What are your financial expectations? Discussion of salary at interview

“Please guide me, what are your salary expectations?” This question will definitely be asked at one of the stages of the interview, and most likely even several times: during preliminary communication with the recruiter and at the interview with the hiring manager. This means that when preparing for an interview, you need to work out the answer to this question in detail in advance. What to start from when determining the salary level? How to build an argument for your expectations? What should you definitely not say to your interviewer when discussing finances? Let's deal with these and other questions in order.

1. There is no need to say that you don’t care what the salary will be.

Oddly enough, this is a fairly common situation when a candidate says something like this during an interview. Typically this happens if:

• This is the candidate’s first job and at the moment it is important for him to gain experience.
• The candidate changes his profile and moves from one specialization to another, to where he does not yet have experience.
• The candidate has already closed all financial issues for himself and is now looking for a job only based on his professional interests.

But even in all these cases, the answer that money is not important is a kind of deceit. Of course, salary in such situations may not be the first priority, but in general it is important: for yesterday’s students looking for their first job and valuable experience, this is a personal living wage; for experienced financially independent candidates who have exclusively professional interests, money is a certain “score in the game” and a measure of their achievements.

2. Set your expectations as clearly as possible.

No one will hire an employee with zero salary. The question of cash payments for an employee is a mandatory question that future employer expects to close for himself at the interview. Therefore, by avoiding a specific answer about your salary expectations (“I haven’t decided yet”, “I don’t know the market”, “what can you offer?”), you shift your task to the interviewer, forcing him to decide for you. Until the salary issue is cleared up, the interview process cannot be considered complete, so there is no need to torment the interviewer with uncertainty! He can somehow comment on your expectations, help clarify them with his answers, but he will not make a decision for you.

3. Conduct a market analysis in advance, determine the salary range for the expected position.

Information on vacancies and salary ranges can be found both on various job search sites and on the corresponding forums (but the information on them is usually distorted and the ranges are underestimated). hh.ru services even allow you to receive a special regular report on salary ranges for a particular role and vacancy.

Open sources on the Internet will allow you to fairly accurately determine the lower limit of the salary range for a specific position. With the upper limit, everything is a little more complicated, it is more blurred and it depends more on both the applicant himself (his level of expertise, value) and the employer (the general level of offered salaries relative to the market). To clarify, you can try to communicate with someone who already works or until recently worked in the company in question.

4. When negotiating your salary, base it on your value, not your needs.

Of course, when determining an acceptable salary level for yourself, you will be guided by your financial needs and plans, taking into account all possible restrictions and inputs. For example, to start a new job you need to move to another city, which means there will be additional costs for rent, transportation, etc. However, this information is more for your thoughts. It is important here for the employer/interviewer to make it clear that you have, in principle, taken all this into account and the same renting of housing will not come as a surprise to you and will be a reason for revising your salary.

As many people know they pay not to those who need it, but to those who are worth it. Therefore, if you give any arguments to justify your financial expectations, then first of all they must be based on the benefits for the employer:

• A new employee is hired into a company to solve a problem. Show that you understand the problem and know how to solve it
• Share your ideas/experience on how you can organize this or that process, do the work more efficiently, faster, and with better quality
• Give an example of how your previous employer benefited from your work: an increase in some indicators, a reduction in costs, etc.

5. Discuss the salary level for the near future and possible growth in the future.

So, you have already determined the approximate salary range for the position in question, compared it with your needs and level of expertise. Then you can proceed as follows:

• If you are a beginner

  • Feel free to indicate that you have little or no experience in this area.
  • Say that your main focus right now is experience and professional development. In this regard, you are now considering the lower salary threshold for yourself and according to your data it is such and such<нижняя граница вилки>.
  • Further, when you gain the necessary experience and knowledge, achieve your development goals (ask a question about the goals and criteria for assessing their achievement), you expect an increase in salary and, again, according to your information in this area, you can count on such and such an amount<верхняя граница вилки>.

• If you are an experienced specialist and expert

  • Indicate that as an expert you expect an appropriate amount of compensation, which is at the moment amounts to the following amount on the market<верхняя граница вилки>.
  • Since you are a new person to the company, it would be logical for the employer to want to check your value “in action.” For this purpose, you can offer to start with a lower salary for a pre-agreed period, after which you will be paid the target amount (<верхняя граница вилки>).
  • You discuss with the interviewer the starting salary level (for example, the average or lower value of the fork), determine the tasks for reaching the stated level of compensation, the criteria for assessing their achievement, as well as the timing of a possible change in salary.
  • Also, in your case, compensation for the delta between the lower and upper limits of the fork can be tied to the fulfillment of KPIs, the payment of which will be in addition to the salary.

How do you usually react to HR’s question about what salary you expect? Are you starting to feel shy and speak uncertainly?

To ensure that your salary negotiations are as successful as possible for you, you know what to say and are at your best, we asked our expert - recruiter of the Lviv consulting group Oksana Abramenko formulate the ten most important rules.

1. The employer should be the first to talk about money.

Never start conversations about salary first. You risk creating the erroneous impression of yourself that all you are interested in is money. Rest assured: the employer understands perfectly well that this issue of remuneration is very important, so he will never forget to ask it, and will not deliberately delay this moment. In general, the question will be asked at the right time.

For example, a telephone conversation after sending a resume or an interview with a recruiter (the case when the recruitment is carried out by an agency and not by the employing company). Some employers want to immediately “weed out” those candidates who will not fit into the allocated budget, so they ask about salary expectations at the first opportunity.

2. You must announce the amount

Never, in response to a question about your desired salary, ask: “How much can you offer?” What will the employer think in this case? First, you yourself do not know how much you are worth in the labor market, which will already be a huge disadvantage for you. Secondly, you are simply haggling, afraid to sell yourself cheap and give a lower amount. Both are repulsive.

3. Google it to get the correct number.

To adequately answer the question about salary and give an adequate figure, you must prepare. So do some research the night before your interview. Its main goal is to understand how much specialists of your level currently cost on average and how much your employer is theoretically willing to pay you.

Where can I get this data?

Excellent sources for this information are:

1. Analytical data from employment sites;

2. Vacancies of companies of the same level as the one where you want to go (those that indicate the salary);

3. Resumes of applicants who are applying for the same position as you.

4. Survey of friends/colleagues/acquaintances who work in similar types of companies and in the same industry.

4. You can call it a “fork”

If you do not know anything about your position other than what is written in the vacancy, in some cases it will be more correct to name not the specific amount you are counting on, but a “fork”, that is, the amount from and to. Moreover, the gap between the minimum and maximum figures should be no more than 20-35%. Also, when naming the amount from and to, for example, from 10,000 to 12,000 hryvnia, be prepared that they may ask you a question: “So, are you ready to work for 10,000?” Therefore, think in advance what numbers you will put in your fork.

Even in the “fork” case, it is important to clarify that you will be able to give an exact figure when you know in more detail about the scope of work, responsibility, goals and payment system. For example, what is the variable and constant part, how does the system of bonuses and bonuses work, and whether they exist at all. When talking about money, be sure to take an interest in this.

It is also quite normal during an interview if you name a specific amount you want to earn.

5. Clarify whether we are talking about a “clean” or “dirty” salary

When talking about money, always clarify that you mean “clean” salary, since in some companies we sometimes talk about “dirty” salary, that is, salary before all taxes are deducted. Many job seekers fall into this trap.

6. Don’t say “I’m open to discussion” right away.

“I’m open to discussion” is a good tactic, especially if the candidate did not mention the lowest level of his salary. But this phrase should not be said immediately after you have announced a specific amount - then it seems as if you yourself are not sure that you deserve to receive that much. It is best to say that you are ready to discuss salary if the employer tells you that this amount is beyond the budget, or if this is visible from his facial expression.

You should also remember the acceptable limits of salary reduction. So on the eve of the interview, you must decide for yourself the minimum you agree to. But also remember that the lower limit should differ from the upper limit by 20-35%. Because otherwise, if you are ready to significantly reduce the amount, the employer will question how much you earn at your current job and whether you initially overestimated your salary expectations.

7. Optimal salary increase – 30%

In an effort to earn more, don’t go too far. Often, experienced HR managers, when inviting you for an interview, already know how much you earned at your previous job. Therefore, if you name an amount twice as large, this will, to put it mildly, cause misunderstanding and tricky questions to bring you to light.

8. You must know why you want to receive such a salary.

Very often, employers ask why the applicant names a particular amount. Your main reference points in the answer, which can be referred to, are the market situation, your experience, achievements and qualifications (additional educational programs, certification, for example, 1C for accountants, 6 Sigma system for engineering positions), as well as the amount of work that is needed will fulfill. Never use difficult life circumstances, marriage, birth of children, etc. as an argument.

9. Don’t try to persuade an employer to choose you by lowering your salary.

It is a huge misconception that the employer will choose the candidate who will cost him less than all the others. If you deliberately lower your salary expectations (for example, this is often done by those job seekers who cannot find a job for a very long time), this will cause a lot of doubts and negative speculation. For example, that you do not value yourself, you are not confident in your abilities and that your professional qualifications are insufficient if you are asking for such an amount. By the way, some employers fundamentally do not consider candidates for “cheap” applicants.

10. Be sure to discuss all the details

This advice is more relevant for young professionals without work experience, who often become “victims” of unscrupulous employers, working for pennies. Be sure to clarify all the details of your financial compensation at the interview: for example, how long you will work for the minimum wage, what goals you need to achieve, what to get a promotion (“what should I learn?”, “what should I achieve?”).

You've worked hard to perfect your resume and deservedly received an invitation to an interview. This means, however, that the hunt has just begun. It is important to prepare yourself to answer questions about your competencies, skills and professional experience, but it is equally important to prepare to answer the question:

What are your salary expectations?

Knowing the answer to this question will give you confidence and will not take you by surprise. When answering a question about salary expectations, your wrong answer could cost you a job offer. An incorrect answer can also put you in the difficult position of undersizing wages, you will not be able to qualify for a larger size. After all, in some circumstances, the worst thing that can happen to a job seeker is failing to obtain a job offer at the maximum salary set by the employing company for the position.
I will try to prepare you so that you do not miss the chance to get a high salary.

How to answer a question about salary in an interview?

Why do companies ask candidates at the first interview about the amount of their desired salary? Ultimately, employers want to know whether they can afford the employee and meet their requirements before they invest time and resources to determine whether you are a good fit. Some employers may bargain. Despite the average market value for certain positions, some companies may pay larger bonuses than others. Other possible reason is that they are trying to understand how you evaluate your work. Are you confident enough to ask for the size you deserve or do you meekly accept what they offer you?

Your task: Sell yourself as the ideal candidate and convince them of your value to them before you begin.
When and how is the question about salary asked?
Typically, the salary topic is one or both questions:
1) What was your salary at your previous job?
2) What salary are you considering now?

Questions may be asked early, as part of the selection process, or may be asked later, after you have answered the general questions. In some respects, this good sign when the topic of salary is present in the interview. This indicates that there is some interest in you coming to work for the company. The other side of the coin, however, is that when you are not prepared to answer a money question, it is easy to take the wrong step in answering that question, which can cost you dearly in the future.

Your task: Expect to be asked about salary at an interview and be prepared to answer the question: What are your salary expectations?

Adviсe:
1. You'll have more leverage to negotiate your salary later after you've been able to demonstrate your level of professionalism.
2. You may want to undersell yourself to ensure you get a job offer. While some businesses do buy candidates at the lowest price, there are many others who know the job market well and will shy away from candidates who are all too willing to lower their standards to get the job.
Also, consider this: You really want to work for a company that makes you feel like you got the cheapest deal possible. Or do you want to work for a company that focuses on the most qualified candidates for the job and is willing to pay?

Your task: Before answering the salary question, it is important to know the prices in your area and area. They can be found on websites such as: hh.ru and Superjob.ru.

These sites can help you understand the salary range for a specific position. You'll likely find some conflicting information and wide ranges of reported salaries at some companies, but at least you'll get a general idea and be able to check your expectations against reality.
Your goal is to achieve a reasonable salary that you feel is fair and based on market value. This way, when answering a salary question, you can give an accurate number that is based on real data and position yourself in market prices, rather than just stating the number you would like to receive.

Tactics for delaying response to salary questions

“I am more interested in finding a position that is a great fit for my skills and competencies. I am confident that you offer a decent salary that is competitive in the labor market.”

This way you let them know that you have confidence in your abilities and respect yourself to sell too low.

An interview is a negotiation where you win or lose. Knowing how to answer questions and avoid common mistakes that even experienced candidates make can help you reduce your job search time. Having good interview skills will help you stand out from other candidates and land better offers and better jobs.

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Coach for job search and career building. The only trainer-interviewer in Russia who prepares for all types of interviews. Resume writing expert. Author of the books: “I’m Afraid of Interviews!”, “Destroying #Resume,” “Destroying #CoverLetter.”

If an employee has worked the established standard of time for a month and fulfilled the established job duties, his salary should not be less than minimum size wages (minimum wage).

From January 1, 2013, the federal minimum wage is 5,205 rubles per month (Article 133 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, Article 1 of the Law of December 3, 2012 No. 232-FZ). From January 1, 2014, the minimum wage will be increased to 5,554 rubles. Meanwhile, regional agreements on the minimum wage in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation may establish a different value, even higher than the federal one (Article 133.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

In accordance with Article 133 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the minimum wage should not be less than the subsistence level of the working population. At the same time, at the moment the minimum wage is about 69% percent of the subsistence level of the working-age population for the first quarter of 2013 - 7,633 rubles. (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated June 27, 2013 No. 545). As follows from Article 421 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the procedure and timing for increasing the minimum wage should be determined by a special law, which does not yet exist.

According to some industry agreements, employee wages should no longer be less than the subsistence level. In particular, this applies to the oil and gas industry, where the monthly tariff rate of a category I worker cannot be less than the subsistence level of the working population in Russia as a whole (clause 3.1 of the industry agreement dated December 7, 2010). The list of industry agreements can be found on the website of Rostrud of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, industry agreements are mandatory for commercial enterprises only if they join them (Article 48 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). Organizations are considered to have acceded to the industry agreement if, within 30 calendar days from the date of publication of the relevant proposal (in " Rossiyskaya newspaper") they did not send a written reasoned refusal to join it to the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia (Article 48 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, clause 3 of the Procedure approved by order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia dated April 12, 2007 No. 260).

The Government of the Russian Federation sets the cost of living for the country as a whole every quarter. Executive authorities determine the cost of living for each region. At the same time, the cost of living can be found out from the official press or on the websites of the administrations of the corresponding constituent entity of the Russian Federation (Article 133 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, Articles 4, 7 of the Law of October 24, 1997 No. 134-FZ). For example, Decree of the Government of the Volgograd Region dated October 29, 2013 No. 583-p established the cost of living in the Volgograd Region for 3rd quarter 2013 year per capita – 6665 rubles; for the working population – 7193 rubles; for pensioners – 5456 rubles; for children – 6544 rubles.

When establishing the regional minimum wage, regional authorities are guided by the cost of living of the working population in the region (Part 3 of Article 133.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). At the same time, the regional minimum wage does not apply to organizations that are financed from the federal budget (Part 2 of Article 133.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

Thus, on the basis of the AGREEMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE VOLGOGRAD REGION, THE VOLGOGRAD REGIONAL COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS, THE ASSOCIATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP ORGANIZATIONS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES OF THE VOLGOGRAD REGION DATED 07/28/2010 No. C-11 1/10 (as amended as of July 10, 2013) minimum wage in the Volgograd region, in particular, for the non-budgetary sector of the economy, it is set at 1.2 times the subsistence minimum for the working population of the Volgograd region.

All organizations in the region can join the regional minimum wage agreement, even if they did not participate in its conclusion. A proposal to join a regional agreement is officially published along with the text of the agreement (Part 7, Article 133.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). If the company does not send a written reasoned refusal within 30 calendar days, it is considered that it agrees with the regional agreement. This means that the organization will be obliged, from the moment the regional agreement is officially published, to establish a monthly salary for employees not lower than the regional minimum wage. If the organization decides not to join the agreement, it sends a written refusal to the subject of the Russian Federation, and a copy of it is transferred to the territorial branch of Rostrud (Parts 8-11 of Article 133.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

It is important to note that if an organization pays employees wages below the industry average wage established in the region, this may entail an on-site tax audit of the enterprise (Order of the Federal Tax Service of Russia dated May 30, 2007 No. MM-3-06/333).

Responsibility for wages below the minimum wage

For payment of wages below the minimum wage, administrative and criminal liability is provided. In accordance with Part 1 of Article 5.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, the head of an organization may be fined in the amount of 1,000 to 5,000 rubles, and the organization – in the amount of 30,000 to 50,000 rubles. Moreover, for a repeated violation, the manager faces disqualification for a period of one to three years (Part 2 of Article 5.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

In addition, such a violation can be qualified as a violation or failure to fulfill obligations under a collective agreement. In this case, the head of the organization may be given a warning or fined in the amount of 3,000 to 5,000 rubles (Article 5.31 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

Issues related to bringing to administrative liability are considered by the labor inspectorate or the court (Part 1.2 of Article 23.1, 23.12 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

Based on Article 236 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, an employee whose salary was less than the minimum wage has the right to demand additional payment for the entire period of work, as well as compensation for delayed payment. If the enterprise fails to comply with this requirement, the employee may file a complaint with the labor inspectorate. In addition, labor inspectors may also find out about violations of the law during an inspection. For payment of wages below the minimum wage for more than two months, the head of an organization is subject to criminal liability in accordance with Part 2 of Article 145.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Additional payments, bonuses, allowances

When checking an employee’s salary for compliance with the minimum wage, additional payments and salary supplements must be taken into account. The salary of an employee who has worked the standard amount of time for a month and fulfilled labor standards (job duties) should not be less than the minimum wage (minimum wage).

At the same time, according to Part 1 of Article 129 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the composition of wages (wages) includes the following elements:

• the employee’s basic salary at the tariff rate (salary) - remuneration for work;
• compensation payments (for example, additional payments and allowances for work in conditions deviating from normal, etc.);
• incentive payments (bonuses and other incentive payments).

It follows from this that when checking the compliance of the salary (wages) of an employee with the minimum wage, you need to take into account any additional payments and allowances to the salary. That is, it is taken total amount wages (including remuneration for labor, all additional payments and allowances, incentive payments without exception), and is compared with the minimum wage. Similar explanations are given in the letter of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated November 24, 2009. No. 03-03-06/1/768. Supreme Court RF in definitions dated July 23, 2010. No. 75-B10-2, dated May 21, 2010. No. 8-B10-2 confirmed this position.

Similar rules apply when checking whether an employee’s salary corresponds to the regional minimum wage, since there are no special rules in this regard Labor Code The Russian Federation does not establish.

The employee works part-time or part-time

Since the minimum wage established by federal legislation is guaranteed to those who have worked the full standard of working time in a month (Part 3 of Article 133 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation), part-time workers and part-time employees can be paid less than the minimum wage. Their work will be paid in proportion to the time actually worked or depending on the volume of work performed (Article 285, 93 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, letter of the Federal Tax Service of Russia dated August 31, 2010 No. ШС-37-3/10304).

At the same time, for an employee working part-time, the salary is set at full size, indicate it in the employment contract, and are paid partially based on actual work. This procedure is determined by Article 57 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, according to which the employment contract must indicate the salary in the amount that is paid when working out the entire working time standard established for this category of employees. Part-time employees do not work out a monthly quota, so they are paid only a portion of the salary established in the employment contract for the month. This part is determined in proportion to the time worked or depending on the volume of work performed (Part 2 of Article 93 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, letter of Rostrud dated 06/08/2007 No. 1619-6).

Therefore, in an employment contract, the condition on the procedure for remunerating an employee can be formulated as follows: “The employee is given a salary of 25,000 rubles per month. Wages are calculated in proportion to the time worked.”

Wage indexation

In accordance with Article 134 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, employee salaries must be indexed in connection with the increase in consumer prices for goods and services. Increasing the level of real wages is one of the main government guarantees. Therefore, indexing the level of employees’ wages is an obligation, and not a right of the organization (Article 130 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

Since the current legislation has not established the indexation procedure for organizations that do not receive budgetary funding for the payment of wages, the enterprise is obliged to independently consolidate it in its local documents (for example, in a collective agreement, Regulations on wages). If the indexation procedure is not established in the current local regulatory documents, appropriate changes (additions) must be made to them (Articles 130, 134 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, letter of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia and Rostrud dated April 19, 2010 No. 1073-6-1). For failure to comply with the requirements of labor legislation, officials of the organization may be subject to administrative liability.

FinExecutive Russia website 2018-06-15

How to correctly answer a question about salary at your previous job

A job interview is a lot like a game of poker, and by showing your cards too early, you can lose a lot of your winnings. In this case we are talking about your future salary. When you are asked to name your desired salary, this question is often accompanied by another - what it was at previous jobs.