JOB INTERVIEW SALARY QUESTIONS

“What Salary Do You Expect to Make?”

Here is a question that makes many job seekers really nervous.  As soon as it is asked, you can almost here the applicant thinking:

“I  don’t want to overprice myself, but I would also like to make a decent wage–more than I was making.  But I don’t want to lose the opportunity.  I really like the company; I see opportunity here.  Maybe if I start out low, I would be a more attractive candicate.  I could work my salary up later.  But I do have bills to pay.  I don’t know what to say.

Well, here’s a word of advice:  Don’t talk about money and benefits.  Let the employer talk about that.  You have no leverage to negotiate salary until the employer offers you the job.  Until then, your potential salary and company benefits are completely academic.  So don’t talk about money.  You might give the impression that a paycheck is the only thing that interests you.  Give that impression and you will probably lose the job opportunity.

What should you say?  Try this:

“My salary is negotiable.  I would expect to be paid the same salary as any other employee who has the same experience, training, and responsibilities.  But tell me, what is the wage range for this position?”

This answer avoids the dollar amount of your salary by tacking it to the current market price for the skills you possess.  And that’s what employers want to buy anyway. 

Moreover, when the employers think of salary, they are referring to a “wage range” that they pay employees in a certain job classification.  What do they base this “wage range” on?  The market value other employers are paying people for the same skills you have.  An individual employer can’t really pay less than this market wage.  Why?  They wouldn’t be able to hire employees.  Other employers paying the market rate would get them.

Now I can hear you thinking:

What if I am boxed into a corner and have to give a number.  Then what do I do?  I can’t use the answer you have given me.

There is a solution to that, too.  You have to learn how much your skills are worth in your location.  And location matters.   Secretaries in San Francisco make more than a secretaries in Indianapolis.  Why?  The cost of living difference.  If San Francisco secretaries didn’t make more, they would’nt be able to live San Francisco.  They couldn’t afford to.

So how do you find how much you are worth to an employer?  That’s not as hard as it looks.  You simply consult a salary calculator.  Most large job boards have them.  But here are three that you might use. 

1. PAYSCALE SALARY CALCULATOR

 2. Salary Expert Calculator  (Say “No Thanks” to the school and pick only the free general evaluation; otherwise you have to pay)

 3. CareerOneStop Calculator

Once you have gotten a “wage range” from one or two of these, you will have good ground to offer the employer a salary amount that does’nt over or under price you skills.  You can say something like this:

“According to my research, the market value employers in this area are paying for my skills is $xx.xx to $xx.xx.  Somewhere in this range would be acceptable.”

Now, that’s not hard.  You have your answer–two, in fact.  You don’t need to get nervous. 

So get on with your job search.  And GOOD LUCK!

–David Richardson, Employment Coordinator