The most important part while hunting Jobs in India is when the HR manager asks you about your expected salary. Depending upon what you ask you can actually overvalue or undervalue yourself. So, it is most important to be aware of your true market potential to ensure that you don’t miss the job opportunity. Even the most seasoned and experienced professionals face challenges in answering salary-related questions in an interview. To help you deal with the tricky questions better, following are some suggestions to deal with salary-related questions: Some tips to answer salary-related questions Be honest: When you are asked about your compensation in your previous organization, answer the question with honesty. Today, there are many ways for the recruiters to verify the salary of a prospective candidate. Research: Come prepared for a job interview and research about the market value before appearing for the meeting. This will also help you answer questions related to your salary expectations. Avoid direct answers: Avoid directly answering the questions. You can cite examples of the market conditions and discuss about industry situations for the answer. Highlight the factors that have interested you in applying for the position. Also ask about the factors which can have an impact on your salary. Be flexible: Salary negotiation can actually make or break your opportunity to get the job and hence, do not negotiate salary before receiving the job offer. Also let the interviewer know that you are open for discussion about compensation. Be comfortable: Sooner or later in an interview you’ll be asked questions regarding salary. So, don’t look uncomfortable in discussing about compensation. However, you may avoid bringing up the question yourself. Be patient: Do not rush to answer questions about salary. If you are asked a direct question, take your time in framing your answer before replying. Also look out for tricky, indirect questions which can lead to salary discussions. Know the company: Before appearing for an interview, learn about the company. This can give you a fair idea about its payment structure. However, established companies have their fixed remuneration structure which may be hard to negotiate. Carry documents: Some recruiters may ask you to carry documents regarding your salary with you for the interview. Be prepared with your documents that have your compensation mentioned in it. If you also earn incentives and performance bonuses apart from your salary, carry documents to substantiate that. Given below are some of the common questions about salary that are asked during an interview: How much are you earning in your current company? What were your first and last salaries? How much do you expect to earn from this job? What are your salary requirements on short-term and long-term basis? Have you earned any performance bonus or incentives in your previous organization? Why or why not do you think there is a salary hike last time? Are you flexible in negotiating your salary? Today, there are many websites available online for professionals to have a fair guess on their market value based on the industry, experience, skills, qualification, location etc. These can help one in dealing with salary questions better.


