Is it ever okay to ask about compensation pre-offer? Forum

[TTH]

I had a pretty good interview with a firm last week. It's a smaller firm, but they do sophisticated work in their market and are pretty well regarded. There's no information out there about what they pay, although I do know they will pay for bar administration and bar review class. If I got an offer, I'd have to move to a different state, and it would be helpful to know what they paid in order to evaluate the opportunity. It's not a NALP firm, so if they should make me an offer, it's not like I'll have a month to think about it.

Is it ever okay to ask about compensation prior to getting an offer? Also, I know the managing partner personally. We're not friends or anything, but he knows me through local politics back when I was in UG and arranged the interview after we met for drinks.

[IAFG]

This might be a dumb question, but have you tried to find it on google? I've heard at least the rumors for non-NALP firms by googling them and seeing references on various message boards or ATL or whatever.

[The Duck]

This, or glassdoor or equivalent.

If you can't find it, I wouldn't ask the MP. I'd simply ask the recruiter if they could give you more information on the firm: e.g. compensation, hours expectations, etc. You might as well wait though...its moot if you don't get an offer.

[TTH]

Tried, but this is a firm of 20 attorneys in a tertiary market. There would only be maybe five or six associates, and it's not really a place where getting on the internet to talk compare with other firms is part of the culture.

I wish one of them had run for office so I could check dat ethics disclosure, but alas, no dice.

[IAFG]

Yeah then I would just wait for the offer. Wishing you luck on that front, too.

[unc0mm0n1]

I had a pretty good interview with a firm last week. It's a smaller firm, but they do sophisticated work in their market and are pretty well regarded. There's no information out there about what they pay, although I do know they will pay for bar administration and bar review class. If I got an offer, I'd have to move to a different state, and it would be helpful to know what they paid in order to evaluate the opportunity. It's not a NALP firm, so if they should make me an offer, it's not like I'll have a month to think about it.

Is it ever okay to ask about compensation prior to getting an offer? Also, I know the managing partner personally. We're not friends or anything, but he knows me through local politics back when I was in UG and arranged the interview after we met for drinks.

I was in the same situation. Small practice unclear compensation. I found out by asking someone from my school who worked there last year. Then post offer I confirmed the compensation number.

[Lwoods]

Yeah then I would just wait for the offer. Wishing you luck on that front, too.

Ditto, and good luck!!

To make it easier once you get the offer and know the salary (b/c you're clearly getting the offer!! ), decide now how you feel about different salary ranges for that geographic area so that you can react more nimbly.

[Anonymous User]

Yeah then I would just wait for the offer. Wishing you luck on that front, too.

Ditto, and good luck!!

To make it easier once you get the offer and know the salary (b/c you're clearly getting the offer!! ), decide now how you feel about different salary ranges for that geographic area so that you can react more nimbly.

Exactly. Think about your bottom line... what is the least you could accept in the area? Look at average rent or housing prices, loan payments, lifestyle, etc. and figure out using one of those salary calculators what your monthly take home would be at a few salaries. Try --LinkRemoved--, to start. Once you have that as a starting point, you won't need much time once you've gotten an offer and salary information to see if it's workable.

And on the plus side, this info is helpful for other jobs too so it wouldn't be wasted if you don't get an offer.