Introduction

Talking about salary is an important part of your interview. Salary is one of the important factors when one is looking out for a job. When you are job seeking, you need to know that it meets your salary expectations, otherwise one would be wasting time of the interviewer and oneself. And it is also a kind of topic that you as an interviewee would hesitate to bring up in your discussion voluntarily, because it might be considered that you are money minded. Nevertheless, it is a topic that should be discussed, however unpleasant.

Also read : What’s the worst thing you can do at an interview?

So should I ask about salary in my interview? When should I ask about salary in an interview? Should my salary expectations be brought up at all? These are some of the questions that come to mind, and today, we will try to answer them.

Why should you ask? 

• Discussing it will set the right expectations. And if the role or expectation does not fit your needs, either you or the prospective employer would back down.
• Understand the job role very well and know your skill levels as well. If the role and your skill does not fit or partially fit, then salary expectations also change accordingly.
• Do some research about the role and the average compensation received for someone with your expertise and experience.
• It is good to ask, as you also get to know the range that are ready to offer and gives you an idea of how much negotiation can go from either side if the discussion reaches that stage.
• Search job salaries with Salary checkers available that helps to determine what a particular company is likely to offer and you can modify your expectations accordingly.
• Once you have demonstrated well what level of skills and experience you have, you should be able to ask about salary expectations to know whether you want to continue putting your time and effort for the same.

When should you ask?

• Usual and most common is when your recruiting person, themselves brings up the topic of compensation. And then you can inform him and ask about the company’s expectations accordingly. It is considered as a rule of thumb.
• In case of some job openings, along with required experience, expected salary range is also provided. So, there itself you can determine whether you should go for the role or not.
• In some job applications, recruiting managers ask about current and expected compensation along with general details.  This way the company can shortlist the candidates that fit its criteria. And if you are one of them then your prospective employer will be able to meet your salary expectations.
• The above basic questions including salary be it current or expected, sometimes get asked in the first telephone call with someone from recruitment. This helps them again to shortlist where your and their requirements meet. Never lie about your current salary as this will be fraud and getting a job by lying will not serve in the long run. It is also recommended that you don’t be so desperate to obtain the job or please the interviewer that you say that you are flexible, because this will dim your chances of obtaining your expected salary, and whatever you will receive will be at the lower end of your expected salary range.
• If the salary component has not been brought up in initial screening or till first interview, then you have the opportunity to bring it up in your follow up interview when they ask if you have any questions from your end. If there are certain constraints or long term commitments such as bonds involved, then it becomes imperative that you check with the recruiter regarding compensation as well. 
• So it is not unwise to talk about salary in an interview, only bring it up cautiously and with the flow of the interview. 

How should you ask

• If there is a need to ask about salary in your interview, you should be aware of your self-worth. Basically, you should have ample data at your end, meaning that how much hike you are expecting from your new job, are there any other benefits that you are looking out for. I know it will be a personal preference. Because if the employer is providing other lucrative benefits then if the compensation is less than expected, you might want to accept. So, it all depends on personal preference. So when you are discussing salary, you can ask about the other employee benefits that they have. It will help you to decide better.
• Research your job role salaries. If you do some research and figure out the salary range for the role being offered to you including other factors like experience, skills, etc., then it also becomes easier for you also to determine your salary expectations. Websites such as PayScale and IndeedSalaries are good options to research salaries.
• While estimating salaries, it is also important to consider job location as well as cost of living at a place is always considered while preparing a compensation plan for a prospective candidate.
• Also make yourself acquainted with the company’s work, the role you are offered, and get information on its work culture from sites such as Glassdoor. They help you determine how much time and effort you would like to put into the interview. It also impresses the interview and gives you an opportunity to talk about any questions that you have.
• When you are talking about your salary expectations with a future employer, it is recommended that you provide a range rather than a number. And that range should be a little higher than your actual expectations. So that in case of negotiation you still can get your expected salary. Basically, don’t sell yourself short. Be confident while sharing your salary expectations because the confidence also tells the recruiter how far the negotiation will go for the candidate and that the candidate knows his/her worth. Sometimes confidence is the key. But there is also the case where you don’t oversell. Meaning you should not overshoot your actual expected salary so that you are considered too qualified for the position or that the company cannot afford you.
• If you are asked why you should get the salary that you quoted, then you need not explain everything as to how you arrived at the number. But you can share with the interviewer what points you have considered such as your experience in industry, your skills and expertise, your education, etc. 

Conclusion

Lastly, to conclude, salary is a required discussion in an interview. And as a prospective candidate, you should be able to bring it up even if the interviewer does not. The thing to remember is that you are fully prepared to do it. Know the current salary trends, your preferences, and your self-worth, because if you are honest, informed and clear about your expectations from the job, then the employer will also be impressed and would try to understand and align themselves accordingly and would definitely try to bring lucrative packages to get you on board.

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