How much salary do you expect??

How much Salary do you expect???

This one question makes us uncomfortable even though we might have performed very well on other questions, and you might have got that feeling that the Recruiter/Interviewer may not consider you if you ask too much or you might end up getting a lesser salary than we deserve because you were not brave enough to state upfront the salary you wanted.?

Guess what that’s correct, you cannot be too demanding nor you can be too timid after all, money is an important factor you are looking for a job or a job change.?

Let’s break it down and try and understand the purpose behind this question. What does the interviewer want to know? So the interviewer wants to know ?

1.????How confident are you in your skills & experience?

2.????If they can afford you??

So while answering this question, don’t keep your salary expectations too low that the interviewer may feel you are not very sure how good you are in your skills, at the same time don’t expect too high that the interviewer feels you are overconfident and not realistic.

Let's understand this better by first knowing what not to do:?

1.????Don’t bring up the conversation about salary by yourself, let the interviewer bring it up – You bringing it up may feel like you are too hung on money and this may sometimes not work in your favor

2.????Don’t be blunt in quoting the salary like, I want at least 25 Lakhs per annum

3.????Don’t be bad-mannered and say something like – “Really ?... that low?.., your competitor pays ways more than what you can offer….?

Understand this, every company has a budget and they will not pay you beyond their budget unless you are an exceptional candidate. Recruiters and hiring managers also have people they need to answer to.?

Remember, this is the negotiation and in negotiation, you need to be kind and accepting yet demanding by not giving it away. The conversation about your salary expectation is basically you selling your skills to the employer.?

So how do you do it? Let me help you, for you to answer this question effectively you need to know 3 elements:?

1.????Study Yourself: While you know yourself the best, it’s healthy to list down and revisit your skills, education qualification, achievements, certifications, projects etc, which means knowing your value in the market so that you can quote yourself.?

2.????Study the Role and the organization: While we know that money is very important and an important driving factor for any applicant, there are equally important factors apart from salary like, ?

-???????What team you will work with

-???????Type of work is it something you like, is it something which motivates you every morning to go to the office

-???????Company’s vision & mission – Do they fit in your value system

-???????Work-life balance – Does the job provide you a balance you need

-???????Location – is it close to your house, so that you don’t waste your time beating the traffic ??

Did you know you spend almost 40% of your day at work or performing work-related activities? This means you spend more time with your colleagues than with your family. If so, then isn’t it important that you be in a place where you are liked, appreciated and you enjoy working??

3.????Study the Market: What I mean by studying the market is, to gather information about the salary ranges for your skills and qualification in that specific industry. Review the feedback on Glassdoor and LinkedIn, connect with people who possess similar skills like you, and try and understand where you stand, this will help you to have realistic expectations about the salary and you will avoid Ouch moments during salary negotiation.

?Let me help your further by quoting an example:

“I am very sure that your organization can offer me a very competitive salary which is on par with industry standards. While talking to the interviewer/hiring managers in further interviews I will hopefully learn more about other opportunities like training, skill development workshops, team management experience, direct client engagement etc along with being mentored by my managers which is invaluable to me, I am sure we can come to a mutual agreement on the salary”?

By doing this, you have very respectfully shifted the focus of the conversation from just salary to the other equally important benefits. This move states that you are willing to negotiate.?

I know your next question is - what if the Recruiter or Hiring Manager is adamant to know the salary and is persistent to have this information upfront.?

Again, remember those 3 key elements while answering, something like this.?

“Based on my years of experience in the field, the skills I possess, and the information provided on Glassdoor, I believe salary between X-----Y is ideal”?

You see, by doing this you are being realistic in demanding an industry-standard salary.?

Now, what if you are a fresher and you don’t have past experience, the above example may not be relevant, but you may want to try something like this.?

“Since I am fresher and I am excited to start my career, my primary focus is on learning XYZ skills and mastering them. I have spent some time studying your organization and I am very impressed with the achievements and results your company has produced (highlight a few if you can). I am very confident that working in this team/organization is going to enhance my skills and give a real-time first-hand experience working with clients. I have no doubt that your company offers a salary on par with market standards, I am sure you will be very kind and fair”?

By showing that you are more interested in learning opportunities, you have an edge over other candidates who have similar qualifications as yours.?

Bonus Tip: Don’t bring up that you already have another offer with a competitor with a higher salary, this is just not polite, imagine the interviewer says to you during the interview that we have another candidate identified already, now tell me what is your salary expectation. This is mutual and being a gentleman never goes out of style.?

Hope this helps, thanks.