What are your salary expectations?

There’s no getting around this: you need to do your research ahead of time to know the average salary, and what you’re comfortable accepting.

There are many resources you can use. Robert Half’s Salary Guide is a good place to start. You’ll find up-to-date remuneration trends Australia-wide for several different roles and industries.

You also need to know what your expenses are, and what you’re comfortable accepting. Knowing what you’re worth will help you get the pay you deserve.

There are a few strategies you can take to answer this question:

– Flip the question and ask what the range for the role is.

For example, “That’s a good question. Could you share the range that would be on offer for this role?”

– Try to delay answering until later in the interview process.

For example, “Finding a role that’s a good fit is more important to me right now than the salary. I’d be happy to provide a range once I know more about the job itself, the company, and the benefits on offer.”

– Provide a range you’re comfortable accepting.

For example, “Taking my experience and expertise into account, I’m looking for something between $73,000 and $80,000. However, salary is only one aspect of this; I’m also interested in the role, the work environment, and the other benefits you have on offer. The job ad mentioned opportunities for professional development, for example. Lifelong learning is very important to me, and it sounds like it is for you too, so I am happy to be flexible for the right fit.”