SkyWater Blog

As a candidate, you want to perform to the best of your ability when invited to an interview. As the employment market becomes more buoyant you may find yourself involved in a number of interviews in a short space of time. Naturally, you’ll want to ensure you are the preferred candidate on each occasion but what exactly is the optimum timing to achieve this?

We know the typical weekly schedules of hiring managers, being the Minneapolis and Chicago executive recruiters that we are, and we are here with some advice for you to help you choose the best time to schedule a job interview.

As part of the employment changes that were signed into law in the summer of 2023, Minnesota’s new pay history ban went into effect on January 1, 2024. This means that you can not be pressured to share your salary history during the job application or job interview process. That's right; you shouldn't be in the position to answer this question in the first place, according to Minnesota law.

However, it's okay to volunteer this information if you're comfortable doing so.

Did you know that in the state of MN, hiring managers can not ask about your current salary or salary history? Instead, they must rephrase the salary question to inquire about your salary targets. 

“What are your salary requirements?”  

That question – or any of its many variations – initiates one of the trickiest, most consequential decisions you’ll have to make when communicating with a potential employer.  

How should you respond?  

With forethought, a well-prepared answer, and a clear, confident tone, sure.

But what should you say?  

That depends… on a number of factors. 

If you write “salary negotiable” on the application, it might keep you in the running and buy you some time to figure out a more specific response. However employers are looking for candidates who understand the market, know themselves, and are confident placing a dollar figure on their professional worth.  If you just keep dodging the question by saying it’s all negotiable, you look timid and unprepared for the actual negotiation.  

At the same time, your answer needs to vary from employer to employer. Here’s how to determine – and adjust – your response for each opportunity:

“There just aren’t any great candidates out there right now.” I hear it all the time, usually from battle-weary hiring managers. They’ve taken the time to craft a solid job posting, only to watch a handful of not-quite-right resumes trickle into the system. While it’s true that, depending on your industry and the role you’re attempting to fill, talent is still painfully scarce. But before you blame the lack of candidates, I have a question for you to consider:

Video interviews are commonplace in today's hybrid work economy. If you're interviewing for a role, you may find yourself attending an interview that is conducted over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or others. The mistake job seekers often make is to treat the video interview less seriously than an interview that takes place in an employer’s office. The next time you are invited to a video interview follow these tips:

Congratulations, you’ve been invited for an interview! That means the employer has seen something in your resume that matches the requirements of the job you’ve applied for. The next step is to build on that initial impression during your interview. Attending your first interview can be a nerve-wracking experience, so we’ve put together our five golden rules to help reduce your anxiety levels:

The interviewer asks, point blank, “What is your salary requirement?” And there you are, trying to present yourself as forthright, easy to work with, and clear about what you need. It’s a tricky business, refusing to answer without looking rude, unprepared, or both. With thoughtful preparation, a little online homework, and careful scripting, you can navigate your way through these discussions masterfully.

You have an exciting job offer and you’ve quit your existing job, eager to get started in your new role. Now your current employer has asked for an exit interview, the thought of which fills you with dread. What do you do?

It’s HR policy in many companies to request an exit interview. This gives the hiring manager the chance to find out exactly why you are leaving the company and your views on working for them. This can be a difficult situation for many employees, especially if your time with your employer has not been a happy one. Do you air your grievances about your co-workers and your boss or do you smile and claim it’s “nothing personal?”

The decision is up to you, but as with every interview, preparation is the key. Our tips below will provide you with a good starting point.

Emerging from a job interview that went really well is a great feeling. You answered all the questions just as you wanted, put some relevant ones of your own forward and the hiring manager was hinting at a job offer. After a few days without a phone call or e-mail from the employer you naturally begin to get anxious. As a few more days pass by, doubts and frustration begin to creep in.