How to Handle Salary Questions in an Interview

Avoid a single salary number when asked about salary expectations in an interview to keep your negotiation options open.

Salary questions asked during an interview serve two objectives. The questions help to weed out those job seekers who are simply looking for work outside the pay range that the interviewer is prepared to offer, and they give the interviewee a chance to undervalue their services, offering a salary that's far lower than the expected salary for the position. Rather than pricing your way out of the job early on in the interviewing process, or setting yourself up for less than you're worth, there's a better way to handle salary questions during the interview than offering a number that will keep you in the running for the job and avoid low-ball offers.

Instructions

1. Research the typical salary for the position in your region by checking other job listings from various companies or by checking the wage data for your particular position on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Knowing the average wage for your position will keep you from undervaluing yourself when pressed for salary information.

2. Avoid giving a precise figure during the interview when asked about your salary expectations. The interview is to get an offer onto the table, once the company tenders that offer, you can then begin salary negotiations in earnest. You'll want to leave your options open for that point by not suggesting a salary amount during the interview process.

3. Tell the interviewer that you need more information about the position before offering a specific salary number or range. Question the interviewer about a range that the company has in mind for the position instead of offering your own.

4. Use your present or last salary as a starting point. Suggest to the interviewer that you wouldn't mind a raise in comparison with your present salary, but avoid giving range numbers for as long as possible. If you're looking at a job that involves a drop in salary from your last position, answer the salary questions by stating that you realize that the position pays less than you were receiving, but that the position is such that having the job itself is worth the lowered salary. This will avoid having your salary history take you out of the running for the position.

5. Offer a range of your own only if pressed to do so. Do not offer a single amount. Use your researched information to provide a range around the average salary number, keeping the average toward the bottom of the range. Do not be too extravagant with the range. Keep the salary range somewhat narrow and reasonable, about 15 to 20 percent between low and high numbers, when compared to the average salary information.

References

• One Stop Career Center: When They Pop the Question: Handling Salary Negotiations during the Job Interview Process
• Quint Careers; 10 Sticky Job Interview Situations and How to Handle Them; Katharine Hansen, Randall S. Hansen

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish