In many job applications, you will be asked to state your salary expectations or desired. Many companies ask about salary expectations to screen candidates during the interview and application process.
Your answer could limit your earning power or cost you a job. Here are some tips on how to answer this tricky question in your application.
Answering the question about desired salary in an online application
It’s common for job applications to ask about your salary expectations, but you may not want to respond.
Delaying the discussion of salary as much as possible is a good strategy. Prepare yourself by familiarizing yourself with the three possible answers to this question.
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Option 2: Leave the field blank
You can delay salary discussions by leaving the field blank. You can delay salary discussions by leaving the field blank.
See how the two scenarios might play out.
Your salary may be too high.
It is possible that the hiring team will not pursue your application. You may be able to get a better salary after discussing your experience and skills. Avoid limiting your chance of landing an interview with a salary you know is out of budget.
Your salary may be too low.
Negotiating your salary package may become more difficult later on in the recruitment process. Imagine, for example, that you initially specified $50,000 on your application. However after conducting market research and interviewing the candidate it was discovered that $60,000 would be a more appropriate salary.
It may then be hard to justify making a counter-offer.
Option 2: Write in “negotiable”
You can also avoid the discussion of salary early on in the process by letting them know you would like to negotiate a salary after gaining a thorough understanding of the job. This can be communicated in a job application by writing “negotiable”, into the section designated for desired salary.
Some applications will not allow you to answer this question in a way that is non-numerical. You can still submit a non-numerical answer if you are unable to use “negotiable”. Instead, write a number in the placeholder field, such as “000” and “999”. This will satisfy the requirement for a numerical response without restricting your future salary.
Option 3. Identify the range
You may be asked to provide a salary range in some applications, and they will not accept “000”, “999”, or any other number. In this case, you can specify a specific range. You should research the current salaries in your location, and list an appropriate range.
Compare the salary range with the competitive rates in your region to get a good idea of the average.
How to respond to the salary desired question during an interview
It’s better to negotiate salary only after you have been offered a job and shown your worth. These tips will help you delay the salary discussion in interviews so that your value is reflected.
Option 2: Delay the conversation
You may want to postpone the discussion about salary during an interview — preferably, until you receive a job offer. You can prepare a few sentences to help you navigate the conversation during an interview. Use one of these examples:
- I’m currently focusing on finding the best position for me to achieve my career goals. If it works for both of us, I am happy to talk about salary in the future.
- Then, “I have no idea what number I would like to use at the moment. But we should keep talking about it so that both of us can better determine how much compensation is fair based on your skills and experiences.”
Option 2: Ask questions
You can also ask questions regarding the budget of the job to delay the discussion. Asking about the job duties will help you to determine what salary is right for you. Below are some examples of questions to ask:
- After that, I will consider an offer you think is fair. “I will then consider any offer that you feel is reasonable.”
- You can say, “I’m not sure what number I have in mind but am interested to know how you value the position in your organization.” Can you discuss the salary for this position?
How to talk about salary
If you have received an offer of employment, it’s best to wait until then before discussing salary. Negotiating before you receive a job offer can put you at a competitive disadvantage, particularly if there are other candidates involved. Ask to be confirmed where you stand in the hiring process if you think that you may have been offered the job but you still aren’t sure.
- After I have received an offer of employment, I prefer to talk about salary. “Is that the case?”
- Can you give me some more information about the time frame in which you plan to decide on this position?
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Negotiate a salary that matches your experience, skills and location once you’ve received a confirmation. Be sure to brush up on your negotiation skills and techniques before you enter these discussions.