Interviews: Salary expectations
No matter how good the opportunity, salary will always be a factor for your job satisfaction. For many of us being paid fairly for our skills is a main priority. Here are some tips on interviews salary expectations.
It doesn’t matter how well the interview goes the daunting question about salary can stop you short. For such a simple question, the answer is so complex. It’s so hard knowing what to say, what not to, ultimately the goal is to get an offer that both you and the company are happy with.
What the interviewer really wants to know
Employers ask about salary as it is a way to get a sense in whether they can afford you. Also, it is a way for them to find out how much you value yourself and your skillset,
Doing some research beforehand, a great way is to see the average salary for your job role in your location. Great place to check is job search website like reed, total job, or glass door. This research can help you demonstrate that you know your worth, but you can be flexible with your salary.
Why is it such a hard question?
There are many ways to answer this question but making sure that you answer it right for the employer can be hard. You don’t want to sell yourself short and feel deflated with the lack of salary after you leave the interview.
It is very difficult to decide what salary you want when you don’t know all of what the job entails. This can also happen when you are asked to provide a salary range in your applications.
Although there is not a specific or right way to do this, there are ways to prepare for the question to make sure you get what you want from it.
What to do on an application
Some application requires you to put a salary expectation range. One way to go around this is to skip the question, although you don’t want to skip it if it’s required information. And some applications won’t even let you skip them. If this is the case here are a few tips:
- Put a salary range based on the research you’ve done
- To show you are flexible you could put ‘negotiable’
- You don’t want employers to think you are unwilling to budge on your salary so try to avoid putting just one figure.
How to answer salary questions
With your research on salary for the job role in that specific location, you can be more prepared to answer with a reasonable salary range. There can be a slight vary in salary on different source, so remember to research on more than one and get a rough estimate. If the research numbers do seem off, do go with your gut as you know your skills. You don’t want to mention a salary range that is completely off whether it’s too high or too low.
Tips on the best answer
Say you’re flexible. You can try to be broad with your answers, such as, “My expectations are in line with my skills” or “if it’s the right job, we can come to an agreement on the salary”. Showing that you are flexible.
Offer a range. Most employers will still want a specific range. In this case, give them a range with about £10,000-£20,000 leeway. You can come up with this range based on your research. This gives the employer what they want but still showing that you are flexible.
Your current salary. In addition to your research, use your current salary range to also give you a guideline. Although take in consideration if you are moving sector or location this will make a difference in salary. It is important to know your worth in the current job market.
Giving yourself a raise. Think about what kind of raise you would get in your current job, use this a good low-end starting point for the new job. Or you can increase your current salary by 15-20%, which is still a reasonable range for your industry and experience.
Highlight your Skills. Emphasize on your skills, when answering question uses your experiences as examples. Don’t overdo it as you don’t want to seem too pushy or sound like you’re boasting. Using your skills to justify the salary you are proposing.
Prepare to negotiate. People especially women are hesitant to ask for more money, as they think this could cost them the offer. Although, you may be able to professionally negotiate a higher salary or come to an agreement of a term where you can get a pay increase. But don’t go in to hastily, wait until you have an offer to consider.
