Tips to respond to desired salary questions during an interview or job application

“What is your desired salary?” is an inevitable question when you are applying for a new job. While you may have done your research on the subject and found out the salary range for the position, the figures won’t really help you answer this tough question. What if you name a figure too high and the hiring manager is not interested anymore? What if you blurt out a really low number in a rush and regret it for years at the job?

Just because the hiring manager asked you the question, there is no reason that you must somehow give them a number. You can tackle this question in different ways.

Avoid the question altogether

If you are asked to name the desired salary in a job application, you can just leave the field empty. Most of the time salary questions are not required fields for you to submit an application. If the employer has made it a required field for you to proceed, this tip will not work for you. Employers generally wait until the interview stage to start negotiating salary. You have the freedom to prepare an answer and wait for an in-person discussion until then.

Mention that your salary is negotiable in the job application

However, proceed with caution here. Putting down “negotiable” on the salary field will give the employer the chance to offer you the lowest salary. It sends the message that you don’t know the amount you should get paid and would settle for anything. You can mention that the salary is negotiable on your application and be well-prepared to talk it up when you are negotiating the salary during the interview. Also, let your interviewer know that your compensation goes beyond a salary in dollars. That way, you get a chance to find out the other benefits of the job which will affect your opinion about the desired salary.

Provide a salary range

Find out the low, high, and median salary for the job in your area before you attend the interview. When the interviewer pops the question, you can give them a range between the median and high values. Don’t be shy when asking for a figure. Remember, this might be the amount you get paid for a few years in this job. Use Glassdoor to find the amounts the employer has paid to current and past employees in the same position.

Give an actual dollar amount

We don’t really recommend this approach. It may end up getting you kicked out of the race if you name a price too high. Remember, the interviewer doesn’t know you personally. They can easily move on to someone who names a lower amount if your expected salary is beyond their budget. On the other hand, if you name a really low number in the job application, you will be at a disadvantage during the salary negotiation stage of the hiring process. The employer will question why you named a low amount in the application and requested a larger sum in the interview.

Delay the salary talk until after the interview

The best approach is to delay talks about the salary until you have had the chance to impress your interviewer with your experience. You will also get to have an idea about the company as you proceed with the interview. That way, you can determine whether you really want to work there before answering the salary question.