We can all agree that the salary question in a job interview is one of the most important, but also one of the most sensitive topics, both for you and for the employer. After all, who wouldn’t want to have an ideal salary nowadays? Here are some insights on how to react when it comes to the topic of salary, what to have ready and what to avoid.
1. It is in the interest of any serious employer to know the salary expectations of the candidate and try to come as close to them as possible. If he or she does not know them, he or she will not be able to make an adequate job offer and get you on board if you are successful. We recommend that you avoid taking the initiative to raise this issue and rather leave it to the employer to choose the appropriate situation.
2. If you are given the space, focus more on questions about the job description, the company environment, the reason for filling the position, your future colleagues or team, expectations of the employee and benefits. The answers will certainly help you later in understanding the remuneration, salary offered and its structure by the employer.
3. Prepare your salary expectations as well as information about the next possible start date. Take the time to review how salaries are moving in your industry, what similar competitors are offering, what the average salary is for the position you are applying for. These are all commonly available data on the internet.
4. Have realistic salary expectations that match the length of your relevant experience or education. If you overshoot, even if you’re just trying out, you’re taking a risk. The chances of an employer deciding to give you an offer are greatly reduced.
5. It is advisable, but not essential, to state your current salary conditions. If you can back this up with payslips, you should mention this but not necessarily proceed to proof, this should not happen.
6. In the case of a career move, a salary increase is also logical. In some cases we are talking about even up to 30% increase compared to the last salary. However, it is important to remember that your realistic expectations should be for a 10-15% increase.
7. Don’t be afraid to state your lower limit, but definitely don’t underestimate. Most reputable employers have defined salary ranges for positions and would not dare give you a lower salary than the company standard. They would be risking their reputation in the market.
8. Allow yourself enough time to make a decision. You don’t have to make a decision right away, as you need to weigh well the other financial and non-financial benefits offered by the company. Write it down on paper, put it in a calculator, ask a friend for help and re-evaluate. Often, even if the salary is not quite to your liking, you may end up earning much more in bonuses than you originally asked for.
9. Never find out what the maximum salary the company can offer, rather focus on the quality of your presentation.
10. Finally, it is good to mention that you should talk to the employer in his terminology and therefore, gross salary, so that there are no misunderstandings.
