Employee explains how to approach the questions of desired pay during interviews

Navigating salary discussions during job interviews can be a tough task, as job seekers strive for fair compensation while employers aim to remain within budget constraints. One Reddit user, u/YepperyYepstein, recently shared a clever strategy on the r/antiwork subreddit, shedding light on how they skillfully handle the oft-dreaded question about their desired pay during interviews.

This individual's approach unfolds in response to the interviewer's inquiry about expected pay, They wrote, "If selected for this position and made an offer, I will trust that an offer will be made in good faith, taking my skills and experience into consideration. I will know based on an offer whether it will be a good fit for me." When pressed by the interviewer for a concrete figure, the user maintains their strategic stance. They further go on and say, "Since I don't know the way your organization determines the pay scale, I wouldn't have a concrete number to give you. But I'm sure the range is available internally, and I would say an amount within that range that reflects my skills and experience. Did you have any additional questions about my skills or experience that would help clarify that?"

This approach allows the job applicant to redirect the conversation from disclosing a specific salary expectation upfront to highlighting their qualifications and the organization's internal pay scale. By doing so, they encourage the interviewer to provide more transparency regarding the company's compensation practices and potentially reveal whether they tend to low-ball candidates.

People responded to this user's strategy with a blend of support and alternative tactics. One user, u/barnhole, shared their own experience of joining a team where the pay was considerably higher than industry standards. They emphasized that job seekers should not assume subpar compensation solely because it isn't disclosed in the job listing. They said, "My current position didn't have pay listed and ended up starting people on our team 40% more than other positions in the industry. The same wage for everyone. I was so shocked that I thought it was a mistake and made sure to ask again what the pay was. Most of us have no experience in the industry itself and were provided great training."

Another user, u/Varnigma, shared their approach to salary discussions, stating, "What do you have budgeted for this position?" when confronted with the salary expectation question. This technique often leads to more candid conversations about compensation and, as they noted, typically yields answers. It underscores the importance of job seekers actively engaging in salary discussions to ensure their financial expectations align with the employer's budget.

The art of handling salary discussions during interviews is a sensitive yet vital aspect of job hunting. This individual's way provides job seekers with a strategic way to avoid prematurely committing to a specific figure and potentially exposing themselves to low-ball offers. However, as highlighted by the comments from the Reddit community, there are various approaches to this negotiation dance, and the key is to find a method that aligns with both the applicant's expectations and the employer's budget.

Before concluding their post the individual offers some food for thought, "If a company doesn't expect money to be important to you, why should you assume and do the work of telling them where in their pay scale they should pay you?"