Basic Salary Requirements Interview Preparation Guide

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It is one of those questions on a job application that is difficult to respond to. Rarely does an online application give you an opportunity to say that you are willing to negotiate your compensation and benefits package.

This position is not exactly the same as my last job. So let us discuss what my responsibilities would be here and then determine a fair salary for this job. It is hard to argue with words like "fair" and "responsibilities", you are earning respect with this one.

I am interested in finding a job that is a good fit for me. I am sure whatever salary you are paying is consistent with the rest of the market. In other words, I respect myself and I want to think I can respect this company as well.

I would appreciate it if you could make me an offer based on whatever you have budgeted for this position and we can go from there. This is a pretty direct response, so using words like "appreciate" focuses on drawing out the interviewer's better qualities instead of his/her tougher side.

You can see the pattern, right? If you think you sound obnoxious or obstinate by not answering the question, think of how he feels asking the question more than once.
Also, by the time the interviewer has asked two or three times, the interviewer will know that hiring you means having a tough negotiator on his team is another reason to make you a good salary offer.

A few tips about the on job applications:
☛ Consider how competitive the market is for your skills and let that inform the number you put down. If the market is saturated then you do not have as much to leverage. Do your research to understand how in-demand your skills are and what the typical compensation package looks like.
☛ Look at your current salary and typical salary progression for the industry you are in. If you are switching industries, look at the progression within the new industry. You may have to aim lower or higher depending on what you are looking to transition into.
☛ Determine your walk away number and put down a salary 10-15% higher. That way, you know you will be okay with the lowest salary offered to you.
☛ If there is an opportunity to list a range, do so but make sure the lower end of the range is a number you're comfortable with.

I think you have a good idea of what this position is worth to your company, and that is important information for me to know.
You can see the pattern, right? If you think you sound obnoxious or obstinate by not answering the question, think of how he/she feels asking the question more than once.

Some factors to determine your worth are given below:
☛ Your career path
☛ The industry of the employer
☛ The geographic location
☛ The demand for job-seekers
☛ Compensation beyond salary

Applications are tough because there is no way to skirt the question and if you leave it blank, some employers may not even consider you. In this case, it is always best to write something down.

Let us talk about the job requirements and expectations first, so I can get a sense of what you need. That is a soft answer to a soft way to ask the question.