Learn 5 tactful ways to ask a recruiter about salary during a job interview.
An important factor in determining if a job is a suitable fit for you is if the employer can satisfy your income and perks expectations. Many job candidates never take the initiative to ask about salary during the interview process because it can be tricky. Nevertheless, it can be done. In this article, we discuss 5 ways to bring up the question without creating any wrong impressions.
Do your research before you ask about salary
You need to do some homework if you want to be compensated fairly. Going into a job interview without knowing what to expect in terms of salary is not a smart move. You need to have a fair understanding of the role, company, and industry range before asking a recruiter about salary. Doing research will help you determine whether or not to carry on with the process. Here are 2 things you can do.
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Go on the company's website and check out its competitors to get a sense of where they stand in the industry.
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Look them up on sites that share compensation information to help you determine what to expect.
The right time to ask about salary
Timing is everything when it comes to asking about salary.
There is no hard and fast rule on when to ask, but it helps to know that asking and negotiating too early during the process can hurt your chances of getting the pay you want. This is because they are far from being sure they want to hire you, and so you don’t have sufficient leverage to negotiate well.
The best time to ask is when you can say with some level of certainty that they want you. This is usually at a later stage in the interview process. Watch out for indications that the hiring manager is seriously considering you; questions about when you can start or references you can offer are a few simple tells.
Nonetheless, you do not have to wait too long to ask if you are certain of the income you desire and you have a number of interesting interviews coming up.
Here are 5 ways to politely ask a recruiter about salary during a job interview
1. Go straight to the point
Being clear and direct when asking about compensation helps to get the direct response you need to make a decision.
That being said, there are numerous ways to phrase the question. Carefully pick your words when asking. You don't want to be seen as money hungry or only concerned about what you can get as opposed to what you can contribute to the company. For instance, use the word compensation instead of salary or pay.
Here are 2 ways you can phrase the question using this direct approach:
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“I want to make sure that this position fits what I'm currently searching for. Can you give me a general idea of the compensation for this role?”
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“Given my experience and skill set, I am searching for jobs within the X to Y range. Is this role in that range?”
2. Use your current pay as a basis for asking
One of the easiest strategies to negotiate a higher salary is to disclose your existing income if you are highly compensated.
This approach can be used when you aren’t sure of what to expect but know your worth and the salary you want from a new job. This strategy is direct and necessitates no in-depth market research.
However, you should not take this approach if you're unemployed or don't think you're being paid appropriately right now. You can say something like: “The remuneration for my current job includes a base salary of X and a Y% bonus. In order to move forward right now, I'm hoping for some sort of rise. Do you believe we can continue talking about this role?”.
3. Ask other questions too
Don’t ask only about salary, lest you come across as only motivated by money.
If you decide to ask about salary after they want to know if you have any questions for them, make sure to ask about other aspects of the job. You can ask about what your average day or week would look like if they go with you. You can also ask questions about their culture and what the recruiter likes best about working there.
The reason is that most employers have a range they are working with and when they are not yet sure about hiring you, they cannot make an offer.
Read more: Wondering what questions to ask in a job Interview? These 5 are guaranteed to impress the recruiter
4. Show enthusiasm for the role
Show enthusiasm for the role and make the ask.
Let them know that you are excited about the opportunity and contributions you can make based on your skills and experience. This way you’ll be confident that both parties will agree on a fair salary, but be curious to know what they have budgeted for the role.
Rather than focusing on your own requirements, you are basing your pay inquiry on your passion for the job and the expertise you will bring to it.
5. Do your research and ask based on your findings
Using this approach, you say what you state what you estimate to be the industry/regional range and ask if theirs is within that ballpark. Being proactive and outlining your expectations can sometimes be helpful. Just be cautious not to set your range too high. Your estimate should be supported by actual data from local workers with similar backgrounds and skill sets.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed 5 ways to politely ask a recruiter about salary during a job interview. We started by emphasizing the need to do your research before asking and knowing when to ask. We’ve also shared 5 ways to ask about salary including being direct, using your current pay as a benchmark, throwing in other questions, using industry standards and showing enthusiasm before asking.
