Ways to dance around pay-expectation questions

[Monirul Islam]

There is one question you're sure to be asked sometime during the interview process: What are your salary expectations? Don Sutaria, president and founder of CareerQuest, a staffing and training firm, advises job seekers to avoid offering a solid figure. "Don't answer the question. Say, 'I'll expect the fair market value. Make me an offer and we can discuss it.' Or, 'Maybe you can tell me what your range is?'"

Sutaria suggests arming yourself with information. "It's very easy to find now, based on the job title and industry, what your range is." A reliable online resource is Salary.com. Professional associations also sometimes conduct salary surveys and publish their results.

Remember that if you do name an amount early in the process, it's going to be difficult to renegotiate later. If and when you're asked the question in an interview, ask the interviewer about the position's salary level for someone with your qualifications.

Source: The Career News