Company after company. You go into these interviews, but end up finding yourself disappointed with the results. For some reason you just aren’t landing a job. “Why?”, you might ask, as you show me your perfect resume. Don’t get the wrong idea, you’re more than qualified for the job! However, perhaps the reason why lies within your interviews and the answers you’ve been giving. To be more specific, about your desired salary. As your climbing up your career, it’s more than natural for anyone to want a higher pay than your last job. But it could be that asking for a significant raise in salary might not be the best idea. Here’s a little inside secret on how to answer this seemingly simple but complex question!

The Purpose of the Question

Interview questions are almost all the same to the point that you’re probably jaded of them. But since almost every interview has these same questions, there must be an underlying meaning to them. Let’s take a moment to first think about why they ask about your desired salary in the first place. Of course, they do want to get an idea of your salary (the obvious reason), but it’s also to test your self-confidence and values. If you ask for a much higher salary compared to your previous one, your interviewer might be led to think that you’re overly-confident or full of yourself. But for an instance, if you ask for the same salary, they’ll think the opposite, and believe you have low self-esteem. No workplace wants neither of those two types of people!

How to Find the Right Answer

So, going back to the main question, how should you answer this? Take a step back from everything, and try to reflect on yourself objectively. Based on your skills, experience, and age, think about what salary makes the most logical sense, not the salary you think you deserve. Explain to them some concrete evidence as to why this desired salary can be justified, and not with your personal opinion or reasoning. Finding the perfect middle ground between your previous salary and a desired higher salary should leave the best impression. Additionally, there’s no need to fret that your answer is going to truly be your salary. Companies take a lot in consideration before coming to a final decision.

So, What If You Ask for a Higher Salary?

Well, to be honest, there’s technically nothing wrong with asking for comparatively higher salary than your last. But it may be a little risky. An important idea to keep in mind while answering regardless of how much you are asking for, is to sound flexible and open to changes, rather than being locked on to a specific number.

Go Out There and Nail the Next Interview!

For all one knows, you may need to reevaluate your answers for the next interview, or you could be good and ready to go. Either way, don’t let your potential go to waste and get out there to get the job you long for! For more interview tips make sure to check out our YouTube video series and keep up with our blog!