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Salary Questions

If you are asked questions about your salary expectations during a screening interview, or very early in an employment interview, try hard not to answer them, but concentrate instead on the expectations of the job under discussion, one response might be:

‘Salary is not my main concern right now. I’d like to find out the real dimensions of the job before you talk about salary.'

Your previous salary may not be relevant, if the position you are seeking has different responsibilities or accountabilities, or if you are making a functional or industry change.

If you are talking to recruitment consultants, your previous earnings will be a fundamental piece of information that they require for their approaches to potential employers. If you feel you must answer the question about salary, talk in terms of a range. As part of your preparation determine for yourself a three-point range.

Take as your three points

• Your bottom line, the lowest salary or package you would accept.
• Your realistic target.
• Your ideal, the best package that you believe you could achieve with this job target.

Questions regarding remuneration will be asked at a later stage of the process, prepare for them by considering your responses before hand.