All your preparations and all your learnings experience a jolt when your mind thinks about the salary question that can be posed in the interview. Talking about salary in an interview is like walking a double-edged sword – if you underplay, you end up dissatisfied and you overstate only to get rejected. It is a question that just has to make an appearance during a job interview – be it from the recruiter’s end or the candidate’s. Any and every interview ultimately boils down to the salary question with the candidates trying to negotiate for more and the recruiter trying his level best not to invest too much on individual employees. This creates a chasm between the two parties which is the chief reason of a candidate’s dilemma regarding a salary question in an interview – how to ask for a salary range for their prospective post from the recruiter and how to negotiate for a higher figure. Mentioned below are few tips to ask for a salary range – tweak them if you want – that can help you deal with this situation better!
Tips To Ask For A Salary Range
Evaluate The Situation
It is important on your part to logically evaluate aspects like your qualification, the position you are applying for and the state of the market. In case of an economic recession, the company might not be able to offer you the range it used to offer previously. Keep that all in mind while attempting a salary negotiation.
Be Aware Of The Interview Process
Another thing to keep in mind before discussing about the salary is that you must be aware of the interview process. If you have to pass through multiple levels of interview, you must not pose the salary question until you successfully reach the last stage of your interview. You must keep the salary question for the last stage of personal interview.
Frame Your Question Well
You should diligently work on framing the salary question that you intend to ask from your interviewer. Frame a polite, diplomatic and to-the-point question that does not make you sound pushy or desperate or even inept regarding the salary issue.
Be Prepared To Answer
Go mentally prepared to face and answer the question that the employer might pose once you start discussing the salary. It is not unusual that the employer asks the candidates about their salary expectations in an interview. And if that candidate is you then you better be prepared with a reasonable range in your mind based on sound and thorough research and evaluation.
Wait For The Employer To Bring It Up
It is advised by most of the career experts not to self-initiate the salary discussion in an interview. Patiently wait for the prospective employer to raise the salary question and then clarify your doubts about the figure, perks and benefits. Questions about salary raised by you might affect your chance of getting the job, since it might give an impression that you are interested only in the salary and are not the loyal kind of employee. Therefore, it is advisable to wait for the prospective employer to raise the issue.
Research
It is very important that you do sound research on the company and the position that you are being interviewed for. Research on the financial condition of the company, its turnouts and market position and the salary range for the post you are applying for can prepare you well for the salary discussion in the interview. Go through the company’s website and collect relative information so that you can estimate and present a reasonable range in the interview.
Disclosing Requirements
Do not hesitate in disclosing information on your previous salary range when asked about it. The current employer, in all probability, would take the previous package into consideration while deciding the new one. Feel free to inform your interviewer of the various financial obligations that have made a higher salary the only recourse for you. But always remember, do not fake anything and try not to sound to desperate or needy.
Putting across a salary range to an interviewer is never an easy task – it’s uncomfortable, embarrassing and often, frustrating. A lot of thinking, preparation, research and thoughtful approach are required to successfully discuss the salary matter in the interview. The above write-up lists some tips that can help you ask for a salary range – use them prudently.
