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Hey guys. I have a phone interview tomorrow like the title says and wanted to ask a quick question. So far I had about 3-4 phone interviews and the question about what kind of salary I want nearly always came up. The application for this job also wanted me to put down a number for salary not "negotiable" or something but a numerical value.
I'm asking because every time they asked me this question I usually said some modest answer and never gave them an actual number. But I also read after researching this question online that I should say "negotiable." I think last time I said that "i'm not really sure..how much do people from this position usually make" and she told me how much and I said "sure that would be fine with me" is how i delt with it lol.
Basically made this blog to hear what you guys have answered to this question (or the best or the "correct" way to answer this question) and hopefully will help others answer this question too since I'm sure you guys will have to do a job interview sooner or later for those that are in school. But I don't know if saying "negotiable" is correct because I'm worried it sounds like it's too common and everyone says it and I'm trying hard not to make my interview sound rehearsed and robotic if you guys know what I mean. This is one of the few interview questions that I'm not too sure about. Thanks.
 
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Is there any chance you can research ahead of time what the average salary for your job makes at that company?
If the starting salary is $30K, say like $35K (they'll haggle you down anyway, so it might as well be down to the average).
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I'm usually on the employer's side of things, and for us the purpose of asking is to see if your salary expectations are in line with what we're prepared to pay. It's a waste of both of our time to spend a lot of time interviewing and then find at the end that you're looking for way more than we're prepared to pay.
You should do some research into what you would expect those sorts of jobs to pay, and then give a ballpark without giving away what your exact minimum is. If you already have a job, a good way of phrasing it is: "I'm currently making about $x; I'm looking to make a little more than that". It's also fine to ask "what's the salary range you have in mind for this position?" and then answer that something in the mid/upper range of that would meet your expectations (some companies might not answer that question though). Saying "negotiable" without giving a ballpark range defeats the point of the question and makes you seem evasive, I think.
You should negotiate, and recognize that the phone screening is part of that negotiation, so come prepared with a ballpark numerical answer.
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I've found it's best to go with a range expecting to get haggled down a bit. If the expected starting is in the low 50k's then saying something like "in the range of 50-55K" is usually fine.
Most companies have a salary range for their positions depending on your qualifications, past experience etc. I like job listings that state the salary range beforehand so you don't have to deal with that sort of guessing game.
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Yeah you should look into the position and see what the typical salary is for the job considering your experience and ask just above it, as like others have mentioned, they will very likely give you an offer under what you asked for. If you ask too high they might just blow you off. If you ask exactly what they're willing to pay, they might still give you a low-ball offer. And don't be too modest and ask for too low, as it shows a lack of confidence and self-worth (and you'll make less obviously). Asking maybe 10% above what you think they would give you is a good estimate I suppose.
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After reading all the responses, my recommendation will be different than everyone else here. I have been taught to deflect the question back to the interviewer. You want them to show their cards first, if possible.
I would answer along the lines of "Although I have a fairly good idea of what the position entails based on the job posting, I am not sure I know enough specifics (such as benefits) to give a specific salary amount. Additionally, I don't want to price myself too high, or too low and talk myself out of this great job opportunity here at "company name".
Follow up by saying you'd like an offer and that you're sure that if they made one, that you would be able to reach a common ground.
Having said that, I do agree with everyone above in that you should know the range for the position if you can obtain it beforehand.
Also, for entry level positions there might not be as much negotiation room as more senior positions (could be wrong though).
Good Luck!
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Never give the number first, it's 101 of salary negotiation. And talking about salary over the phone is sketchy, at best. At least it isn't the norm in the IT industry.
I suggest you read your way through the Workplace Stack Exchange. A lot of very good advice there.
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On April 04 2014 12:22 Nereites wrote:
I would answer along the lines of "Although I have a fairly good idea of what the position entails based on the job posting, I am not sure I know enough specifics (such as benefits) to give a specific salary amount. Additionally, I don't want to price myself too high, or too low and talk myself out of this great job opportunity here at "company name".
Follow up by saying you'd like an offer and that you're sure that if they made one, that you would be able to reach a common ground.
Solid lines right there.
The rule about salary is that the first person to drop a number loses. Company's goal is to determine if your expectations are out of line with what they're gonna pay. Interviewer's goal is to get the highest pay that company thinks the job is worth. If your potential employer thinks you're a good candidate, getting them to name a value is better because they (usually) won't want to low-ball you for fear of losing a good candidate. So they'll start in the mid-upper range.
Secondly, go in prepared knowing the range of salary that your position pays based on your years of experience. This will help in knowing if you're getting a good offer or not, as well as help you set realistic expectations.
Nereites wrote a great way to gently evade the question. Don't dodge too hard else you'll seem evasive. Some other ways to say it:
- (in a joking/light way) "I'm sure you have talented accounting individuals who can figure out just what this job is worth. (more serious way) I'm interested in being paid appropriately for the value i'll be bringing to the job"
- I'd like to be paid fairly and competitively for the work I will be performing. I am someone who values <list things off> and will be open to discussing other compensation methods such as vacation time, bonuses, other perks etc.
Final note: Always get an understanding of the FULL compensation package (not just salary) especially if it is a career type job and not a summer position/internship. This includes bonuses, pay for performance, vacation time, training / further education funds, employee stock options, pension plans, etc. A 50k job with a great pension/ good stock options is worth much more than a 65k job with terrible pension plan and no stock options in the long run.
Negotiation should happen not during the interview (they ask this question to determine your fit and expectation level). The appropriate negotiation time (where you can be more firm and ask for more details etc.) is upon them giving you an offer. This means that they are interested and want to invest in you as an employee. DO negotiate. DO ask for tons of details on everything. It will show that you are interested, responsible, and not a fool for accepting whatever. Don't be a jerk about your demands. Be realistic but don't sell yourself low.
Good luck!
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Speaking about salary during the preliminary interview stages is a bad idea. Stay vague and avoid giving a number.
Impress the interviewer with your skills, experiences and overall "value" to the company. Then once you get into the late stages, you can ask for 30% more than you expect and will eventually land a good 10%-20% higher than standard salary for that position.
Imagine a salesperson leading a conversation with price and then talking about all the benefits of a product. Its a tougher sell versus explaining all the benefits of the product based on what your needs are and then telling you the price. Our mind will usually overshoot the perceived value if the presentation was done right and thus agree to the asking price easier.
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Also, www.glassdoor.com can give you a pretty decent idea of what people in your area in your field make - it's a decent starting point for this kind of bargaining problem.
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Ok, just got done with the phone interview. I took the advice of not stating a number and they basically gave me a number estimate they were willing to pay and it's like kinda what joshie said because as we were wrapping up the interview he said as if he was checking off a list "your able to start right away, your salary are within our range(or something like that can't remember exactly what he said), etc" so right there is in line with what joshie said in that basically they were trying to see if their salary expectations match urs. I'm not sure what would've happened if I accidentally stated a number that wasn't in that range.
Thanks to everyone that posted though and especially the last couple posts about not stating a number.
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EPT
