Laid off with high salary...

I was a small business consultant in the late 80s, doing reasonably well but plateaued in terms of technical skills since my largest customers had about 100 employees.

I took a job as a PC tech at a huge company with 60,000 employees, to get me in the door and expose me to larger scale enterprises and the technologies that go with them.

The way I got in was to express that I was looking for a long term oppportunity, and saw the job as an entry into the market.

You probably want to think about the same - if you are shopping for a long term career development opportunity.

James

It really depends on how low you are dropping and why. If it is just due to the economics of the times, I think you will be in for a long wait. If it is a "combination of factors", then you have a chance.

1. Explain why your salary before was so high. Were you accepting unusual business, stability or financial risk in your previous job? Did you have potential for extreme overtime or travel? Were you in a costly part of the country? All of these things impact compensation and a new jobwithout those issues deserve lower compensation.

2. Reassure them that you are looking for more than just a job that pays well. Be very reluctant to bring up pay in the interview. When asked, try to stick with what you think the job is worth and what you are willing to live with. "I'm looking in the $70K range" is better than "I'm currently in the $100K range, but am willing to look lower."

3. Think of other ways that the company can feel like they are "buying your services at fair market". Tell them you are looking for more vacation time, regular hours, shorter commute, less travel, new experiences, less stress, less responisilbity, more creative time, etc. Anything that shows that you are making the change in salary as part of an overall restructuring of your compensation/work plan.

4. Ask yourself if you are short-selling yourself. Desparation does funny things to our thinking. Are you looking too low?

Classic negotiating tactic: never be the first party to name a number. Not even a vague one. If they ask you about your salary history, don't say, "in the 70's" or "greater than $50k" or anything like that - tell them you were "fairly compensated"and turn it around. Ask them what range this position falls within. The only way they will know your salary history is if you tell them... If they tell you the position is in a lower range than you were hoping for, you can always pull out your past salary as a trump card, but I would do that as a last and desperate measure.

Hi,

I know that they back off and it had happened to me also and I told them I am ready to work for the Company and as and such when things improve I am sure that the Company will pay me what I am worth.

I told them i am looking for more exposure with big MNC Companies and not looking for money as a carreer right now.

Tell then that you are interested if the job they offer u is interesting else wait patiencly.

Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet