# Salary Research and Target

Pulls together a fair salary range for a specific civilian role and location using data you supply, and helps you set a realistic target and floor before you talk to any employer. Use it before you apply or before any compensation conversation comes up.

## Prompt

## Context

You are helping [YOUR NAME], a separating or recently separated service member, research civilian pay for a specific role. The target role: [TARGET JOB TITLE]. The location or metro area: [TARGET LOCATION]. The service member's relevant background: [MILITARY BACKGROUND SUMMARY, including years of service, MOS or rating, and key duties]. Any comparable civilian experience or certifications outside the military: [CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE OR CERTS, or "none"]. Salary data the person has already found: [SALARY DATA SOURCES AND RANGES, e.g., Glassdoor shows $58,000 to $74,000 for this title in this city, or "none yet"].

## Task

Produce a salary research guide with four sections:
1. Where to look: a list of five to seven specific sources to check for compensation data on [TARGET JOB TITLE] in [TARGET LOCATION]. Name the source, what it covers, and one tip for reading it accurately.
2. How to read the data: a plain explanation of how to interpret a salary range, including the difference between base pay and total compensation, what skews data high or low, and why percentiles matter more than averages.
3. Relevant factors from the background: based on [MILITARY BACKGROUND SUMMARY] and [CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE OR CERTS], list two to four factors that could place [YOUR NAME] higher or lower in the market range, with a brief reason for each.
4. Target and floor framework: a plain explanation of how to set a target number and a walk-away floor before entering any negotiation. Do not supply the actual numbers. Explain the logic so [YOUR NAME] can set them from real data.

## Standards

- Do not invent salary figures. All compensation data must come from [SALARY DATA SOURCES AND RANGES] or from sources the person can verify themselves.
- Do not guarantee that any salary is achievable. Market ranges reflect what employers pay across candidates, not what any individual will be offered.
- Do not overstate how military experience translates to civilian pay. Some roles value it highly; others do not. Name the honest dynamic where it applies.
- Do not include VA disability compensation, GI Bill benefits, or any military benefit in a civilian salary comparison without explaining clearly that these are separate.
- This prompt is a research aid, not financial advice. Confirm figures from official or employer-direct sources before using them in a negotiation.
- If [TARGET JOB TITLE] or [TARGET LOCATION] is missing or too vague to research, ask before proceeding.

## Variables

- YOUR NAME
- TARGET JOB TITLE
- TARGET LOCATION
- MILITARY BACKGROUND SUMMARY
- CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE OR CERTS
- SALARY DATA SOURCES AND RANGES

## Input checklist

- [ ] Look up at least two salary sources before running this prompt: Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tool, or a professional association salary survey for the target field.
- [ ] Be specific about the job title. 'Logistics manager' and 'supply chain coordinator' pull different data even when the work overlaps.
- [ ] Include the metro area, not just the state. Pay varies significantly within states based on cost of living and local employer concentration.
- [ ] Remove your Social Security number and personal financial details before pasting anything. Keep the prompt to professional background and public market data.
- [ ] Do not include VA disability ratings, benefit amounts, or medical details in this prompt.
- [ ] Verify any number you plan to use in a negotiation directly from the source, not just from the AI summary.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Confirm every salary figure in the output traces back to a source you supplied or a publicly named source the AI identified. Reject any number the AI generated without a named source.
- [ ] Check that the output does not conflate base salary with total compensation (bonuses, equity, benefits). Read them separately.
- [ ] Verify the 'relevant factors' section does not overclaim the civilian value of military rank or experience. Check against real job postings for this role to see what they actually require.
- [ ] Confirm no VA benefit amounts, disability ratings, or military entitlements appear in the salary comparison.
- [ ] Check that the target and floor framework explains the logic without setting numbers for you. You set the numbers from your own research.
- [ ] Run the sources yourself. Do not rely solely on the AI to interpret the data.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Salary research guide for Marcus Hale, Supply Chain Analyst, Dallas-Fort Worth metro

Where to look:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (bls.gov/oes): The most comprehensive public source. Search 'logisticians' (SOC 13-1081) for this metro area. Read the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile columns, not just the mean. The mean is pulled up by a small number of high earners.
2. LinkedIn Salary: Filter by job title and location. This data comes from self-reported compensation, which skews slightly toward people who are actively on the platform, but it is useful for comparing by years of experience.
3. Glassdoor: Strong for company-specific data once you have a target employer in mind. Sort by date: older entries may not reflect current market conditions.
4. Indeed Salary: Broad dataset, useful for a quick benchmark. Look at the number of data points behind the estimate.
5. Levels.fyi (if pursuing roles at tech companies): Most useful for supply chain roles at large tech firms, which often pay above broader market rates.
6. DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Transition Resources and SHRM salary surveys: Professional association data; requires creating a free account but gives industry-specific ranges.
7. Job postings directly: About 40 percent of postings now include a salary range by law in some states. Search the title in your target location and read what employers are listing.

How to read the data:
A salary range on any platform is not a promise. It reflects what a range of employers paid a range of candidates over a period of time. Three things to watch: First, the 50th percentile (median) is more useful than the mean because it is not skewed by outliers. Second, total compensation includes base salary plus bonuses, profit sharing, equity, and the value of benefits. A $70,000 base at a company with a strong 401(k) match and low-cost health insurance may be worth more than a $76,000 base with no match and high premiums. Third, entry-level versus mid-level ranges look different. Check what the posting says about experience required, then look at the range for that experience tier.

Relevant factors from your background:
- Eight years of active-duty logistics, including two overseas tours managing multi-million-dollar equipment accountability: places you above entry-level for most supply chain analyst roles. Employers hiring for inventory control and supply chain coordination often view military logistics as directly applicable.
- Secret clearance (current): adds value in defense contracting, government supply chain, and some manufacturing roles. Does not add significant value in most commercial or retail supply chain roles.
- No civilian certifications listed: candidates with APICS CSCP or CPIM certification sometimes command the upper end of the analyst range. This is a gap worth noting, not a disqualifier, but it is honest.
- No college degree listed: some analyst roles require a degree; others substitute equivalent experience. Check the specific postings you are targeting.

Target and floor framework:
Your target is the number you ask for in a negotiation. It should be above what you will actually accept so there is room to move. Base it on the 60th to 75th percentile of the market range for someone at your experience level, adjusted for the specific employer and location. Your floor is the minimum you will accept. Set it before you talk to any employer, not during the conversation. If an offer comes in below your floor, the answer is no or a counteroffer, not a wait-and-see. Write both numbers down before you negotiate.

## Customization notes

Run this once per role and location. Pay for the same title varies significantly by industry: a logistics analyst at a defense contractor earns differently from one at a retail chain. If you are within 12 months of separation, focus on getting the data now so you are not starting from zero when an offer comes. If you have a SkillBridge host, ask what the full-time equivalent salary is for that role before the internship ends.

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From The Military Transition & SkillBridge Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/transition