Should I Ask About Benefits During an Interview - CareerAlley

Should I Ask About Benefits During an Interview - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Resumes, cover letters, and a professional look these are the essential ingredients for your next job interview. Youve got a list in your head of everything youll do: Smile, sit up straight, highlight your strengths and ask about salary and benefits? Because benefits can comprise up to 30 percent of your compensation, and because your salary is also extremely important (nobody wants to work for free), it might seem pertinent in your first interview with a prospective employer to ask about health care benefits and salary. But is it really? Dont jump the gun Bringing up salary and/or health care benefits (or benefits of any kind) during a primary interview is like going for a good night kiss at the beginning of a first date; most people generally arent receptive to it. The biggest blunder made by job applicants is the tendency to jump to the issue of compensation too quickly, says Deb Koen, vice president of a nonprofit group called Career Development Services. So keep those questions to yourself for the time beingyou dont want to look like youre interested in only one thing. more What is the right compensation? There is a time and place For your first and second interview, chances are that youre going to hear the stock-phrases full benefits, or competitive benefits and salary. Dont waste your time trying to break those down into concrete absolutes. After the prospective employer makes an offer with you, then you are in a position to talk about the specifics of your compensation. Weigh your options Some companies are going to offer better benefits than others. Make sure that you are fully aware of what your prospective employer is offering and whether or not it fits into your life. Find out if your spouse or partner will be covered, and be sure to ask about pre-existing conditions, as some plans require a waiting period before it will begin to cover them, and some wont cover them at all. If lack of coverage in a certain area is a deal-breaker for you, remember that you dont have to accept an offer just because its on the table. Negotiate if possible The keywords here are if possible. If youre relatively green in the job market and this is your first full-time job, you may not have as much negotiating power as, say, a seasoned vet with a performance-proven track record. Still, it can never hurt to try to bargain for things that you need. For example, if you or somebody in your family has a specific medical condition, your prospective employer may be open to finding you the right coverage for it. There are also companies out there that offer cafeteria plans, where you get to choose types of coverage from a list so that you and your family get benefits that are as form-fitted as possible. more Negotiating Job Offers Not all companies will offer benefits Its the last thing to remember and its as simple as it sounds, some companies simply will not offer compensation other than salary. However, if you know what youre worth and you know what you require, you will eventually find an employer that offers the benefits that are right for you. Book Corner [easyazon_link asin=0615779190 locale=US new_window=default nofollow=default tag=caree07-20 add_to_cart=default cloaking=default localization=default popups=default]How to Negotiate A Killer Job Offer: The Job Secret Agent Series (Volume 1)[/easyazon_link] Kevin Murphy is a freelance writer and former insurance industry professional. He spends most of his time in his native Australia, and he writes about Health Insurance for Frank Health Insurance. This is a Guest post. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by