What is your current salary?
This is a delicate question, and how you navigate it could reveal more about you as a candidate. Your interviewer is curious how your self-perception of your professional worth aligns with your interview performance. As they state on their website, "The actual base salary offered is determined based on the successful candidate's relevant experience, skills, and competencies." So put in the work ahead of time to quantify a realistic number to start from as a negotiating point. The more prepared you are for every stage of your interview, the stronger your work ethic will seem, increasing your worth.
"I am currently earning a base salary of 78,000 plus a car allowance of 900/month plus health benefits and two bonus opportunities. I have my next bi-annual performance review next month and typically receive a 3% increase every six months. I would like to move upward in salary, with opportunities for growth more aligned with my career goals."
Selling yourself too short could suggest low self-worth and make them wonder if there's more to your story that would substantiate that lower figure. Aiming too high could suggest over-confidence or even arrogance. But finding a number that is just right takes time. There is a lot that goes into finding the right number. It starts with trying to gain a general understanding of the budgetary restrictions the recruiter has to work with. For example, most of Teck Resources' job postings display the salary range for the position. These are the numbers you have to work with.
However, it's important to remember that anything that lowers your cost of living or contributes to your financial health is worth incorporating into your negotiation. This includes benefits, retirement contributions, bonuses, gym membership, and anything that has a dollar value. Also, consider your projected income, the frequency of your pay increases, and the percentage of each increase. Lastly, take into consideration anything that they have to offer which doesn't necessarily pay out now, but will ultimately increase your worth over time, such as helping facilitate your career goals, or being awarded a more prestigious title.
Teck Resources states online that they are committed to internal equity and that they are "committed to providing all employees and contractors with a fair living wage that is above the local minimum wage for all of our operations. We monitor the employment market to ensure we maintain a competitive total rewards offering while attracting and retaining the employees needed now and in the future. We conduct a living wage review for all our salaried employees in Canada, the U.S. and Chile, where our operations are located. The review is conducted by comparing the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee in each jurisdiction to the living wage information available through external data sources."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I am looking for compensation that is aligned with the role and provides an opportunity for growth.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is an acceptable answer. In many states, companies are no longer allowed to ask this question, but they may also ask another form of this question, which would be "What is your desired salary?" If you feel comfortable, you can always give a salary range that you would like to land within and speak to the importance of benefits if applicable to you.
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