Early in my career, I didn’t even know it was possible to negotiate salary. So, when I was asked about my salary expectations for the first time, I gave them without hesitation. And you know what happened? I lowballed myself and left tens of thousands of dollars on the table. It wasn’t until I was recruited by another organization to perform similar duties that I realized how underpaid I was.
Discussing and negotiating salaries is often stressful for job seekers, but it doesn’t have to be. This article will help you answer questions about salary expectations, including what not to say when answering this question and sample language on what to say to help you maximize your pay.
What to Do When Asked for Salary Expectations
When asked for your salary expectations, know that the company is trying to understand if their budget fits what you are looking for and/or is trying to set a salary negotiation anchor.
You don’t need to give a specific answer. In fact, doing so can hurt your short-term and long-term earnings. Instead, express gratitude for their interest and leverage the moment to gather information about the company to determine if you want to move forward with the opportunity. In the next section, we’ll go over some ideas of what to say.
Before the interview takes place, though, research jobs similar to the one you’re applying for and see if salary information is available. Visit online job forums to get a sense of what professionals with relevant job titles in your industry are being paid as well. If the company does share salary information in its job description, compare it to your findings. This way, you’ll be more prepared to answer the salary-expectation question.
How to Answer “What Are Your Salary Expectations?”
The best time to discuss salary is after the employer has made you a job offer. This gives you leverage because the company has already expressed an interest in hiring you. It rarely happens that you’ll be offered a job and then asked for your salary expectations. Either way, be prepared to professionally answer the question.
Sample Response 1: Asking for More Role Information
“Thanks for your interest! I would like to find out more about the position and what it entails before discussing salary. What does a typical day and week look like?”
In this response you:
- Express gratitude.
- Communicate that you don’t have the information you need to discuss salary.
- Leverage the opportunity to gather information about the job’s complete duties and responsibilities.
Sample Response 2: Asking About the Role’s Budget
“I appreciate your interest in me for this position! I am comfortable with a salary that is competitive for our industry for someone with my skills and experience. What is your budget for this role?”
In this response you:
- Express gratitude.
- Set an industry-standard salary expectation.
- Leverage the opportunity to ask the employer what their budget is for the role.
Sample Response 3: Asking How Salary Is Calculated
“I’m excited to learn more about the company and position. Thank you for your mutual interest! I think it’s important to align salary expectations with a company’s operational practices. How does the company calculate salary for each of its employees? What is the budget for this position?”
In this response you:
- Express gratitude.
- Leverage the opportunity to ask how the company calculates salary, which communicates an expectation to be compensated equitably.
- Leverage the opportunity to ask for the budget for the role to get a sense of whether or not considering the position makes sense for you.
Sample Response 4: Asking for an Industry-Standard Salary
“I’m very happy to be considered for this position. Thank you for your mutual interest. I am comfortable with an industry-standard salary for someone with my skills and experience. What is your budget for this role?”
In this response you:
- Express gratitude.
- Express that you are looking for an “industry-standard salary.”
Why Are Candidates Asked About Salary Expectations?
A salary expectation is the amount of money you would like to earn in a year. This number can be expressed as an hourly wage, annual salary, or monthly salary. The two primary reasons potential employers ask about salary expectations are to:
- Verify if the position’s budget fits what you want in pay.
- Set an anchor for a salary negotiation.
When you answer a salary expectation question, you’re establishing a number, or anchor value, that a recruiter, hiring manager or human resources representative can use as a reference point to determine what salary to offer you.
To prevent receiving a low offer, you need to be thoughtful about what you say when asked for your salary expectations. Giving specific answers can limit both your short-term and long-term potential earnings. Once you give a number, negotiating up is very difficult, though not impossible.
Types of Questions About Salary Expectations
When interviewing for a new job, you might be asked to share your salary expectations. The question can be asked several different ways:
- What are your salary expectations (or requirements)?
- What is your desired salary?
- What kind of compensation are you looking for?
It’s important to know that salary and compensation refer to two different things. Generally, compensation refers to your base pay, stock options, benefits, job perks and other incentives; salary just refers to base pay.
To ensure you and the interviewer are on the same page, ask them to clarify their question. For example, you could say, “What makes up the company’s compensation package?” or, “Are you referring to total rewards or just base pay?”
Questions about your salary expectations may also be asked at different times during an interview process, including when:
- You’re submitting your information to an online job platform.
- You’re filling out a job application.
- You’re being interviewed for a job.
- You’ve been extended a job offer but no salary has been communicated.
What Not to Say When Asked About Salary Expectations
Before we get into what mistakes to avoid, I feel it’s important to note that my view on this issue comes from my professional journey — someone who went from underpaid to becoming a startup founder and operator responsible for setting hiring budgets. Other people, especially recruiters or human resource managers, may disagree with my advice.
Now, let’s break down what not to say when asked about salary expectations.
Don’t Give a Specific Salary Amount
When you give a specific number, you limit your potential earnings by setting an anchor. Giving a number makes negotiating up substantially difficult.
Don’t Give a Salary Range
Typically, when you dodge giving a specific salary expectation number, you’ll be asked to give a range instead. By giving a range, though, you just create a broader anchor and give the employer the option to choose the lower end of your pay range, which still means less money for you.
Don’t Provide Your Current Salary
When you’re asked about salary expectations, you might attempt to dodge the question by providing your current salary or your salary history. Your current salary or salary history is irrelevant to the job you’re applying for, and you could give the employer an excuse not to pay you more. Therefore, avoid bringing it up.
How to Address Salary Expectations With Less Experience
Lowballing yourself because you have no experience has negative short-term and long-term earning implications. No experience doesn’t mean the work you’ll perform once trained doesn’t have market value; it just means you’ll require a larger investment and more time to train to get to a productive level. Communicating that you’re looking for an industry-standard salary when you have no experience is perfectly acceptable.
The sample answers I provided are intended to help you maximize earnings. Some recruiters may ask for a specific value upfront. Although being pushed to give a specific answer can feel uncomfortable, remember that they want the number to help them perform their job function, not to help you negotiate maximum pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you answer "Does this salary meet your expectations?"
When asked if a salary falls within your expectations and you are not satisfied with the offer, it’s best not to immediately say “yes.” Answer this question by asking for more information about the role (such as specific duties and responsibilities) or about the company’s budget for the role, and negotiate based on the insights provided.
What do you write for salary expectations?
It may be helpful to write down “negotiable,” “flexible” or “market rate” when writing about your salary expectations on a job application, email or letter. This allows expectations to remain open and to be discussed further during the interview process. Don’t write down a specific salary number or range, as this leaves little opportunity for negotiation.
What is the best answer for "What are your salary expectations?"
Some of the best answers for the question, “What are your salary expectations?” include:
- Asking for additional role information (i.e. what a typical day or week at work looks like)
- Asking about the role’s budget
- Asking how the company calculates salaries for employees
- Asking for an industry-standard salary based on your role
Answer to "What is your salary expectation?" when you have no experience
Asking for an industry-standard salary as well as the budget for the role can be an effective answer when asked about your salary expectations as a candidate with no work experience.
