so depending on the health package you guys are offering, I would like to discuss health insurance on the later process of the interview". Switching job with that increase is normal, but I don't know if this is a big turn off either in the initial phone screen. The pro in this is I'm not asking for a bigger base salary but the con, I need to negotiate insurance in the later process of the interview.

[snafu]

John, I suggest a different angle of response. 1st research the company, particularly the organizational climate and their 5 year projects/prospects which affect you day-to day.

It's easy to flatter the HR contact by offering compliments about the company indicating your interest in the position was derived from your research. Asked in advance about your salary expectations, you can talk about their prospects in 5 years which leads you to conclude the salary range for an individual with your master's degree and experience is $ 100K - $ 115K with the median in the range of $ 110K [whatever numbers are appropriate]

Understand the mission of the company is not to make John happy with his salary and benefits. They want to hire a sincere, loyal, dedicated guy who delivers more than what is needed or outlined in the job description, able to get along well with colleagues, subordinates and superordinates. Why would they want to hire someone who demands Platinum level medical insurance with a specific insurer? Would they postulate some genetic problem that could surface in the future?

Right now in this city thousand and thousands of American citizens are losing jobs as the oil and gas industry melts. Likewise, Canadians, barely distinguishable from their USA counterparts with similar education and experience will take jobs anywhere. I also see unemployment figures remain high in Britain and 25% in Spain for example. How many of your fellow graduates are international students?

just my .02

[ua_guy]

Thanks guys for the reply but I don't think I was able to express clearly what I'm asking.

I've been into many hiring process and job search for the last 5 years and whenever I send my resume, at least from my experience, the first initial phone call, they always ask what is my current salary and/or what is my salary requirements and if they did not, I initiate it because I don't want to waste my time and the interviewer time if we are not on the same range.

My question is what would sound nicer in the initial phone interview process if they ask what is my current salary and what is my salary requirements.

The first option is to say "I'm earning 90k per year and I'm looking for around 110k". But if I do this, I need to justify why I want the big jump. Although I think it is still fair considering my background and what the industry pays in average and especially I can add the graduate degree in my case, I don't know if this is a big turn off in the initial phone screen. The pro in this is I don't need to talk about insurance and I can just buy my own. The con, I'm asking a bigger base salary.

The second option is to say "I'm earning 90k per year and I'm looking for 100k as a base but health is more important to me so depending on the health package you guys are offering, I would like to discuss health insurance on the later process of the interview". Switching job with that increase is normal, but I don't know if this is a big turn off either in the initial phone screen. The pro in this is I'm not asking for a bigger base salary but the con, I need to negotiate insurance in the later process of the interview.

You have the right mindset, but two issues I see:

One, it sounds like you're struggling with the justification for asking for higher pay. What we're saying is that the discussion on buying your own insurance and using that for justification isn't really appropriate to have in your discussion with HR, at all. Asking for higher pay just so you can buy better insurance isn't really a reason for an employer to pay you more, even if that's your true motive. You need to sell your skills in the justification, not your needs.

Two, you really don't need to disclose your previous salary. There's no reason you are locked at 90k, that's just the last number you and your previous employer reached in your negotiations, and it shouldn't be a reason your future employer caps your salary. So if it was me, I'd leave it out of the discussion. When they ask your salary requirements, simply say "$110k". If they press you on what you made previously, just say it's within close range of what you were making previously, but that your previous salary isn't information they need to have.

[phantom]

When asked my salary requirements, I'd probably say something to the effective of, "I'm looking for something in the range of $100-$110k, depending on the overall benefit package." (I might say, $105k-$115k if since I don't like to give my true minimum.) That way if you later learn that the insurance sucks, you can feel comfortable insisting on the higher end of that range. I often throw in "depending on the overall benefit package," because $Xk is not the same as $Xk + a 5% 401(k) match.

[John213]

You have the right mindset, but two issues I see:

One, it sounds like you're struggling with the justification for asking for higher pay. What we're saying is that the discussion on buying your own insurance and using that for justification isn't really appropriate to have in your discussion with HR, at all. Asking for higher pay just so you can buy better insurance isn't really a reason for an employer to pay you more, even if that's your true motive. You need to sell your skills in the justification, not your needs.

Two, you really don't need to disclose your previous salary. There's no reason you are locked at 90k, that's just the last number you and your previous employer reached in your negotiations, and it shouldn't be a reason your future employer caps your salary. So if it was me, I'd leave it out of the discussion. When they ask your salary requirements, simply say "$110k". If they press you on what you made previously, just say it's within close range of what you were making previously, but that your previous salary isn't information they need to have.

One, I guess you're right. I agree with what you said.
Two, my only concern in not disclosing my current salary is that I don't know what HR thinks when they ask and I refuse to answer. Isn't it going to be awkward? I've never tried this technique before and I don't want them to think I'm hiding anything. I guess you're right, what important is what I can bring to the table and not what I'm making right now.

When asked my salary requirements, I'd probably say something to the effective of, "I'm looking for something in the range of $100-$110k, depending on the overall benefit package." (I might say, $105k-$115k if since I don't like to give my true minimum.) That way if you later learn that the insurance sucks, you can feel comfortable insisting on the higher end of that range. I often throw in "depending on the overall benefit package," because $Xk is not the same as $Xk + a 5% 401(k) match.

I like this idea of saying I'm looking for something in the range of $105-$115k, depending on the overall benefit package."