One answer to HR’s salary question can cost you the job or result in underpayment. Career coach says, 'Never say…'

Questions about expected salary are inevitable in an interview. One mistake job candidates make is giving a definite figure when asked what salary they want. Taking to X, career coach Simon Ingari explained that quoting a specific number when asked about your salary might cost you the job. The coach explained why the candidate is asked about salary – it is for various reasons; the HR officer wants to know whether the candidate’s salary expectations fit their budget. The company wants to identify candidates they can afford or not. The organisation wants to know how you evaluate your experience and skills. Last but not least, they want to discover if they can make the candidate settle for a sum at the lower end of their budget.

Ingari suggested that candidates should start by understanding the job thoroughly, figure out what the role involves, find out what the employer is offering in terms of pay, check what others in the industry are being paid, and then talk about their own expectations.

Before talking about pay, candidates should make sure they understand the main job responsibilities, what a normal workday is like, when the busiest times might be, and what results they are expected to achieve. They should also check if the job requires managing other workers, if it has tasks that are normally done by someone else, and if there are extra requirements like working longer hours, travelling, or being available outside normal times.


Once the details are clear, candidates can ask the employer about the salary range that has been set for the job.

Ingari also explained why some usual answers can make salary talks less effective. Telling someone just one number, like 50,000, right away makes that number the starting point for talking about what they can expect. If the employer has set aside between 70,000 and 90,000, the applicant might have capped their income potential before realising the actual budget available.

Giving a range like 50,000 to 70,000 can also cause issues. If the candidate says they're okay with 50,000, the employer might start talking about that number, which means the applicant's lowest expectation becomes the first offer they make.

On the other hand, using a very wide range, like 50,000 to 100,000, might give a different feeling. A big gap in someone's work history might suggest they didn't thoroughly research the job or aren't confident about how their skills and experience relate to the role. The two figures show very different amounts of pay, which could make it seem like the candidate's expectations are not clear.

How Should You Answer The Salary Question?

Ingari said the candidate should want to know about the responsibilities of the job and the current market value of the role. "I'm flexible depending on the overall responsibilities and compensation package. At this stage, I'm mainly interested in understanding whether we're within the same general range. What range has the company allocated for the role?" he wrote.

If your previous salary was 50,000 but professionals with similar skills, experience, and responsibilities are currently earning around 80,000, using your old compensation as the starting point could simply carry forward an earlier pay gap.

The more useful question is how much the position is worth in the present market rather than what you were earning previously.

Look Beyond The Job Title

Pay close attention to the responsibilities listed for the position. A company may advertise a role as a marketing officer, while the actual duties cover social media management, graphic design, video editing, copywriting, paid advertising, website administration, event coordination, and public relations.

In such cases, the position may effectively combine responsibilities from several different functions.

Therefore, compensation negotiations should not be based solely on the designation. Instead, consider the complete range of responsibilities, expectations, and workload attached to the role when determining what the position is worth.

He warned that the salary you ask for should never be based on your previous salary, as the underpayment would follow you to your new job as well, but should be based on the responsibilities of the role, your scope, and the market rates for the job position, as well as the budget for this position.

Ingari said, "Don't give a random salary because HR demands an immediate answer. Don't use your current salary as the only benchmark.

Don't give an enormous range just to avoid committing.

Don't assume the job title tells you everything about the workload. Don't ignore benefits, bonuses, allowances, working hours, remote-work arrangements, leave, and other compensation. Don't lie about your current salary. Don't bluff about competing offers. Don't keep dodging once you've learned enough about the position to have a reasonable salary discussion.”

Your salary should not be based on the salary you are drawing in your current job, said Ingari. It should rather be based on the job, the overall responsibilities, the workload, the employer’s budget, and the market rates.