When asking for a raise, it’s important to confidently present your best work. But along with confidence, it is also crucial to be realistic. Many people overestimate their worth without actually evaluating their work quality. It’s always a good idea to step back, touch grass, and assess your skills before making big salary demands.
Mani Maran Ramalingam is a marketing consultant in Chennai who recently found himself interviewing a Gen Z candidate for a job. He rejected the candidate, who asked for more than double his current salary and was “glad” to break a “Gen Z” heart. Here’s what he meant.
In a post shared on LinkedIn, Ramalingam revealed that the candidate, who was earning Rs 5 lakh per annum, initially asked HR for Rs 8 lakh but then raised the demand to Rs 12 lakh in the interview. This sudden jump made Ramalingam question the justification for such a hike.
When Ramalingam asked the candidate why he thought he deserved such a hike, the candidate said, “I believe I have the skills.”
While confidence is great, it doesn’t always translate to skill. To test this claim, Ramalingam asked to see the candidate’s work. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet expectations his.
“He showed his work, and honestly, it was subpar. I wouldn’t even pay him the ₹5 lakhs he’s currently earning. I dissected his work for him, frame by frame, explaining why and where it lacked quality and giving him insights that his 2.5 years of experience clearly hadn’t provided. I could see, hear, and feel his heartbreak. But here’s the thing, I’m glad I did. It’s important for this generation to understand what skills, deliverables, and quality truly mean,” Ramalingam wrote.
Ramalingam concluded that salaries should be based on “confidence and tangible proof.” He emphasized that saying “I can do it” isn’t as valuable as actually having done it.
Have a look at his full post here:
His post, however, started a debate online. While some agreed that unrealistic salary demands should be checked, others expressed that he shouldn’t have been so hard on the candidate. Have a look at some of the responses to his post here:
So, what do you think? Was the candidate being unrealistic, or should employers be more open to higher salary expectations?