"and what are your expectations for salary?"

mawk

I just got that question from a recruiter.

kind of a tough one to answer imo. dont want to under sell but also dont want to be under bid by someone else..

how do ye answer?

nehemiah

Negotiable.

Neutral answer that simply puts off the question until you are offered the job.

Eoin

By a recruiter, do you mean an agent? If so, then don't worry about being undercut, as it totally depends from job to job.

Be as vague as you can, and say that it would also depend on pension, healthcare, bonus and all the other non-direct perks you might get. Not to mention career progression, educational assistance and all that.

All these factors could mean a huge range in what you need to get into your hand for it to be worth your while - but there's no point in giving a figure that you know you won't be happy with if you're offered it.

jimoc

"Commensurate with the position" is another one that says little but still answers the question.

Eoin

If it's the hiring company asking - but I'd be upfront with an agent (if that's what the OP means by "recruiter") and not waste both people's looking at roles that are just not worth it.

meganj

If asked directly I usually say 'I was on X' and if I feel X was too low or too high I say 'But that was inclusive/exclusive of benefits'.

The job I'm in now is very well paid and I wouldn't expect to be getting that from future employers, so I will probably be saying 'I was earning X but it was inclusive of benefits (free canteen/pension) blah blah blah'

Also phrases like 'Well I would be fine to take a paycut for the right role' shows your serious about the job without playing your hand so to speak.

Irish_Elect_Eng

This site has some excellent advice.

Penelope Trunk Blog

My favourite line is:


The right answer to the question, “What’s your salary range?” is almost always some version of “I’m not telling you.”

And

"The person who gives the first number sets the starting point. But if that’s you, you lose. If you request a salary higher than the range for the job, the interviewer will tell you you’re high, and you’ve just lost money. If you request a salary lower than the range, the interviewer will say nothing, and you’ve just lost money."

mawk

meganj wrote: »

If asked directly I usually say 'I was on X' and if I feel X was too low or too high I say 'But that was inclusive/exclusive of benefits'.

The job I'm in now is very well paid and I wouldn't expect to be getting that from future employers, so I will probably be saying 'I was earning X but it was inclusive of benefits (free canteen/pension) blah blah blah'

Also phrases like 'Well I would be fine to take a paycut for the right role' shows your serious about the job without playing your hand so to speak.

yeah, what I said was "well, I know the going rate in the field is X/year, but frankly for the right role, id work for a euro a day plus sandwiches."

there was a real pregnant pause then he offered to subcontract HIS job to me. I saw the humour