What should desired salary be

That could be an issue for you! This may or may not be the same as your desired salary. Here are two common scenarios where you might have to answer this question, plus the best ways to answer. What do you have budgeted for this position? This could be met with a few different responses:. The other possible outcome is they offer you a lower amount than what you wanted.

In situations like this, you could always ask about the possibility of creating a growth plan with your leader that will allow you to grow both professionally and financially as your time with the company increases. The bottom line is, there are many ways to talk about your desired salary without putting yourself in a box. Honesty paired with standing firm in what you want and need will go a long way.

For more tips on nailing the interview process so you can start making your desired salary a reality, check out my free Interview Guide. Since , he has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he offers expert advice every day to help thousands of people discover what they were meant to do and how to land their dream job.

There are very few occasions when divulging your desired salary before hearing a job offer is a good idea. Build a professional resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. When you research the company, you can often find the average salary given to employees, which may even be listed in the job description.

This can give you a bigger range of reasonable salaries. The more experience you have working in your field, the better. Usually, when you research average salaries on the web, there will be a disparity between experienced and inexperienced workers.

Keep this in mind. When in doubt, remember that the more education you have, the more valuable you are to an employer.

Remember your research, and look for the education requirements in a job description. In general, you can increase your desired salary with your education levels. Cost of living. Finally, you should know what you can afford and what your bills are. It can be valuable to add everything together and determine your average cost of living per month. This will give you a better idea of the salary you need to live comfortably. Further, The average salary for a job tends to vary by location.

If the new location has gas, housing, groceries, and utilities that are significantly cheaper, it can be acceptable to receive a lower salary. On the other hand, you may find that the cost of living is notably higher in your new location. Create My Free Resume Build a professional resume in minutes. Whatever directions are given, make sure to follow them closely: employers are never impressed by candidates who fail to read carefully. However, some job postings will have strict requirements for providing a number, or a field on an application portal will only allow numerical inputs.

But if you do decide to give an answer, you should follow the advice given above to research and determine a fair salary for yourself based on factors like experience, education, and location. Then, provide a range if possible. This way, you can put your lowest acceptable offer or something slightly above it at the bottom of your range.

Some portals will have a checkbox asking if your salary is negotiable. Most applications also leave space for notes and additional information, so you could briefly explain yourself here as well.

To reiterate, our number one suggestion is that you do not put your desired salary on a job application. It can almost only hurt you and never help your standing in salary negotiations if you are offered the job later on.

Do yourself a favor and wait for at least the interview. Not every application will allow a nonnumerical answer for this question. Use these tips for delaying the discussion during interviews so that you can secure a salary that matches your worth.

When it comes to the dreaded salary question during an interview, the best strategy is to postpone the conversation, preferably until after you have a job offer. In theory this seems easy, but the pressure of a job interview can make it hard to think on your feet. Prepare a few lines to respond with so that you can adeptly navigate away from this discussion during an interview.

Try out one of the examples below:. Another way to stall the salary discussion is by asking questions. Feel free to divert the question by asking about the budget for the role. You can also inquire about particular job responsibilities that will inform how you determine your desired salary. Some examples of what to ask are listed below:. Attempting to negotiate before then will leave you at a disadvantage, especially if other candidates are still involved.

Once you have a confirmed offer, feel free to negotiate a salary that matches your skills and experience level. Before entering into these discussions, brush up on some negotiation tactics and tips to help you be more persuasive and get the salary you want. When it comes to navigating the hiring process, set yourself up for career and financial success by wisely answering the desired salary question on applications and in interviews.