If you are in the process of accepting a new job offer, you will be going through the salary expectation phase while you are accepting the offer or doing the interviews.
Employers often ask about the salary expectation to sense if the company’s budget is suitable for your expectations and to examine your experience and role.
In this article, we will walk you through how to answer salary expectations in 3 simple way.
How to Answer Salary Expectations: 3 Steps
1. Avoid answering the question directly.
2. Discuss the overall pay.
3. Give a range for the salary.
1. Avoid answering the question directly:
The first step to follow when you want to learn how to answer salary expectations is to avoid answering the question directly. Career experts recommend not providing a specific number when asked this question.
Instead, try to inquire about the company’s budget for the role you will be offered and discuss the duties and responsibilities of the role first.
This way, you can have a general idea about the amount they can offer you and then negotiate it if it does not match your expectations.
2. Discuss the overall pay:
It is recommended to discuss additional benefits given to you besides the salary. This can give you an insight about the advantages or the role and the employer might hint the budget they can offer you along with the benefits.
3. Give a range for the salary:
Avoid being precise about the salary when asked about your expectations and try not to provide a specific number as you need to keep your chances open. The employer might want to offer you a higher number than the one you were going to propose.
It is recommended to give a range if the employer demanded knowing your salary’s expectations. You can state a range (from – to), Example: $5,000 to $10,000.

How to Answer Salary Expectations: Tips to Follow
1. Do your research.
2. Calculate the work and hours.
3. Negotiate.
1. Do your research:
It is important to do your research before you move forward with the interviews and hiring process. Make sure you have a full insight on the market needs and your role’s average salary in the market.
2. Calculate the work and hours:
It is vital to calculate your daily/monthly working hours and the effort you will be doing so you can evaluate the salary provided and you can examine if the number will fit your effort and time.
3. Negotiate:
It is important to negotiate the salary proposed by the employer if the number feels unfair for you. Discuss the role and duties and the time and effort you will be spending.
How to Answer Salary Expectations: Dos and Don'ts
- Always seek high salary numbers and expectations.
- Stay confident.
- Discuss and explain your points.
- Do not answer the question of salary expectations too early.
- Do not state an exact number.
- Do not avoid negotiation.
In this article, we have walked you through how to answer salary expectations clearly, with easy steps, tips, and do’s-don’ts.
We wish you all the luck in your new job!