You’re close to getting an interview, the toughest part is over. Now it’s time to nail the job interview and get that dream job. If you can do just this one task well, then your chances of getting a better salary are pretty good. You’ll learn exactly how to ask for a salary in an interview so that you don’t lower your chances of a higher paycheck.
Find out more about asking for salary, how to ask for a raise, salary negotiation, how to ask for a raise at work, how to negotiate salary, salary negotiation tips, how to negotiate salary increase on careerkeg.com.
When you’re interviewing for a job, the prospect of asking for salary can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be.
Before you even start applying or interviewing for positions, think about what your ideal salary would be—what would make you feel like you’re getting paid enough to live comfortably and do the work that’s important to you? Then make sure that number is in your head when the time comes to negotiate.
When it’s time to discuss salary in an interview, there are three main strategies:
First, be sure that you know what the going rate is in your industry/location before talking about money with a potential employer. You can find this information in a variety of places, including Glassdoor and LinkedIn. Then use this information as a benchmark when asking for a salary range during an interview; if they offer more than what they usually pay someone doing similar work (or less), then it’s up to them why they chose one number over another. If they offer less than what other employers pay in your area, then ask why theirs is lower—and if their reasoning doesn’t add up (e.g., “I’ve never paid so much before”), then consider negotiating.
How to ask for salary in an interview
Before you go to the interview, do your homework.
Before you go to the interview, do your homework. Look up your salary range on sites like Salary.com or Payscale.com and know what you are worth in the marketplace. Also, do your research on the company and job itself so that you can talk intelligently about why this position is a good fit for you (at least from an employment perspective).
To know what salary to ask for, it’s important to also understand what things might be negotiable at this stage in the process—for example: relocation expenses or signing bonuses are sometimes offered as part of an offer package by companies hoping to attract top talent for their open positions—and make sure that any additional requests aren’t too far off base from what other candidates have received recently in similar positions at competitors’ firms within your industry sector.
Be smart and know what you’re worth.
- Know your worth. Before you go into an interview, it’s important to do some research about the market for your skills and experience. This will help you negotiate effectively when it’s time to talk money—and if you come in too low, it’ll signal that you’re not actually aware of what others are making in similar positions (which means they won’t trust your judgment).
- Get clear on what they’re offering. Some employers won’t tell candidates their salary range up front; instead, they expect applicants to ask—but even then, there may be a limit on how much information they can share with a candidate until she signs on officially (if at all). If this is the case with yours, consider asking more general questions like “How competitive is my compensation package?” or “What do people typically earn here?” You can also ask about benefits like health insurance or retirement plans.
- Know where you stand financially and emotionally—and adjust accordingly. Just because someone has spent years building up their career doesn’t mean they’re immune from financial concerns: A lot of people hit midlife crises around 40 and find themselves asking whether their professional goals are aligned with what makes them happy as human beings overall.* Be transparent about why this job matters so much: Maybe it would mean moving away from family members who live nearby; maybe it would provide opportunities for growth beyond anything else currently available in your area; maybe having access to better benefits could improve quality of life immediately (or later down the road). Whatever reason(s) motivate
Be bold, but humble.
There’s a fine line between bold and arrogant, and it’s your responsibility to walk that line in an interview. You won’t get far by being overly humble or too conservative, so don’t be afraid to speak up. But you also want to avoid making the interviewer feel like you’re asking for more than they can afford—and make sure that asking for more than they can afford isn’t your primary goal.
The best way to do this is with tact: be as specific as possible about what kind of deal would be acceptable for both parties.
Have a number in mind. The number doesn’t have to be exact, but it should be close.
One of the most important things you can do in an interview is to have a number in mind. The number doesn’t have to be exact, but it should be close. You can use this number as a guide when answering questions about salary expectations and what you’ll need to support yourself on that salary.
You’ll also want to research average salaries for the position that you are interviewing for. If you’re changing careers or have limited work experience, you may find it helpful to base your salary range on industry standards for similar positions within your new field of work instead of strictly using data from previous jobs (which might not be relevant anymore).
When determining what kind of salary range makes sense for you, consider how valuable your skills and experience will be at this company as well as how much value they get from hiring someone like yourself over another candidate who might possess similar credentials but would cost less money. If there’s room in their budget for a higher-priced option while still saving them money overall by bringing onboard someone with more expertise than other potential hires, then go ahead and ask!
Don’t give away your salary history until they ask for it — then embellish!
In a professional tone:
This is one of the most important things to remember! You want to be careful not to give away your salary history until they ask for it. This way, if they do ask, you can embellish and make your salary sound more impressive than it actually is. But how do you know when they’re going to ask? It’s up to you as an interviewee to determine whether or not this question is appropriate. If there are any hints that the interviewer might be trying to get at this information—for example, if she says something like “I’m sure we can make this work” or “We’ll find a way”—then I would say go ahead and give them some numbers so that later on when they ask what range you’re looking for in terms of salary, you won’t be caught off guard. The important thing here is that both parties agree upon an amount that makes sense within the context of what other companies have paid for similar positions; if possible, try researching average salaries beforehand so that when someone asks how much money will make them happy (which happens all the time), then he/she has something concrete with which to compare themselves!
You may feel tempted not tell anybody anything because they won’t offer me enough money anyway but just think about how great life would be with more cash in hand! Think about those things first before making any decisions; otherwise everything could fall apart because nobody likes working with people who are cheap or stingy.”
If you are prepared when they ask about salary, they will take you more seriously as a candidate.
If you are prepared when they ask about salary, they will take you more seriously as a candidate.
A good rule of thumb is to not give away your salary history until the interviewer asks for it. If you give an answer that’s too low or too high, then it will make them question your intelligence and ability to negotiate. However, if you give an answer that is in the middle range and works with what they offer, then this shows them that you know what kind of money is being paid in this field and helps move things along smoothly.
You should also have a number in mind so that when asked about salary expectations or offers, you can confidently say something like “I was hoping between $40k-$50k with benefits package included” instead of “I really don’t know… I’ll take whatever comes my way!”
