Have you ever been asked your day rate in an interview?

[TheDude]

I had an interview for a bank the other day.

The MD/Hiring manager couldn't make it so assigned to VP devs working in the US.

Towards the end of the interview they asked my current day and because of adrenaline and my mouth being in overdrive I actually let it slip before gaining my composure.

I have been around banks a long time and I have never heard rates discussed in an interview. I have little doubt I can do the job but the rate advertised is 35% higher than my current rate and I suspect any offer will be lowballed as a consequence of my indiscretion.

I can only imagine the two devs were curious how much Scala devs in the UK make even though this information is completely irrelevant to their circumstances.

Lesson learned but has anyone else had a similar experience?

[northernladuk]

This has been covered endlessly in many other threads

https://www.google.com/search?q=aske...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[TheDude]

This has been covered endlessly in many other threads

https://www.google.com/search?q=aske...hrome&ie=UTF-8

This wasn't an agent or even the hiring manager - this was two developers that I may be working with or even leading their team.

I wouldn't expect a hiring manager at a bank to discuss rates so I suspect these two were trying to gather information to push for a pay raise.

In any case more fool me for letting the info slip.

[northernladuk]

In any case more fool me for letting the info slip.

Yeah, great start telling the perms working for you how much you are on. That isn't going to help you one iota.

[TheDude]

Yeah, great start telling the perms working for you how much you are on. That isn't going to help you one iota.

I realised that the second it came out of my mouth however these two had no business or asking me and I suspect the hiring manager will be very angry if he finds out.

That said it may have been a test for general stupidity.

[Fraidycat]

I suspect these two were trying to gather information to push for a pay raise.

I doubt it is much more than they get, the GBP/USD exchange rate is low at the moment. Had it been 2:1 like the old days, they might have been in for a shock.

[northernladuk]

I realised that the second it came out of my mouth however these two had no business or asking me and I suspect the hiring manager will be very angry if he finds out.

That said it may have been a test for general stupidity.

Passed with flying colours then.

[lecyclist]

Don't sweat about it - US healthcare contributions and other employee benefits makes any comparison with non-US residents difficult. It's also a cultural norm in the US to view the world through a status lens, how much you earn, what kind of car you drive.

[TheDude]

Don't sweat about it - US healthcare contributions and other employee benefits makes any comparison with non-US residents difficult. It's also a cultural norm in the US to view the world through a status lens, how much you earn, what kind of car you drive.

The guys interviewing me were Indian so not sure of their status.

[ConsultingTechArchitect]

Towards the end of the interview they asked my current day and because of adrenaline and my mouth being in overdrive I actually let it slip before gaining my composure.

Hahahahhahahah. Not much else to add to this one considering you already know you did a bad thing.

The only time you ever tell someone your rate is when you find someone at your client that's wiling to share your full rate (with recruiter margin on top). That way you know if the recruiter is taking the piss, gives you some ammo in the contract renewal negotiations to drive his margin down and your rate up.