Although I am currently working full-time (as a technical support /help desk analyst), I find my job really has gone downhill in recent months due to various office politics and rumored lay-offs in the autumn. I've started looking for a new job and have already had three interviews in the last couple of weeks, with more to come.

One interviewer asked me a question: "What is your expected salary?"

I have been asked this before in interviews, and it makes me cringe. It's really an unfair question to the interviewee - I always want to respond with, "Whatever is the highest wage you're willing to pay!"

I don't want to be greedy and ask for too much, but on the other hand I don't want to undervalue myself, take the job and then find out I'm making less than my co-workers! I answered the question by telling the interviewer a rough estimate of what I currently earn, and that I was looking to better that. Afterwards I felt like that was now the best way to handle it.

How do you handle this question?

If it's in the same line of work, answer that you are hoping they will offer you as much or a bit more than you are presently making as an incentive to leave your present job. :)

gl

I always ask for a million dollars.


They always say no. My friends think I'm stupid for messing up such good interviews and jobs with my lofty expectation.


But it's like asking out every girl in the room. If you get accepted by one, it will be worth getting rejected by 50.



So, I think eventually I'm gonna get my million dollar salary and I will laugh last.


yep.

:eek: This question always drives me crasy.

Try to answer : your recent salary + 20% :thumbup: even 30%, but now we are in a middle of a crisis.

Ask the interviewer in a confident, and an assertive tone:

"How much you got?"

Then give them one of these babies,
http://clarkbw.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/blue-steel.png

After that, just rock up to work with a pickup truck and expect to drive home with it filled up with cash.

I always say "Salary is negotiable for me depending on the benefits involved, I'm currently making X (and I add 10-20%) but I'm flexible if this ends up being the right position."

And don't ever be afraid to come back asking for more if their initial offer isn't good- I went back and forth on salary with my current job before I started :)

How about "Salary is an incentive to me, but there are always other variables in the equation such as 401K contribution, benefits, vacation time allowance, a collaborative office environment and opportunity for advancement".

Yes.. it is dancing around the question, but it should be enough to both impress and throw off most office HR jockies.. I havent had to answer that question in some time since my salary is already contractual...

If worst comes to worst, tack on 10-20% on top of your current salary, but I think that the line above should get you out of it.

Yeah, someone else suggested that I say it's dependent on finding out more about the various benefits offered, and more details of what exactly is expected of me.

Ask the interviewer how much they make, then tell them you want considerably more.

I think the best answer I've had is "I'm not ready to discuss salary at this moment. If you decide to make me an offer after this interview, we can work out an agreement."

I always ask for a million dollars.

<sigh> If only this would work even once ....

I always say "Salary is negotiable for me depending on the benefits involved, I'm currently making X (and I add 10-20%) but I'm flexible if this ends up being the right position."

And don't ever be afraid to come back asking for more if their initial offer isn't good- I went back and forth on salary with my current job before I started :)

+1 , great answer. I've used that one myself

I'm currently making X (and I add 10-20%)

I'd be very careful with that. With contract work, doesn't make much of a difference, and everything is negotiable (and re-negotiable) very easily. But at higher and higher salaried positions, integrity is something that you don't want to screw with, or even suggest the possibility of.

Finding out what you actually earned at your current or even former job is a trivial exercise, and any decent job that requires a background check is almost certain to find that out. Lying about a prior salary by inflating it 10% or 20% is very risky, and has caused innumerable rescinded job offers. :2cents:

I think the best answer I've had is "I'm not ready to discuss salary at this moment. If you decide to make me an offer after this interview, we can work out an agreement."

i agree that this is the best way to go

Since the economy is not the most stable at the moment my rule of thumb was to ask for a dollar less an hour than what I was making at my original job, just because the market is saturated with technicians right now.

"I expect a salary commensurate with my experience."

Most people won't leave a current position for a lateral offer and most companies won't expect you to do so. I learned a long time ago not to discuss salary during the first interview, unless the question is asked by the prospective employer. At that point, my prior response is used.

I'd be very careful with that. With contract work, doesn't make much of a difference, and everything is negotiable (and re-negotiable) very easily. But at higher and higher salaried positions, integrity is something that you don't want to screw with, or even suggest the possibility of.

Finding out what you actually earned at your current or even former job is a trivial exercise, and any decent job that requires a background check is almost certain to find that out. Lying about a prior salary by inflating it 10% or 20% is very risky, and has caused innumerable rescinded job offers. :2cents:

Yeah..I should add I'm in consulting (essentially). And heavily medicated today ;) leaving out some details, lols.

You have to be very careful with the salary question nowadays. Employers that are interviewing for positions where multiple candidates fit the bill will try to use salary expectation as a filtration tool. They're essentially sitting back with glee, waiting for the lowest bidder to roll in.

About 2 weeks ago, a buddy of mine was asking if I knew any skilled/experienced PHP + Ajax + MySQL developers, I gave him some names and he said "Ok which ones in this list would work for $20k/yr". I was utterly shocked at the question, and told him he'd have to figure that out in the interview, I wasn't going to help him low-ball that role and said he'd probably have trouble filling the position with anyone with the level of experience he needed. This economy sucks :(

Yeah, I think that question is just a tool they use to get the biggest bang for their buck. They're hoping you'll lowball yourself and they'll get your experience a below the current rate. I've seen this happen to so many people. No sense going to the trouble of finding another job unless you're going to be happy with what they pay you, so I usually inflate my worth by at least a little bit.

I am curious...what is the average salary in U.S.?

I am curious...what is the average salary in U.S.?

What occupation?

You can use this site co see what the averages from the BLS.http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/outside.jsp?survey=nc

I am curious...what is the average salary in U.S.?

Anywhere between $0.50/hr to $500 million/year. It depends entirely on the job in question ;)

IIRC the median is $40k/yr, with the poverty line being somewhere around $26k/yr, with middle-class dual income around $80-90k, but I might be thinking of Canada with those numbers.

How about "Salary is an incentive to me, but there are always other variables in the equation such as 401K contribution, benefits, vacation time allowance, a collaborative office environment and opportunity for advancement".

Yes.. it is dancing around the question, but it should be enough to both impress and throw off most office HR jockies.. I havent had to answer that question in some time since my salary is already contractual...

If worst comes to worst, tack on 10-20% on top of your current salary, but I think that the line above should get you out of it.

I think the best answer I've had is "I'm not ready to discuss salary at this moment. If you decide to make me an offer after this interview, we can work out an agreement."

I'd be very careful with that. With contract work, doesn't make much of a difference, and everything is negotiable (and re-negotiable) very easily. But at higher and higher salaried positions, integrity is something that you don't want to screw with, or even suggest the possibility of.

Finding out what you actually earned at your current or even former job is a trivial exercise, and any decent job that requires a background check is almost certain to find that out. Lying about a prior salary by inflating it 10% or 20% is very risky, and has caused innumerable rescinded job offers. :2cents:

From the OldGuy - I think these three cover the full range and are sound advice when you factor in Alex's caution on the 10-20%.

I am curious...what is the average salary in U.S.?
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States

" In 2007, the median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00 according to the Census Bureau.[3]The real median earnings of men who worked full time, year-round climbed between 2006 and 2007, from $43,460 to $45,113. For women, the corresponding increase was from $33,437 to $35,102. The median income per household member (including all working and non-working members above the age of 14) was $26,036 in 2006.[4] In 2006, there were approximately 116,011,000 households in the United States. 1.93% of all households had annual incomes exceeding $250,000.[5] 12.3% fell below the federal poverty threshold[6] and the bottom 20% earned less than $19,178.[7] "