What to Do If You Are Asked About Salary in a Job Interview

So you've revamped your resume, applied for many jobs, went through several interview cycles, and now you are at the point where the interviewer is asking you about your salary expectations. What do you say?

Many job seekers find this to be one of the most difficult questions to answer. Why is this? The main reason is that they are afraid that if they ask for too much money, then they will price themselves out of a potentially great opportunity. Just as important if they ask for too little money, then they may be passing up a potentially significant pay increase.

Here is some guidance on handle to turn questions about salary in a job interview to your favor...

The first rule of thumb to remember is that 'he/she who gives a specific salary figure first, is in a position of weakness from a negotiating position standpoint'. What this means is it is far better to understand what your employer has in mind around salary before you answer, so as to avoid pricing yourself beyond the position, or leaving too much money on the table.

The second thing to understand is that 99% of the time the employer will have already allocated 'budget' or a 'salary range' for the position you are applying for. Even though the interviewer is asking for your salary expectations, they will have already clearly defined the minimum and maximum ranges for the role. Your goal is to position yourself for the maximum range.

A sad but true fact of employment is that the #1 determining factor in what your new salary will be, is what you made in your previous role. I'd like to tell you that the main factor is the value you will bring the role, and there is certainly some truth to that, but when it comes to the actual salary figure odds are it will be pretty close to what you are making now. In fact it is standard practice for many organizations to ask for your previous full year tax slip as part of your application process just for this reason.

So all that being said, what is the best way to answer the dreaded 'salary' question.
Here is a specific example...

Interviewer: What are your salary expectations in this role?

You: Up until this point I've been more focused on understanding the requirements for the role and my potential fit for your organization, I haven't thought much about the compensation piece at this point to be honest. Do you have a range for the role that you have in mind?

Note the response was polite, not too 'cute' and you have put the ball back in the interviewer's court. Nine times out of ten they will provide you with a range rather than come back to you with a non-answer. Now you are in a position of negotiating strength.

David_Moreno

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