@360JobInterview.Com blog

One of the more dreaded questions in an interview is that of when they inquire into your expected pay. Money is almost always a sticky subject to discuss, and no one wants to be thrown out of the running because they’re seen as being too expensive. Nor do you want to be perceived as one who undervalues your worth, especially if you get the job and you find out you could have easily asked for more money.

Always do thorough research before a job interview. Amidst the research, be sure to look for the salary range and benefits the company is looking to pay. Most listings will not include this information in detail, and will usually just state “commensurate/depending on experience” (d.o.e.).  If going through a recruiter, just ask the recruiter what the employer is looking to pay for a qualified candidate.

Since one’s income is always as more delicate topic of conversation, try to avoid asking friends or colleagues in the same field how much they make. Instead, try using one of the following online salary calculators:

• Salary.com

  Salary.com is fairly straight-forward and easy to use. Their base-range salary estimator is free and fairly accurate. It also includes tabs for bonuses, benefits, and estimated paycheck. A ‘premium’ report costs $30, but is not as detailed as one could get and is therefore not worth paying for.

• Salary Expert
  

  It’s not too simple to get your salary report from this website. The only part that is potentially more beneficial is that they offer a large selection of possible positions from the entered job title. After you select a title, you’ll have to go through a process of answering questions that are mostly only relevant if you are currently employed.

• Home Fair

  This salary calculator is provided by a website focused around relocation. It is really easy to use, and does have updated positions in its database. Not only will they give you a base salary range, but it also includes a range of bonuses and benefits, plus what your take home salary should be after taxes and other withholdings.

• PayScale

  It’s rather straight forward to get a base salary range with PayScale. Unless, that is, you want to have it customized to consider your qualifications. While it’s great that they offer a free semi-custom salary calculator, the process is a tad bit frustrating. Their database of skills and certifications is not so vast, so you will not get as specified a result as may be desired.

In the end, you’ll get approximately the same report from each service, but they are useful services to have bookmarked.

After looking up your potential earning capacity and all of the wonderful benefits you should be receiving for what you can do, never give a number answer for your salary expectations. Not until you’re hired and just negotiating out the details, at least. Instead, tell them you are ready to consider a variety of factors and the more important aspect is the company and team you’ll be working wtih. If they still press for an answer, say it’s flexible and with this economy you’d be willing to work with them on your potential salary.

Be sure you have a 360 advantage before going in by getting personalized interview coaching with the pros. Good luck on your next interview.