How to Answer: What’s Your Desired Salary? - Entry Level Career Advice

When you’re applying for your first job after college, it can feel like everything is out of your control. Often, the interview process involves a lot of things you have no real practice or experience with – like negotiating your salary. It’s scary and nerve-wracking, but trust us when we say that you are worth more than you think! For most entry-level jobs, you will probably be asked what kind of salary range you want during the interview process. If you want to land a job, it’s important to answer this question correctly and confidently. The key is to not give an exact dollar figure right away. You want to leave room for negotiation so that they can offer as much as they’re willing to provide. This blog post will explain how and why to negotiate your salary if offered at the end of an interview. We will also cover some dos and don’ts regarding how much money you want to make moving forward.

How to Negotiate Your Salary After an Interview

The first thing you need to know about negotiating your salary is that it is not just something you should do if you desperately need the job. In an ideal world, you have an offer in hand or are in the later to final rounds of other job opportunities when you begin negotiating salaries. This leaves you with the power because if they’re unable to offer you something competitive then they know you’ll be out of the running. In some cases, this is a great thing to communicate upfront that you’re looking for $105,000 for your position. If the company was budgeting $80,000 they likely won’t want to insult you with a lower offer and have an employee on their team that lacks motivation because they’re being underpaid. On the contrary, if you show your cards too early then they could have budgeted much higher for the role than the ranges you provide them with and may have an offer of 10-20k less than if you simply waited for them to provide you with a range. In short, come prepared. Know how much positions in the industry pay for your role and have a range in mind that you would be happy with.

Why You Should Negotiate Your Salary

You’re worth more than you think. People like to hire people who are confident in what they’re worth. They’re more likely to hire you if you’re confident in your worth and aren’t afraid to ask for what you want. It shows them that you value yourself and are committed to being worth every penny. This can lead to a higher salary in the future. If you accept their starting offer without asking for more, you’re setting yourself up for a low salary. If you ask for what you want and they say “No”, you can walk away with no regrets. When you take the job, you are accepting a contract of exchange. You are saying, “I am willing to do X amount of work and work this job Y amount of time in exchange for Z amount of money.” If they accept your offer, they are also accepting a contract. By accepting the job, you are saying, “I am willing to do X amount of work and work this job Y amount of time in exchange for Z amount of money.” This means that both of you are accepting an obligation to do certain things for each other and for the company and that you are both entitled to certain things.

Pro tip: your base salary is also just one metric to negotiate on. Consider stock options, time off, benefits, 401k match, or bonuses that can be added tools to get you to the total compensation package that would make you happy.

Don’t Reveal Your Salary Requests Right Away

When you’re negotiating your salary, it’s important to not reveal your exact salary requests too early in the process. You don’t want to give away your hand too early and risk having them settle on a salary you’re not happy with. If they ask you for your desired salary range right away, try to avoid naming a specific amount unless they ask you to name a specific amount. Instead, try to steer the conversation toward why you’re worth more than you think you are. Start by saying something like, “I’m not sure what the salary range for this position is, but I’m really excited to be here and would love to be a part of this team/enterprise.” While you’re waiting to be offered a salary, try to learn as much as you can about the company and the position. This will help you make a more informed decision about how much you’re worth in the end.

Dos and Don’ts of Negotiating Your Salary

Do your research so you know your worth. You can use software like Paysa to see what your salary should be based on your education and experience. You can also use Salary.com, SalaryGraph.com, or get a free salary estimate from Glassdoor. Do some research on the company itself. How much revenue does it bring in? What is its financial health like? What are its mission and vision? Do some research on the position you’re interviewing for. Read the job description to see what the company is actually asking you to do. Read reviews of the job on sites like Indeed and Glassdoor to get a feel for the pros and cons of the position.

How to Answer the Question – What is Your Desired Salary?

When you’re asked what your desired salary is, try to avoid naming a specific amount and instead talk about how much value you can bring to the company. For example, “I understand that every position has a budget and I know that every company has its own way of doing things. I’d like to bring my skills, knowledge, and experience to this company and help you guys save costs, make more money, and become more efficient. I am excited to learn more about your company and position so that I can figure out what you need and how I can best help you.” You can also try to turn the question around on them by asking what the company offers for their employees and adding a slight twist, like, “What does your company offer for their employees who are just starting out? What type of benefits do you provide? Do you provide training and mentorship programs? What type of training opportunities do you provide?”

Final Words

Negotiating your salary is scary, but it’s an important part of the job application process. If you don’t ask for what you deserve, you’re unlikely to ever get it. The best thing you can do is prepare. Research the salary range for your position and be prepared to explain why you deserve more. Start practicing these skills and you’ll be amazed at how empowered you feel during the interview process. It’s important to remember that interviewing is a two-way street. The company is interviewing you just as much as you’re interviewing them. They want to make sure that the position and company are a good fit for you as much as you want to make sure the position and company are a good fit for you.