The salary question is one of the most prominent questions ever asked by an interviewer. This is also one of the most confusing questions to job seekers as many of them do not really understand how to answer this very important question. It is also unfortunate that the question is not optional, which means the job seeker must provide an answer to this question. Many employers use the answers provided in this section of the application letter to consider the employee for the job opening or disqualify the job seeker. This is one of the reasons to be very careful when you answer desired salary question. In the remaining part of this write-up, we will open your eyes to some of the very important things to consider when answering this question so that you will not end up shooting yourself in the leg with your answer.
Provide a range
One of the best ways to answer the salary question is to provide a range. A numerical range can put you on a safer side and leave the recruiter to decide what to pay you within that range. When you want to answer desired salary question, you can simply write a minimum and maximum salary amount and separate the two of them with a dash. Do not worry about how much the maximum should be. In fact, the difference between the maximum and minimum can be as high as $15,000 or $10,000.
There is a high possibility that the company you are applying to has a particular amount it is prepared to pay its employees for a particular post. You will not have to worry your head about this if the company already provides the particular salary or salary range in the job posting. Even if the company already provides a salary range, it is advisable to quote a range that is somewhat lower than what the company has provided. This will give them the impression that you are not only interested in the money.
How much are you worth?
This is one other factor to consider when providing an answer to the salary question. How many relevant paper certificates do you have? Do you have the expertise required by the company? Or do you have more than what the company requires in the form of skills and knowledge? This can help to determine how much you ask for as a salary. You can also determine how much to write as salary by considering what other companies are paying workers in the same profession. However, make sure that the other companies you are considering are in the same category as the company you are applying to. The various points provided above will help you to make the right decisions when answering this all-important question.
