From the course: Five Questions to Never Ask in Your Next Job Interview

Be strategic with salary questions

From the course: Five Questions to Never Ask in Your Next Job Interview

Start my 1-month free trial Buy for my team

Be strategic with salary questions

“

- Have you wondered how to get on your interviewer's good side and stay that way throughout the process? One way is to focus on the job and demonstrate your fit first, and don't ask salary questions right away. By asking about salary too soon, the interviewer might assume you're mainly focused on salary and not enough on the company, the role, or the team. It's as though any job that paid the right amount of money would be okay with you. The recruiter or hiring manager needs to feel like you're truly interested in them, not just any company. If you take the time to listen, ask good questions, and do some research along the way, you will have a better understanding of what's involved, which will inform your conversations down the road. For example, let's say that you ask about the salary, and they give you a number that you agree sounds reasonable, but then you learn later that the job is going to entail way more than you originally thought. If you've already indicated in those early conversations, you were good with the range, then you can put yourself in a position where it will be tricky to negotiate for more money if an offer comes. So when is the right time to ask? One situation is when the hiring team member asks you, "What are your salary expectations?" The best way to handle this is to politely turn the question back to them, saying something like, "Right, can you please tell me the salary range?" or, "Can you please confirm the salary range for this role?" Most of the time, they will reveal the range. Assuming it's in the ballpark, you can say, "That sounds like it's generally aligned with my expectations. After I learn more, and if I become a finalist, I'm sure we can reach a mutually agreeable number." The other time it's appropriate to ask for the salary range is if you are in the final stages of the interview process. By waiting to ask, you will keep the focus on the opportunity, not yourself, make a better impression, and have more leverage in salary discussions when you become a serious candidate.

Contents