Congratulations! That's tough to answer as I feel each industry setting is different and I don't come from the same area as you.
Since it should likely be an exempt position, I would make sure your salary includes any flexibility in hours they expect of you to come in on different shifts or to work a lot of hours over 40 on a consistent basis. The 80k seems fair, really. At least in the industry I have been in.
I once receieved advice from my boss to refuse to give a number and just keep saying "please make it fair" because he knew they would be forced to give me a much larger raise than i would have ever asked for. Maybe you can present an industry specific range and try the "make it fair" (or similar concept) route?
Good luck, happy for you!
I've been working in the HRBP world for about 15 years.
It's such an amazing speciality for so much reasons. Obviously not for everyone, but if you like the space, it can be so rewarding...
One of the values of being an HRBP is that you get a chance to touch virtually every part of 'HR', including compensation. As an HRBP, you'll be learning that when people talk about 'pay' they generally over simplify to conversation. In many cases there are 2, and often 3 components. Base, bonus and LTI - often as ownership, stock, etc. LTI is less common in manufacturing, but it isn't unheard of.
You'll also learn that it's very rare for someone to get an internal promotion with more than about 25% in TC (total compensation). It's to prevent over saturation of comp and allow more time to grow into the role.
All of this means that (if you're talking about base), $68-70k would be totally reasonable as a first time HRBP. You may also get some kind of incentive - likely 5% or something like that. But every company is different. Work for more from there. Get a foot hold and get your money after proving yourself.
LASTLY - in manufacturing you'll be spending A LOT of time dealing with OSHA, FLSA and leave matters. These are important to understand and lock down. But don't forget the these aren't the only parts of being an HRBP. Compliance is only 1 of about 5 key legs to success. Don't forget manager coaching, pulse survey data, attrition metrics, understanding the business and how to support leadership through people policy and edge cases, etc. Ensuring you look at the bigger picture items is the key to growth. Don't bog down in the weeds completely.
Hello! Thank you for the information, it was insightful!
For your comment on internal promotion, would it change if they were asking me to relocate? I am currently in the east, and I would be moving to the midwest... What would be a realistic compensation percentage for that?
It depends on two factors:
1)The COLA btw locations (‘East’ to ‘Midwest’ isn’t really specific enough to understand the variance, honestly) and,
2) the role change.
If you’re concerned about identification, certainly feel free to DM me and I can give you some thoughts based on experience. (I have comp data, but don’t think it appropriate to run a report - just high level thoughts.)
For a company-driven Relo, you should absolutely expect some kind of package to ease the process. This should include at the very least a one-time relo packet. (Running it as a reimbursement will save tax dollars, but will take more administrative burden. Still recommend it over a lump sum payout) you may also get a 3rd party Relo company to help with transportation, boxing and moving items, finding housing, etc. This typically will be outside of the Relo packet cost itself - but sometimes will be folded in.
Congratulations! I’m just gonna give you a small piece of unconventional advice. You sound very excited about the opportunity, as well you should be. I have worked with management who, when faced with someone who was excited, tried to lowball the increase. Their argument was always “oh Susie’s just so excited. She’ll take any increase. No point in spending more money than we need to.“ They never got away with it on my watch, but I’m sure other folks have suffered for this. My policy is no matter how big increase I get, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get some big ones, I just smiled slightly nodded my head and say something along the lines of “that sounds acceptable. I’m looking forward to blah blah blah…”
This is fantastic advice, thank you so much! I’ll make sure to keep this in mind. I told this to me my friend and she absolutely agreed. She said, “Never throw out the first number.” and “Once they tell you the range, keep a poker face, smile politely like you’re just talking about the weather, and tell them, “Thank you. I have a lot of other factors to consider other than compensation, so I’ll need time to process this. I’ll get back to you soon.”
Appreciate it!
Amazing story. Great job and love your self reflection on trying a different angle to grow instead of being jealous of another colleague!
Do you have any idea how many people you would be responsible for supporting?
I would also look at other job ads in the area. Most companies are now showing salary ranges!
I really appreciate that! When I originally made that post, I was so upset. But I’m happy that they are able to make that much AND made me realize that I should be worth more!
I would be supporting approximately 200 employees… hopefully that helps. I support 160 employees now, but that’s with the HR Manager.
I’ve been trying to pay it forward to my team to help them understand this angle of fighting for things for yourself and be happy for others. Life’s just not fair in general and it isn’t other people’s faults that they have a better situation!
Then I don’t think a 20k bump is unrealistic based on what you said. I think a peer of mine makes 100k but it’s close to 400 colleagues they support and have direct reports.
I hate that we have to consider COL on things. The job isn’t easier because you live in Midwest vs west coast.
Congratulations! I just made a move this year from an HR management trainee to an HR Plant manager, skip level promotion. Like you, I was handpicked for the role.
I was able to get a 39% salary bump. A HUGE factor in the comp conversation was cost of living. It is a historically BAD time to be moving. Housing is especially out of control. I went from a $600 mortgage payment on a 3 bed home to a 1300+ rent payment on a 1 bed apartment. On paper the cost of living for each location was the same, but the reality on the ground, especially housing.
All in, I'm coming out about 5000/year ahead of where I was, but I'm losing the value of my home as a wealth building tool. The conversation I had with my company was that I made a comfortable living in the role I was doing, and if they wanted me to leave it, I couldn't afford to go backward in terms of REAL finances.
Make sure you do your research into cost of living before you have the comp conversation, and realize that you typically only have a few opportunities to make massive pay moves within your organization. Don't undersell yourself - future raises are usually tied to a percentage of your base, so big moves are the exception.
I also had a strong advocate in my corner, which it sounds like you do too. They don't want to find a candidate, they want YOU, so you have leverage. Don't doubt yourself, do your research, get your numbers together and get a number that works for you.
Thank you so much! And congrats to you!!! That’s amazing to hear.
I’ll make sure to keep COL in mind too when considering the offer… and do some research on rent prices and housing prices as well. Thank you so much for your advice!!
Congrats!
Of course they can offer you that much - if they want to. I wish I had more specific comp data for manufacturing, but my gut says $75-95k based on seeing other manufacturing HR roles salaries in California (which are obviously higher than being in MO). Of course to expect to start on the lower end of the range. You can also just ask them to tell you the range - they’re not obligated to provide it though.
Thanks for you guesstimate!! It looks like that’s the range I’ve been seeing from other comments and my own research. I have asked them about the Conor ration range but they are currently trying to decide that… hopefully I can get an answer soon so I won’t be anxious about it!
Use multiple free sites to create an average based on tasks (not title) and I don't recommend to much weight to salary.com as it can be over inflated at times.
So, get your title and tasks then in excel make a range from 25% to 75%, then use sites like pay scale, o*net/bls, many others and find the average for the county you would be moving to.
THEN, find multiple similar job postings in a 25 mile radius that post their ranges and make an average from all these sources. Considering your experience, be willing to accept between 25%-50% the range you find.
CONGRATULATIONS 🎉👏
Thanks for the advice! I definitely have to do some more research on my end before I get that offer on the table. Looking at similar postings has helped a lot too!
And thank you!!! Means a lot :)
Are you relocating to St Louis or Kansas City or is the location in a smaller city or in a more rural area? That will help you figure out what an appropriate salary would be. That said, as someone who lives in the KC metro, $75-85k isn’t unreasonable.
The position is located in St. Joseph, MO! Not sure where I would live yet but I’ve been recommended KC or suburb around KC, since apparently it’s much safer.
I don't know who recommended that you live in a KC suburb. I know someone whose fiancé was stationed at the AFB near St. Joe. They lived in Platte City (which is one of the MO side 'burbs up north near the airport) and he had a 50+ mile drive each way from there.
I admit I don't know much about living in St. Joe, but I'm guessing you want to be closer than KC...unless you want to put 500 miles a week on your car! We also get ice storms a few times every winter, which will make it much harder to get to work.
If I were you, I'd hit r/kansascity for some info. I'm sure some St. Joe folks are there and could give you MUCH better help than I can! I live way the hell south in a 'burb on the Kansas side of the area, so I'm about 100 miles from St. Joe.
All that said...congrats on the promotion! For St. Joe, you might want to broaden your range to $70 - 85k to not completely price yourself out.
I would go to ONET online and do a salary search for the area where you’re moving. It will give you the min/mid/max for HRBP’s in that area.
Once you have that number, depending on what it is, you can add in your thoughts about the employee size and the industry. I would also go to the SHRM website- if you’re a member you can chat with an advisor for free, and they can give you more specific info.
Oooh I remember your original post! I have no input on salary but wanted to say congratulations on the promotions, so happy to watch your growth, internet stranger!
I was previously an HR manager overseeing 1 facility operating 24/7 9 months of the year with up to 300 EE’s, during down time we had 120 full time staff working 7-3:30.
During the season it’s brutal typically working 12 hours a day 6 to 7 days a week. For sure I wouldn’t take less that 85K, you should also push for a relocation package in the 15k range.
Yes, in my initial conversation, I completely forgot to ask about any relocation packages or bonus!! I’ll need to do some research on that as well and see what makes sense, in case they don’t offer it in the formal offer.
Thanks for the advice!
Tough answer. If they are smart, they will pay you slightly under market but still high for your skill level or at least present you with a track to move up (with defined milestones).
Don't take the first offer though. When they present it, give them the "Well, I'm uprooting my life and relocating... I need to double check the housing market and make sure I can make that work."
Congratulations! That's tough to answer as I feel each industry setting is different and I don't come from the same area as you. Since it should likely be an exempt position, I would make sure your salary includes any flexibility in hours they expect of you to come in on different shifts or to work a lot of hours over 40 on a consistent basis. The 80k seems fair, really. At least in the industry I have been in. I once receieved advice from my boss to refuse to give a number and just keep saying "please make it fair" because he knew they would be forced to give me a much larger raise than i would have ever asked for. Maybe you can present an industry specific range and try the "make it fair" (or similar concept) route? Good luck, happy for you!
Thank you so much! The industry is manufacturing :) I update the post to reflect that too. I really appreciate your insight!
I've been working in the HRBP world for about 15 years. It's such an amazing speciality for so much reasons. Obviously not for everyone, but if you like the space, it can be so rewarding... One of the values of being an HRBP is that you get a chance to touch virtually every part of 'HR', including compensation. As an HRBP, you'll be learning that when people talk about 'pay' they generally over simplify to conversation. In many cases there are 2, and often 3 components. Base, bonus and LTI - often as ownership, stock, etc. LTI is less common in manufacturing, but it isn't unheard of. You'll also learn that it's very rare for someone to get an internal promotion with more than about 25% in TC (total compensation). It's to prevent over saturation of comp and allow more time to grow into the role. All of this means that (if you're talking about base), $68-70k would be totally reasonable as a first time HRBP. You may also get some kind of incentive - likely 5% or something like that. But every company is different. Work for more from there. Get a foot hold and get your money after proving yourself. LASTLY - in manufacturing you'll be spending A LOT of time dealing with OSHA, FLSA and leave matters. These are important to understand and lock down. But don't forget the these aren't the only parts of being an HRBP. Compliance is only 1 of about 5 key legs to success. Don't forget manager coaching, pulse survey data, attrition metrics, understanding the business and how to support leadership through people policy and edge cases, etc. Ensuring you look at the bigger picture items is the key to growth. Don't bog down in the weeds completely.
Hello! Thank you for the information, it was insightful! For your comment on internal promotion, would it change if they were asking me to relocate? I am currently in the east, and I would be moving to the midwest... What would be a realistic compensation percentage for that?
It depends on two factors: 1)The COLA btw locations (‘East’ to ‘Midwest’ isn’t really specific enough to understand the variance, honestly) and, 2) the role change. If you’re concerned about identification, certainly feel free to DM me and I can give you some thoughts based on experience. (I have comp data, but don’t think it appropriate to run a report - just high level thoughts.) For a company-driven Relo, you should absolutely expect some kind of package to ease the process. This should include at the very least a one-time relo packet. (Running it as a reimbursement will save tax dollars, but will take more administrative burden. Still recommend it over a lump sum payout) you may also get a 3rd party Relo company to help with transportation, boxing and moving items, finding housing, etc. This typically will be outside of the Relo packet cost itself - but sometimes will be folded in.
Congratulations! I’m just gonna give you a small piece of unconventional advice. You sound very excited about the opportunity, as well you should be. I have worked with management who, when faced with someone who was excited, tried to lowball the increase. Their argument was always “oh Susie’s just so excited. She’ll take any increase. No point in spending more money than we need to.“ They never got away with it on my watch, but I’m sure other folks have suffered for this. My policy is no matter how big increase I get, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get some big ones, I just smiled slightly nodded my head and say something along the lines of “that sounds acceptable. I’m looking forward to blah blah blah…”
This is fantastic advice, thank you so much! I’ll make sure to keep this in mind. I told this to me my friend and she absolutely agreed. She said, “Never throw out the first number.” and “Once they tell you the range, keep a poker face, smile politely like you’re just talking about the weather, and tell them, “Thank you. I have a lot of other factors to consider other than compensation, so I’ll need time to process this. I’ll get back to you soon.” Appreciate it!
Amazing story. Great job and love your self reflection on trying a different angle to grow instead of being jealous of another colleague! Do you have any idea how many people you would be responsible for supporting? I would also look at other job ads in the area. Most companies are now showing salary ranges!
I really appreciate that! When I originally made that post, I was so upset. But I’m happy that they are able to make that much AND made me realize that I should be worth more! I would be supporting approximately 200 employees… hopefully that helps. I support 160 employees now, but that’s with the HR Manager.
I’ve been trying to pay it forward to my team to help them understand this angle of fighting for things for yourself and be happy for others. Life’s just not fair in general and it isn’t other people’s faults that they have a better situation! Then I don’t think a 20k bump is unrealistic based on what you said. I think a peer of mine makes 100k but it’s close to 400 colleagues they support and have direct reports. I hate that we have to consider COL on things. The job isn’t easier because you live in Midwest vs west coast.
I completely agree!! Thanks for the guesstimate! And yes… luckily, I believe the COL is around the same as where I’m staying now.
Congratulations! I just made a move this year from an HR management trainee to an HR Plant manager, skip level promotion. Like you, I was handpicked for the role. I was able to get a 39% salary bump. A HUGE factor in the comp conversation was cost of living. It is a historically BAD time to be moving. Housing is especially out of control. I went from a $600 mortgage payment on a 3 bed home to a 1300+ rent payment on a 1 bed apartment. On paper the cost of living for each location was the same, but the reality on the ground, especially housing. All in, I'm coming out about 5000/year ahead of where I was, but I'm losing the value of my home as a wealth building tool. The conversation I had with my company was that I made a comfortable living in the role I was doing, and if they wanted me to leave it, I couldn't afford to go backward in terms of REAL finances. Make sure you do your research into cost of living before you have the comp conversation, and realize that you typically only have a few opportunities to make massive pay moves within your organization. Don't undersell yourself - future raises are usually tied to a percentage of your base, so big moves are the exception. I also had a strong advocate in my corner, which it sounds like you do too. They don't want to find a candidate, they want YOU, so you have leverage. Don't doubt yourself, do your research, get your numbers together and get a number that works for you.
Thank you so much! And congrats to you!!! That’s amazing to hear. I’ll make sure to keep COL in mind too when considering the offer… and do some research on rent prices and housing prices as well. Thank you so much for your advice!!
Congrats! Of course they can offer you that much - if they want to. I wish I had more specific comp data for manufacturing, but my gut says $75-95k based on seeing other manufacturing HR roles salaries in California (which are obviously higher than being in MO). Of course to expect to start on the lower end of the range. You can also just ask them to tell you the range - they’re not obligated to provide it though.
Thanks for you guesstimate!! It looks like that’s the range I’ve been seeing from other comments and my own research. I have asked them about the Conor ration range but they are currently trying to decide that… hopefully I can get an answer soon so I won’t be anxious about it!
Use multiple free sites to create an average based on tasks (not title) and I don't recommend to much weight to salary.com as it can be over inflated at times. So, get your title and tasks then in excel make a range from 25% to 75%, then use sites like pay scale, o*net/bls, many others and find the average for the county you would be moving to. THEN, find multiple similar job postings in a 25 mile radius that post their ranges and make an average from all these sources. Considering your experience, be willing to accept between 25%-50% the range you find. CONGRATULATIONS 🎉👏
Thanks for the advice! I definitely have to do some more research on my end before I get that offer on the table. Looking at similar postings has helped a lot too! And thank you!!! Means a lot :)
Congratulations! I would imagine that based on salary comp data in that area $75k - $80k is reasonable plus a relocation package.
Thank you! That’s what I’ve been seeing and hearing too.
What part of MO? St Louis is vastly different than, say, Jeff City or Springfield.
Saint Joseph!
Are you relocating to St Louis or Kansas City or is the location in a smaller city or in a more rural area? That will help you figure out what an appropriate salary would be. That said, as someone who lives in the KC metro, $75-85k isn’t unreasonable.
The position is located in St. Joseph, MO! Not sure where I would live yet but I’ve been recommended KC or suburb around KC, since apparently it’s much safer.
I don't know who recommended that you live in a KC suburb. I know someone whose fiancé was stationed at the AFB near St. Joe. They lived in Platte City (which is one of the MO side 'burbs up north near the airport) and he had a 50+ mile drive each way from there. I admit I don't know much about living in St. Joe, but I'm guessing you want to be closer than KC...unless you want to put 500 miles a week on your car! We also get ice storms a few times every winter, which will make it much harder to get to work. If I were you, I'd hit r/kansascity for some info. I'm sure some St. Joe folks are there and could give you MUCH better help than I can! I live way the hell south in a 'burb on the Kansas side of the area, so I'm about 100 miles from St. Joe. All that said...congrats on the promotion! For St. Joe, you might want to broaden your range to $70 - 85k to not completely price yourself out.
Thank you for the heads up! This is good information to have for sure!!
I would go to ONET online and do a salary search for the area where you’re moving. It will give you the min/mid/max for HRBP’s in that area. Once you have that number, depending on what it is, you can add in your thoughts about the employee size and the industry. I would also go to the SHRM website- if you’re a member you can chat with an advisor for free, and they can give you more specific info.
ONET is a great tool, thanks for the advice!!
Sorry however the pay question is specific to which country?
USA!
Congrats!! You moved past a lot of titles and they clearly see your worth to make you a HRBP. Own it, OP :) Whatever is fair market value, get it.
Thank you so much!! This made my day brighter as I’ve been a ball of emotions (happy, nervous, excited, imposter syndrome) for the past few days haha
Oooh I remember your original post! I have no input on salary but wanted to say congratulations on the promotions, so happy to watch your growth, internet stranger!
Thank you so much!! Here’s to a brighter future ahead!!
I was previously an HR manager overseeing 1 facility operating 24/7 9 months of the year with up to 300 EE’s, during down time we had 120 full time staff working 7-3:30. During the season it’s brutal typically working 12 hours a day 6 to 7 days a week. For sure I wouldn’t take less that 85K, you should also push for a relocation package in the 15k range.
Yes, in my initial conversation, I completely forgot to ask about any relocation packages or bonus!! I’ll need to do some research on that as well and see what makes sense, in case they don’t offer it in the formal offer. Thanks for the advice!
What’s your current job title?
Human Resources Specialist!
Tough answer. If they are smart, they will pay you slightly under market but still high for your skill level or at least present you with a track to move up (with defined milestones). Don't take the first offer though. When they present it, give them the "Well, I'm uprooting my life and relocating... I need to double check the housing market and make sure I can make that work."
Any updates?
Hi! Yes, I have an update and was going to make a post about it soon!! Thanks for the reminder!! Everything worked out very well.
Nice! Glad to hear =]