How to Handle the Salary Question

Probably one of the most important questions asked by recruiters to candidates is the topic of salary requirements. Staffing agents use this question to qualify a client’s range when contracted with an outside firm. With internal corporate recruiters, it’s the same thing – only they are dealing directly with the company’s P&L in mind.

With the war for top talent full-blown, recruiters are asking the salary question up front rather than later in the process as to further develop their pool of candidates who best fit the position. Companies in today’s economy have the best opportunity to hold out for top talent due to continuous trimming of payroll.

Often times I hear candidates tell me that they do not want to talk salary because of the following reasons:

• It’s too early in the process
• I’m afraid I will price myself out of the position or set myself too low
• I am looking for a fair wage for the position

Not to fault the candidates’ approach, but recruiters are looking for a quantifiable answer to something that a candidate weights a qualitative factor towards in their thought process. Sure, we all work hard, but in the end the market truly dictates the person’s worth. The recruiter hopes to get out of the candidate their reasonable expectations.

So, how do you handle the salary question the next time a recruiter asks? Think about the following as you prepare yourself to handle it during your next interview:

• Know what your financial means are and see how you can live in them realistically
• Formulate a salary range in your mind that corresponds to your expenses
• Factor in a percentage of savings from your salary range so that you can put it away in your 401(k) without having to touch that money
• Quote a range after using a phrase such as “I am looking for salary range that is close to market rate, but to quantify, I would be looking for $x and $y.

To look at the last suggestion, by quoting a range after using a message regarding market rate shows the recruiter that you take the time to make calculated decisions rather than just go from top of mind. It also shows a recruiter that you are invested in the process and lessens the recruiter’s chances to analyze you as a “job-hopper”.

The next time you are going into an interview, whether it’s over the phone or in-person, remember these techniques as this will help you win the salary battle early on in the war for the position.