Updated June 14, 2023
Salary Expectation questions – Tricky question, isn’t it? One fact that all of us are aware of is money. Like, hello, why do you think are anyone works? What do you think anyone works for? MONEY… It’s as simple as that. The more you make, the less it is these days; money is never enough. So, of course, when you go for an interview, you have to make sure that you negotiate well to get the right amount of money you deserve.
Well, this means besides preparing for your skills, expertise, and your qualifications, you also need to prepare and work on your basic interview skills. Oh Yes!!! It is extremely important to do so as this is going to help you sell yourself and your skills better. This means your skills alone are not going to be able to get you through; you need that extra smartness to be able to what the recruiters to hire you. Answering the salary expectation question appropriately is extremely important because, at times, only your salary expectation answers cannot get you the job or take away the job from you. In fact, a number of times, your salary expectation answer can completely turn off the hot conversation between you and the company HR.
Just as the title states, today, we are going to talk about answering your salary expectation questions smartly to make sure that you get what you want, for it is all about making the recruiters agree to your demand.
To start with, let us know about all the tricky questions asked by the recruiters. Their salary expectations are not straight as they make it sound as if it is a big deal to be a part of the organization; however, you need to make them realize just vice versa. Let’s take a look at a few questions.
Some Salary Expectations questions
Before we look at some questions, let us understand why these companies ask you salary-related questions.
- To start with, they want to make sure they can afford you before they spend time, money, and other resources on you.
- Some employers pay more, as some pay less than the current market rate or the current market value of the employees. They want to make sure that you will be comfortable working on the salary they can afford for you.
- They also want to make sure you are capable of understanding the value of your job, and if you are a deserving candidate for the salary, they will be paying you.
To make sure you give them the appropriate answer, you need to be smart enough. You need to convince the recruiter of your worth and sell them to you before you get to the salary discussion point with HR.
Salary Expectations Question tricks
- What are you making now or in the current organization?
When an employer does this question, it usually is for someone with a salary expectation range between 10k to 15k, where the HR is confident enough that a little salary hike can and will be good enough to hire the employee and get the employee to work in the organization.
- What are you looking to make with us? OR What are your salary expectations? OR What are your salary requirements?
When you are asked such type of a question, HR almost means congratulations, we want to hire you. however, it would be great if we discuss what will be the remuneration to hire you as you are good we would want to find a position for you in the system or in our esteemed organization.
Whatever may be the question? OR whichever way the HR twists and turns his questions, you have to, you have to be prepared and make sure that you answer correctly. If you give a lower quotation, you will cost yourself and work at a loss; if you quote a higher price, you might lose the opportunity to work or a job. Well, I am sure a number of people out there in the corporate world have a salary expectation for experiencing the same. It is not new for almost 70% to 75% audience.
Let’s discuss some tips and strategies that can get you through a job interview by selling yourself and your skills appropriately.
Ways to Answer the Salary Expectation Questions
- Understand your existing salary and your position.
It is always smart to understand where you stand right now before you give HR a number. Giving an invalid quote is not going to be good enough. Let it be sensible. For example, if you are drawing 15k currently and your expectation is 25k to 30k, HR will not find this valid or sensible enough. He will definitely reject you as an applicant. If you answer this question as close to 20k, then yes, definitely, you might stand a chance to get through the salary expectation interview.
- Employment stability in the past
Not just the existing package, you also need to know your entire background. You definitely know how your stability has been with your previous employers. If you have had a good reputation in the past with a good amount of stability, you can negotiate better. With irregular stability and regular job changes, the recruiter has the upper hand and the power to negotiate as they will consider hiring you a risky challenge, which is quite fair they will be doubtful if you will stay back in the company after they spend money and time in training and hiring you.
- Highlight your professional achievements.
In your past companies, you might have had achievements where you proved to the organization that you have met up to their expectations and even exceeded their expectations. Maybe you have outperformed in a project or as a team member. These are just the right moments and deeds to be exposed to the recruiters. By doing so, you show them your worth and your skills. You show them what you are capable of performing as. So highlighting your achievements is always beneficial for you, as it gives you the ability to negotiate with the recruiter.
- Know your worth
After studying your work profile, your resume, and your positive and negative points, study the market, the industry, the company you are applying to, the job profile, the industry trend, the demand and supply of skills, etc.; it will now be easier for you to know your worth in the industry. Only once you know your right worth in the industry can you demand the right and get the right salary into your accounts every month. Salary is a very important part of your job, for the right salary keeps you rightly motivated and happy with your job.
- Know the company and its salary structure.
It is important to know who you are negotiating with. How are they as employers in the market? Are they good? Do they pay well? Get all the information before you go in for an interview. These days’ people gather all the information even before they purchase a product. And you are planning to sell your skills and give your precious time to your company. Research is extremely important in this case. You can get information available online or from the existing employees of the company.
- Be smart by not giving a number directly.
Considering what and how HR has displayed his question, decide how to answer this question. If you think you are now sure about the question, you may simply say that you need to learn about the company and the job profile before you state your expectation. This is pretty fair as HR will understand that you still haven’t decided about the salary; however, you would be interested in the job opportunity. This smart way can simply put you through this question conveniently.
- Show positivity towards the job.
It’s very important to make the HR feel that the job profile and the job opportunity are impressive and not the package. Of course, the most important reason for working is money and the package that the company offers for most of us; however, you need to let the company feel that it is the opportunity and the profile that has attracted you, and money is secondary. Show more enthusiasm towards the job offered, and once you impress the HR, then negotiate for the package.
- Judge the urgency of the position.
It is not easy for you to guess that HR really needs you in the system. However, in a few interviews, they do tell the candidates about the urgency, yet it is not clear enough if they can fulfill your salary requirements and if the requirement of filling in the position is actually that important. Well, if you can, get the details of the urgency of the designation to start with before you negotiate for the salary; nothing like it, like this, will help you negotiate better, and you have a scope of making the company pay you as per your desires.
- Latest industry trends
Oh, you definitely need to understand the package that is offered for the designation you have and are applying for. Extremely important to know what is offered by what company so that you can put your demand in front of the recruiters with an explanation. Suppose the recruiters are looking for genuinely skilled professionals and really want to sustain them. In that case, they will have to match up to the industry standards for the simple reason that human resource is one of the most important resources for any company.
- Supply and demand of the skill
Very important to understand approximately how many more skilled professionals the industry has, except if the supply is more and the demand comparatively is less, then probably you might not be in a position to negotiate as the company will have many more options if your requirement really is unacceptable for them. However, if you have really been extremely impressive and have a reputation in the industry to be known about, then you stand a chance of getting yourself whatever you want.
Some important tricks salary expectation
- Get yourself ready with all the required information to start with, starting from your background to studying the industry and the company. Getting the required information ready is important as it will help you negotiate better.
- Inform HR in advance that you are looking for the right career direction that will lead you to the right job profile that you are looking for, along with the right salary or remuneration to serve the company. Also, assure them that your requirements are precise as you know that you can give them more than your 100%.
- Suppose you are not ready to answer this question at this part of the interview. In that case, you can simply delay it by telling the recruiter that you would want to know more about the job profile before you take this decision, or maybe you can use another trick to delay answering this one.
- If you are confident enough, simply give the recruiter a single amount and be silent; this displays your confidence in your job and your demand. The recruiter will definitely try to negotiate further. However, before you use this trick, make sure all your cards are right and in your .favour
- Use your smile to work the magic; nothing like giving your revert to this so-called tough question and looking at the recruiter in his eyes with a smile. Your smile says it all, as it displays your confidence and your willingness to work. Try this trick; it works like magic.
- When you talk to the recruiter, talk to them in terms of total remuneration, this will include your leaves, in-hand package, total package, insurance, bonuses, and incentives, other offers that the company has to make. Just understand that everything needs to be clear and considered acceptable for you.
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