It’s a question that can be hard to answer but important! When caught up in an expected salary interview question and you don’t know the right answer, you could end up underselling yourself and not getting the job offer. Or if you oversell yourself and they find out later on that you were lying, then there will be some consequences for that!
In this blog post, we’ll break down how to answer salary expectations in a way that makes sense and doesn’t leave any room for confusion.
Before we get into details fully, you must understand the point of this question. Employers ask it for two reasons:
- They are trying to determine if your salary expectations match what they offer.
- They check whether you have realistic expectations about how much money a person in that position should be making. Suppose their pay scale is structured and organized, going from entry-level positions to management. In that case, you mustn’t apply for an entry-level role. Instead, look at roles where your expected experience fits within their pay structure instead of looking only at those who start higher paid because there might not be room for advancement for some time on business needs, etc.
Tip: Be effective and accurate about your salary expectations.
How To Answer What Is Your Expected Salary
Now that we know the reasons behind this question let’s talk about how to answer it effectively and accurately. When answering what your expected salary is, you want to take a few things into account:
– Your skillset
– The job market for your skillset
– Your geographical location
– The company’s pay scale (if they have one)
Some people like to give a range instead of an exact number, while others prefer one. It depends on the situation and who you are talking with. Suppose you’re going through a recruiter or another third party. In that case, they might already have a predetermined salary range in mind, so be sure to ask their opinion before saying your number. A recruiter isn’t going to want you to say something outside of the range they are expecting because it will make them look bad for not knowing what salary they were hiring someone for. If you’re talking with a company’s HR department directly about this question, then feel free to give them an exact answer or even just state whether or not anything within $X would be acceptable.
Give examples of similar companies and roles so that there is no confusion about what level of role you are applying for.
If answering your expected salary seems like more trouble than it’s worth, then feel free to give them an exact number regardless of whether or not it falls within their budget range. If they ask why to let them know by saying something along the lines of “I’m looking for a specific amount because I have my expected standards when applying for roles.”
“What is your salary expectation” sample answers
“I intend on applying for this position with ABC company, and I was wondering if my qualifications match up to the requirements listed on the ad.”
“I would like to know more about compensation before accepting or declining any offers, so please let me know what point of consideration might be appropriate for someone who has my education level and work history?”
“What are the benefits for this position, what is the salary range, and how does that compare to what I might expect in my career?”
“I am quite certain you are aware of what our company expects from its employees. Please let me know what someone with my qualifications would be paid for? What sort of compensation package do your employees receive?”
Final Words
When asked about your salary expectations, it’s important to have a realistic idea of what you’re worth. You don’t want to lowball yourself or ask for too much, but you also don’t want to sell yourself short.