How to answer: What are your Salary Expectations ?
A common question at a job interview or on a job application form is ‘What are your Salary expectations?’ But it’s a tricky one to answer. It can be awkward, the majority of job seekers don’t want to discuss money. If you say a figure too high you may miss out on a job offer. If it’s too low, you may miss out financially.
Option 1 : Research
– Make sure you’re realistic and honest about your salary expectations. The best practice is to do some research to give you a rough figure. You can do this by looking at job vacancies for similar roles and see what their salary rate is. Another way is to check out some of the salary guides which you can find easily online.
Salary calculators are available that can give some general information that may help to understand the market for your particular position such as:
1. http://www.payscale.com
2. http://www.glassdoor.com
But be aware that most calculators and salary guides do not take into account benefits or incentives. Therefore it is important to also weigh up the the ‘perks’ of the job. Consider, do they give you a free gym membership? Or pay for a company car? Do they reimburse you for your commute? Are there any bonus schemes or incentives you can tap into?
Take your time, do you research and get a ‘ball park figure’.
Option 1: How to Answer
Once you have gathered your information and you feel confident with the figure you have in mind, you can phrase your answer like so:
What are you expecting to make in terms of salary?
A: I understand that positions similar to this one pay in the range of £X to £Z in our area. With my experience, I would like to receive something in the range of £Y to £Z as a starting salary.
Other points you may want to include could be your number of years experience, your qualifications or any qualities you have that gives you an edge over your competitors.
Option 2: Let your interviewer do the work
Asking for your salary level is a fair question and a standard part of information gathering. Conversely, asking what the range is that’s being offered is also fair. This can be quite a good tactic, as it forces you interviewer to give a salary range which you can then negotiate to suit you.
Option 2: How to Answer
What are you expecting to make in terms of salary?
A:“My main concern is finding a job that is a good fit for me. I’m sure whatever salary you’re paying is consistent with the rest of the market, what is the range being offered?”
A: “I’d appreciate it if you could make me an offer based on whatever you have budgeted for this position and we can go from there.” – (Note: The ‘appreciate’ make this statement sound less demanding)
A: “I’m flexible and especially interested in your company and this position. What is the range being offered ?”
These answers are just guides, it’s important to put it into your own words and add any extra details that are specific to you.
If you have any advice for answering this question feel free to post in the comments below.
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