Navigating the topic of salary during a job interview can be tricky. The question, "What are your salary expectations?" is almost inevitable, yet many candidates find it challenging to address. Here's a guide on how to tackle this question effectively.
Why Employers Ask This Question
Before diving into how to answer, it's important to understand why employers ask this question in the first place:
1. Budget Constraints: Companies have budget limitations and want to ensure that your expectations align with what they can offer.
2. Assessing Your Self-Value: Your answer can provide insights into how you value your skills and experience.
3. Negotiation: Knowing your expectations upfront helps streamline the negotiation process later on.
Steps to Prepare Your Answer
How to Answer
Option 1: Give a Range
Providing a salary range allows for flexibility and shows that you're open to negotiation. Make sure the lowest number in your range is something you're comfortable with.
Example: "Based on my research and career goals, a salary range of $60,000 to $70,000 would be the market rate for this role."
Option 2: Be Direct
If you have a specific figure in mind and you're confident it's fair, you can be direct.
Example: "Considering my experience and industry standards, I'm targeting a salary of around $65,000."
Option 3: Turn the Question Around
If you're in the early stages of the interview process and you're not comfortable giving a number yet, you can turn the question back to the interviewer.
"I'm open to a fair offer that reflects my skills and experience. May I ask what budget you've allocated for this position?"
Option 4: Be Open but Non-Committal
If you really don't have a number in mind or prefer not to say, you can keep it open-ended.
Example: "I'm flexible on salary and more interested in finding a position that's a good fit for my career goals."
Option 5: If you are using a recruiter
Default an answer to this question along the lines that I am guided by my recruiter who knows the market for the role better than I do. From my side I am just looking for a fair salary in line with market norms.
What to Avoid
1. Underselling Yourself: Don't give a figure that's too low just to get the job.
2. Overshooting: While it's good to aim high, being unrealistic can take you out of the running.
3. Being Unprepared: This question is likely to come up, so not having an answer can make you seem unprepared.
Conclusion
Answering the "What are your salary expectations?" question is a balancing act. You want to aim for a figure that reflects your value and experience but is also realistic based on the employer's budget and industry standards. With proper preparation and a clear strategy, you can navigate this question successfully.
