When going to a job interview, you need to be prepared for a number of questions in order to leave the best impression and, of course, get the job. You need to have all the answers to potential questions carefully prepared and the best way to start preparing is to do thorough research of the company interviewing you. You need to know everything about the company in question, as well as how they treat their employees, so that you can really be sure that working for them is truly what you want. Appearance is very important as well, so you need to look impeccable to leave the best first impression of a professional person ready to take on the job and be the best at it. However, there is one particular question that comes up at every interview, yet no one is ever truly ready for it – the question of salary. If you’re one of the people who get the creeps when they hear that question, read on to find out how not to freeze and how to successfully answer it to land the job.
Research the Company, but Know Your Worth as Well
Just like you prepare for any other interview question, you need to prepare for the salary question as well. Researching the company is the best head start for that, since that will give you an insight into how much they are paying for people with your skills and experience. You can do your research on the Internet and easily find out what the salary range for the job you are applying for is, so that you can know what to expect. Knowing the salary range beforehand is extremely important, because it’s crucial not to settle for less than you are worth. More importantly, you should not settle for less than what you really want to earn and need in order to be able to support a normal life. If the research shows that the company is offering way less than what your expectations are, based either on your previous salary or simply on the objective awareness of your skills and expertise, then you should really not settle for that salary and accept the job offer. Knowing your fair-market value will make it much easier for you to know when to turn down an offer immediately and when to actually go to an interview and negotiate the salary.
Don’t Disclose Your Past Salary
By putting your past salary on the table, you will lose every opportunity for the employers to make a higher offer. Your past salary may be too low, so you will leave an impression of someone who doesn’t care that much for the pay and, more importantly, doesn’t value his or her skills enough. On the other hand, if your past salary is much higher than what the employers are willing to offer you, they may screen you out immediately, which will leave you back at square one. Therefore, by not disclosing your previous pay, your potential employers may offer you a great salary for the job, maybe even higher than what you had expected. If they don’t, then it’s their loss, because some other company will know your true worth and give you a salary you deserve. Don’t ever let something like that discourage you.
Wait for the Employer to Bring up the Salary Question
If you start talking about the salary before you’re even asked that question, you will leave an impression that the salary is the only factor that matters to you about the job and that you will surely decline an offer if it doesn’t satisfy your expectations. You need to show the employers that you are truly interested in their company and in doing the offered job, so it’s best that you don’t mention the salary at all. Talk about your achievements and accomplishments, your skills and experience, your overall expertise – those are your assets and they are what will get them to consider you further for the job. You need to market yourself and talking about your accomplishments will help you achieve your goal of getting the best salary offer and landing the job. Therefore, be confident and wait for the employers to bring up the salary question. Now, don’t react too soon and accept or decline the offer right away. Show that you really appreciate the offer and show enthusiasm, but ask if you may take a day to sleep on it. It’s better for you to let a little time pass, so that you can think about the offer clearly, without all the fuss and the joy of having a job interview, than to make a haste decision that you may regret later. When you ask for some time to think it all over, you will get the chance to see if the offered salary is flexible or not, so that will make your decision making much easier. If the offer meets your expectations and you accept the job – congratulations! But, if you happen to decline the offer, do it gracefully and confidently. You need to be friendly about it, because you never know – maybe you will do some business with them in the future, so don’t burn any bridges along the way.
Preparing for a job interview is something you absolutely shouldn’t take for granted. You must do it thoroughly and carefully to ensure you get your dream job. Remember to stay confident and remain positive, because that will certainly reflect on your potential employers and give off positive vibes, thus helping you impress them and land the job. Don’t be afraid of the question regarding salary – believe in yourself and others will believe in you, too. Simply follow these useful tips, since they will guarantee your success at your next job interview that may turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. Prepare in advance and get ready to knock them off their feet. Good luck!
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