Laurel
Can you ask an employer for the adverage salary?
#interviewing I am heading into interviews and was wondering if it was ok to ask an employer/interviewer what the average pay was for a certain position in their company. Is this appropriate to ask or should I just use websites like Indeed?
9 answers
Christopher Lee
Christopher’s Answer
You can also go to glassdoor.com to see current salaries of most companies.
Rachel Friesen English
Rachel’s Answer
I would recommend waiting until the second interview (assuming there is more than 1 round of interviews) and asking at the end of the interview. You want to make sure that you're feeling confident there's a mutual fit - that you are liking the position, and that they view you as a strong candidate.
I would ask the question specifically "What is the salary range for this position?". If they give you a range - assume that you might start in the lower end of that range. Often, when salary ranges are given, they are for the full duration of someone in that position, so the earlier you are in your career - you'll start towards the lower end of the range. After you've been in the position for a few years, you'd graduate to the higher end.
That said, what happens more frequently is that the recruiter will ask you what salary you are looking for -- that's a more important scenario to be prepared for! Usually what you say will be close to what they offer you if they extend you a job offer. I would strongly recommend doing salary research ahead of time by looking at websites like Glassdoor or other hiring sites to see what salaries are for similar roles or within that specific company. If you are unsure what to say, saying "I'm sure if there's mutual interest, we can come to an agreement on salary."
Mario Lozano
Mario’s Answer
It is generally frowned upon to directly ask for the salary but I did learn one trick that has worked for me in the past. If in an interview you're asked by the recruiter or interviewer how much you're expecting to make, I respond with my own question; "Does this position have a salary range? I'm flexible with salary."
Lisa Towles
Lisa’s Answer
Hi Laurel, Im not sure there is an ‘average salary’ necessarily, and an employer is going to pay you as little as they can while still being competitive. That said, I think you could say something like, “The industry range for this position in this region is this to this. Will this role likely be paying something close to this range for a qualified applicant?” They might ask you, at that point, what your desired salary is and then what your salary was at your last job. Its okay to ask for more than your last job as long as you can justify how you’ve advanced your skills and business value.
Good luck and feel free to contact me directly for additional questions!
Hannah Back
Hannah’s Answer
If they offer you the job during the interview and give you a specific salary number, say you'd need to take a day to review the formal offer and have them email it to you. Try not to react to the # if it's higher than you expected! Don't accept on the spot.
If they offer you the position via email or phone after the interview and you're excited about the number, again ask them to send over a formal offer as well as include any benefits information. Say you need to review the entire compensation package, which may include benefits or time off.
Even if the pay is fair, always ask for slightly more.
If they offer you the position and it's much less than you were hoping to make, say "oh I was actually hoping to be around $____/year for my next role, which seems standard for my position and location - are you able to speak to management and put together a higher offer?" Arm yourself with information about your position and expected salary by looking at websites like glassdoor and salary.com.
If it's an hourly position and they offer you an amount you're okay with, ask for $1-2 dollars more per hour, at least, just because. They will most likely give you slightly more than their original offer, but worst case scenario they say no! No one is going to withdraw their offer because you countered.
Good luck!
Claire Mathias
Claire’s Answer
Belinda Haynes
Belinda’s Answer
Poonam Kherde
Poonam’s Answer
1. CHOOSE THE CORRECT MOMENT:
It presumably goes without saying that questioning how much remuneration you could get is forbidden inside the initial couple of minutes (see likewise: seconds) of your interview.
Not just would it show you’re more intrigued by the money than you are for the job, it could likewise infer that you don’t have much to offer as far as aptitudes and experience.
Along these lines, before you begin to consider the amount you’re making, ensure you cover the various interview bases first. That includes, aspects like skills and experience.
for more: Asking About Salary During The Interview
Andrea Constantinides
Andrea’s Answer
And just to add to the great comments above, more and more cities (Boston, NY, San Francisco as an example) are prohibiting employers from asking about your current or former salary.
As Allison said, salary will come up in the conversations, but don't be the first person to throw out a number. If you haven't been asked about the salary range by the second interview, you should feel confident and OK to ask "What is the salary range for this role?"