The Question of Salary

Be prepared in the early stages of your job search to address or fend off the question of salary expectations. First of all, if you’ve just met the employer and started discussions, you probably haven’t had a chance to accumulate enough information about the job and conditions to really assess a fair range for the role. 

Secondly, employers always have a range in mind.  They have corporate budgets and they know how much they are going to spend on each employee.

Salary questions can be tricky because if you do entertain the question and state your requirements, a) you risk being weeded out unfairly by answering a premature question, and b) you risk undervaluing yourself if your number happens to be lower than what the employer expected to pay, and c) you will never know what you may have been able to get had you let him open the negotiation.

Politely explain to the employer that you wish to be evaluated on your qualifications first and that if you both agree that there is good match; you have no doubt that you will be able to reach an acceptable agreement at the right time. You can also make reference to the fact that you have done some research and you are familiar and comfortable with the going rate for a similar role in the industry.

You must have an idea going into your job search what you need or hope to earn. But the salary negotiation portion of any employment agreement can prove to be the most stressful part of the process and may end up taking the shine off an otherwise flawless performance.