Handling tricky salary-related interview questions

0

CV’s & Application forms:

If you have been asked to include previous salary it is fair to leave the question blank. This stops early screening to weed out applicants employers feel may not be at the right level for the job. If you are selected for interview this is based on your skills and achievements which are in-line with the job which puts you in a positive position for negotiation.

If the application requires you to state your salary expectations it is acceptable to put “negotiable”.

Direct Interview Questions

So you’ve made it to interview based on your skills and achievements which demonstrate a potential “fit” for the job – great! However,  it’s still early days so don’t give your game away in the first interview with your salary expectations.

Question: What are your salary expectations?

Answers:

  1. I really am interested in the job but would like to learn more about the responsibilities involved before discussing salary
  2. I’d like to be able to demonstrate what I have to offer before discussing my salary expectations if that’s ok
  3. I understand your company has a great reputation for employee packages, I’m sure there won’t be any problems with the salary. I’d like to ask some more questions about the position.
  4. I’m very interested in finding out more about the position and the company. When I’ve got a better understanding of the responsibilities involved I’ll be in better stead to discuss remuneration.
  5. (if questions linked to your previous position) The responsibilities differ from my previous position so don’t feel the salaries can be compared
  6. (if the interviewer is really persistent with understanding your salary level don’t upset him and respond) I feel that I’ve had a chance to build a good understanding of the role and your expectations so feel that a salary of X would be acceptable with benefits amounting to X% of my salary. (if you know the salary range, position your expected salary above the range with your mid-point being the top of the range, this allows for negotiation)

By Penny Strutton

Any questions, please email me on penny@pennystrutton.co.uk