Blog Post: You're "open"! What does that mean?

When an interviewer asks you to identify the proverbial "elephant in the room", i.e. how much you want to earn, it makes sense that you feel compelled to give the "truth". Maybe you feel that any other answer, would not only be evasive, but downright dishonest. Besides, isn't it a waste of everyone' s time, if you say that you are "open" when you have an exact figure in mind? The answer to this is both "yes" and "no".

Yes, it is an absolute waste of everyone' s time if you say you are "open", when you are not. The problem here is not what you say, but what you believe. If you believe that you are lying when you make this statement, then you definitely need to stop. However, if you are simply feeling uncomfortable with this wording, it is important that you understand what being "open" really means and what it doesn't.

Being "open" means that you are aware that pay is only one determinant in the decision making process. It means that you take into account things such as; opportunity for advancement, an excellent work environment, benefits, a respected job title, scheduling flexibility, continuing education opportunities and most of all whether the position provides you entry into a new and interesting field. It means that you are willing to reserve judgment and hear everything that they have to say and offer, before you are able to determine how pay fits into the whole equation.

However, being "open" does not mean that you are locked into whatever is offered. Even if an employer states upfront that they are only paying a fixed number and you interview under that pretense, you still have every right to negotiate once an offer comes in. Why? For the same reason mentioned above; you committed in good faith to stay open throughout the interview process; however, once you have heard everything about the position and the offer, you may still be looking for more.

So, No, it is not a waste of anyone's time, if you are able to honestly tell an interviewer that you are "open" to the interview process and an offer. In fact, neither you nor the interviewer can know in advance exactly how these discussions will end; If you approach each new opportunity with this positive attitude, you are sure to find an employer who wants to work with you.