How do you ask for a salary in an interview?

Answer 1

I find this to be a very nosy question. At times I have been tempted to say "I'll tell you what I made if you tell me what you made." It's a rude question.

I was told by some job recruiters that the reason employers ask this is to see if you are worth what you ask. In other words, if your last few jobs paid $12, then $14, now you are asking $25, they want you to justify it.

Honestly, the way I answer it is to say "I'm not comfortable discussing my past income. I like to keep that information private. However, I am willing to give you an idea of what I made."

So instead of saying $22, I would say "I made over $20", or instead of saying $14, "I made around the $15 range."

To date I've only had one recruiter completely blow me off when I refused to discuss my past wages. I told him I wasn't comfortable giving him that information, and he immediately lost interest in me. I later found out that particular company has a horrible reputation for how they treat contractors, so I didn't care.

Anyway, that is how I recommend answering the question. You certainly can tell them how much you made, but I think it's rude. To me it is like asking when the last time you had sex was.

I was told that any employer can call previous employers and ask your salary. Although by law, all they can say is if you worked there, and if they would hire you again.

Answer 2

Most companies have an HR department that has set up a salary range for every position by grade level. It is perfectly acceptable for you to ask what the salary RANGE is for the job, and then show your experience or education that would warrant a salary at the higher end of the range. That is what the placement on the range is supposed to be based on. You don't want to sell yourself short, nor state a salary that is way too high. If you are comfortable with it, many people take their previous salary, add 10% or more, and tell the prospective employer that they need to earn at least that amount. So just tell them at your last job you earned $X amount and you are looking for an increase of $X amount. Don't feel shy or embarrassed. They don't. Salary makes people nervous to talk about in the interview, but it is in fact probably one of if not the most important thing on the table.

Answer 3

At a job interview the salary you can expect should be stated. If it is not stated, you are entitled to ask about salary and conditions of employment.

Answer 4

same as you,not enough.