subject: Facing The Salary Question: A Buckler To The Double-edged Sword [print this page] An interviewer asking a salary question is like an opponent drawing a double-edged sword. If you name a price too high, they will think youre too expensive to hire and drop you from the list. But if you name a price to low, they will hire you and youll work dogged days for a price not worthy of you.
Thats a bit unfair on a job seekers part, yes. But if youve searched this article from the net, probably, youre already tired of complaining about it and already want to know about the solution. Lucky you, now youre moving on the solutions phase where youre on the way to facing the salary question.
Now, fear not. Heres your armory to getting the job without taking the big risk of naming your dollars:
1.Focus more on your qualifications
If youre a damn good candidate for the post, your employer wont be too concerned with how much your services cost. Make their eyes shine with your impressive skills and keep them entertained with other more important details than the compensation. As long as youre giving kickass answers, their tendency is to keep the interest on you and not your price tag. Do this by exceeding the average. Remove their boredom by letting them see that youre not just an average candidate that they can afford to let go.
2.Point out the importance of the job more than the salary
The only way to let the conversation flowing on your way is to only mention the things that are about the job, the company, and you. Never make any mention of financial matters or it will trigger them to toss the question to you. Let them feel that youre too interested with knowing about the company and the work you will be facing so that the enthusiasm will rub on them too. Prioritizing in knowing whether the tasks are a perfect fit for you is a very powerful way not only to divert the interest of the interviewer, but also to genuinely know if its the terrific career youve been looking for.
3.If youre being asked of your current or former income
Such a salary question can get your hands cold, especially if youre not really happy about what youre receiving from your former or current company. The problem is that once you answer with information, they might assume your latest compensation as your price. So what to do: give a very wide range to them and keep the exact amount vague as it can possibly be. For example, it is safe to say that My income is in the mid-five figures. But Im more interested to see whether my qualifications first fit the job posting before any one of us name the price.
4.If you cant avoid it
There is no such instance where you cant do so. You can always put the question down and redirect the conversation to another concern. Remember that the one who first talk about his dollars loses. Put off the question in a polite way like, I really wont exact the figures until I knew what the job will actually require of me. I believe there are more important things than the compensation and smile.
The only way to ditch the salary question is to make the interviewer feel that it doesnt matter at the time. Spark the best impressions and keep the conversation positive and both of you will forget to think about money.
