Jessica Pacetti
Staff Writer
Job interviews cover a variety of topics. Some ask for a person’s strengths or weaknesses; others may ask your goal or expectation for the job.
However, there is one question in an interview process that can be tricky to answer: What are your salary requirements?
This question, posed by the interviewer, inquires the amount the interviewee believes they should be paid for the job. You do not want to give a number lower than the current salary position, because the interviewer may not negotiate and there is the possibility that you may lose money. If your request too high, the interviewer may not be pleased with a demanding offer.
So, how should you answer a complicated interview question like this one?
According to Amanda Augustine, author of “5 Benefits To Ask For In Your Next Salary Negotiation,” one way to prepare for the salary question is to use resources such as PayScale and competitive-analysis sites such as TheLadders Scouts to see the current salary for a particular job field. These sights also take into account your interested field, location and size of a company. The numbers can be used as a guide through an interview process.
Another tool to use is a current employee of the business you plan to apply for. Talking to people you may know in the business will give you a better understanding about the salaries of current employees and the expectations to earn that salary.
Augustine states that it is easier to negotiate the right salary for you and the business when you come prepared with information. Another helpful tool for the salary question is trying to get the interviewer to tell you the range of salary options for the position you hope to be hired for.
According to TIME magazine, you can also try to deflect the question and outlast the interviewer until they tell you the salary options for the job. This is the professional way of dancing around the question until you get a number from them first.
Some of the answers you may give to the salary question include:
“Let me ask what are the job expectations and requirements so I can understand what you seek for this job.”
“I am looking for a job that best fits my interests. I am sure that the current salary for this position is consistent with the rest of the market.”
“I would appreciate it if you could make me an offer based on what you see fit for the position and then we can go from there.”
The interviewer may ask the salary question a couple of times, but if you move around the question without completely avoiding it, then the interviewer may be open to negotiation.
The key is to approach the question professionally and to find the perfect wording to allow the interviewer to make the first move on salary negotiations.
