As of: March 18, 2024, 9:00 p.m
By: David Holzner
Comments
Press
Split
The question about the desired salary comes up in most job interviews.
You can do a lot wrong.
What you should consider.
Maybe you've experienced it before: you're sitting in a job interview.
Everything is going well and you answer every question confidently and confidently.
When you are already sure of yourself, the HR manager asks you the last question.
“What is your desired salary?” For many applicants, salary is an unpleasant question where there is a lot that can be done wrong.
If the number is too low, you are selling yourself short.
If the number is too high, you risk being classified as too “costly” by the interviewer.
This is the best way to deal with questions about your desired salary.
Desired salary in the interview: How to answer the question correctly
You should be prepared for the question about your desired salary.
© Westend61/IMAGO
What is the best way to behave when questions about your desired salary come up in conversation?
TikToker @erinmcgoff tries to give advice.
In a video, she advises simply turning the tables.
You should therefore ask your counterpart what salary range is usual for the advertised position in the company.
This way you can avoid setting too high or too low.
According to the TikToker, you shouldn't be the first to name a number.
Many companies organize their compensation structure with so-called salary bands, as the job evaluation system
Gradar
explains on its website.
These are broad salary categories that group positions based on similar responsibilities, skills and qualifications.
For example, there may be one salary band for entry-level positions, another for middle positions and a third for senior positions.
Knowing this can make formulating your desired salary easier.
Don't miss out: You can find everything about jobs and careers in the career newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
State your salary expectations: Prepare yourself well
But is this tip actually already done?
Are such salary ranges even meaningful?
How does it help you if the salary range varies widely and there is a perceived world between minimum and maximum?
Because the question of your desired salary is very likely to come up, you should go into the interview well prepared.
Research in advance is therefore essential.
Some tips for preparation:
My news
A four-year-old has a tumor in his head – parents ask for help reading
Up to 30 centimeters: Where it's supposed to snow a lot on the weekend read
“Stunned after all the rumors”: Princess Kate surprises with public appearance
Deaf to noise: Three US nerds declare war on Putin with a cheap drone read
No longer available: Aldi is taking the entire product category off its shelves
Habeck wants to have gas networks shut down: What that means for consumers read
Research the typical salary ranges for the industry and position.
You can find clues on many salary portals.
You should also take the size of the company and your place of residence into account in the calculation.
The salary to be negotiated ultimately depends on a number of factors.
According to the job portal
Stepstone,
for example, you earn more in larger companies (5,000 or more employees) than in small ones.
Also take a closer look at your salary claims under employment law.
(e.g. minimum wage for internships)
Your qualifications also play an important role.
If you are an expert in your field and have already proven your skills, you can raise your salary expectations slightly.
Therefore, think in advance about how you can best describe your skills in order to emphasize your salary demands.
Name a salary that is ten percent higher than your actual desired salary.
This gives yourself some room for negotiation.
Once you have thought about your desired salary after thorough research, there is another tip.
As social psychologist David Loschelder from Saarland University explained to
Spiegel
, a crooked number increases the chance of a higher salary.
Anyone who mentions such a number suggests to the negotiating partner that they have made their calculations.
In addition, crooked numbers reduce the amount of negotiation steps.
If you mention 63,500 euros as your desired salary, you might get 62,000 as a counteroffer.
At 65,000 euros, the classic counteroffer would be 60,000 euros.
“We don’t talk about money” – or maybe we do?
“You don’t talk about money, you have money,” says a well-known German proverb.
A belief that may have long been outdated.
According to a study by the payment and shopping service provider
Klarna,
one in two Germans (52 percent) feel comfortable talking to friends about money.
In an international comparison, Germany is in fifth place.
A representative survey in 18 countries examined how openly people talk about money and who they talk to about it.
Talking about money is part of interviews.
Therefore important: Don't be shy!
Be confident, but never arrogant!
When asked for more salary, remain friendly, but formulate your demands clearly and specifically.