How to Respond to Salary Requirements

As a job-seeker, you may be asked salary requirements during the online application process, during a phone interview, at the first interview or anytime during the interview process. If asked, you could say, "I’d rather hold off salary talk until we’ve both decided this is a good fit.” The truth is you most likely haven't learned enough about the position in the early stages of the interview process. It's best to hold off salary talk until a job offer has been extended. However, the interviewer may not be satisfied with this response and require you to share his/her desired salary. To be prepared, it’s important that you have done the necessary homework beforehand so you know your market value. You can use sites such as Payscale.com and Salary.com and professional industry-related association websites to determine your market value in your geographic area.

If pressured to share your requirements, you could say something like, “I’m looking for a salary within the $50,000 to $65,000 range, depending upon the total compensation package.”  The last part is important to add because some companies may have a good benefits package while others may not. If the benefits are extremely good, you may find a slightly lower salary acceptable and vice versa.