5 Small Ways to Help You Prepare for the Question – “What Are Your Salary Expectations?”

This week one of my career coaching clients asked me how they should respond when a certain dreaded question rears its head during a job interview.

That question is:

“What are your salary expectations?”

How do you respond to this when you don’t want to price yourself out of the job but also you don’t want to undervalue yourself?

Here are 5 small ways that can help you to prepare for the question:

1. Be inquisitive. Dig around to see what the going salary is for the role you are being interviewed for. There are plenty of salary comparison websites, such as Glassdoor and Payscale.com that you can use. Also, if a recruiter is involved, have a chat with them, as they should be aware of the Employer’s budget.
2. Be mindful of the current climate. These are tough times for many, so research the industry, country and region, to see how the market is performing right now.  
3. Be aware of your finances. Work out the lowest offer you will/can accept, and then give the employer a salary range using this as the lowest amount or maybe a little more. Do consider your previous salary but remember this will only be relevant if the new role is very similar or in a similar market and/or you are taking a step up. Avoid giving an exact figure.
4. Be flexible and open to their offers. This shows the employer that you are willing to negotiate, to be flexible and to consider the employer’s views, which is always a positive to any potential employer.
5. Know your worth. Employers often ask this question to find out how a candidate value themselves. You’ve got to where you are in your career for a reason. So, don’t forget that!

If you have would like to discuss this further or just want to talk through any career goals, please contact me.