When it comes to job interviews, there is one question that leaves people stumped—discussing salary expectations.
While nerve-wracking, it is an important part of the interview, and seasoned recruiter Lee Harding has shared the worst mistakes candidates make when asked: “What is your salary expectation?”
A talent acquisition director, Harding has been working in talent acquisition and recruitment for almost 20 years and shared his top tips for jobseekers on TikTok at @theintrovertedrecruiter.
In a recent video with more than 700,000 views, he shared the common faux pas made by candidates when it comes to salary discussions.
“The mistake most people make,” Harding said in the viral video, “is when asked what their salary expectations are, is they will say something like, ‘I’m currently on 60k and i’m looking for 70k.’ So what the interviewer actually heard there is that you’re currently on 60k, and you will probably take any offer that is above 60k, because it’s more than you are currently making now.”
He said that it isn’t a good idea to disclose your current salary, instead offering a more strategic approach by asking the interviewer about the salary range they are offering.
“Ask the interviewer, what is the salary range for this role?” he said. Then, for example, if the interviewer said the salary is between $65,000-$75,000, you can ask what skills and experience are required for the highest salary.
Armed with this information, it is possible to align your skills with those the recruiter is looking for and adjust your salary expectations accordingly.
“I see lots of really bad job search advice online,” Harding told Newsweek. “Especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.”
Drawing from his extensive recruitment background, Harding has been offering his own advice, and counteracting the wrong advice, with his content.
In hundreds of responses to the video, it was clear that Harding’s advice was valuable to viewers.
“Awesome tip, brilliantly explained,” said one commenter.
Another viewer wrote: “This is awesome advice, I’ve recently started looking for work again and the salary question always stumps me.”
When it comes to any salary discussion, Harding laid out one golden rule: “Know your worth,” he said. “Do your research and find out what the current salary ranges are for your role.”
“A lot of people assume they’re currently being paid “market rate,” but market rates change so quickly that by the time you look for your next job, you could actually be 20-30 percent below market rate,” he said. “If you’re setting your salary expectations based on your current salary—which a lot of people do—then you risk underselling yourself in your next role.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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