INTERVIEW COACH
Rachelle Enns
Rachelle is a job search expert, career coach, and headhunter who helps everyone from students to fortune 500 executives find success in their career.
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How much do you think this job should pay?
TIPS TO PREPARE
TOP ANSWERS
This question is merely another way for the interviewer to ask about your desired pay for this role. Be honest about what you are hoping to make, but you should also avoid asking for too little, or for too much. Using an online salary calculating tool, like the ones from Glassdoor or Indeed, will help you to determine the average ask for your position, years of experience, and even location. You can also use your current salary as part of the basis for your ask.
Example #1
"I am currently earning $15/hour and am up for a raise to $16/hour in the next couple of months. My ideal salary is $17-19/hour plus health benefits, which I believe is a fair ask for this role."
Example #2
"I am newer to my career, so I performed some research on the topic, hoping to gain an understanding of the average pay for a receptionist in this area. The ranges I saw were $14-18/hour depending on experience. Do you have an amount in mind for this position?"
Example #3
"Managers in this industry, with my level of experience, range from $80,000-120,000 per year. I am currently earning in the upper scope of that. In my next position, I would like to see a fair increase in my pay but am also more interested in discussing additional perks such as health and dental benefits, vacation time, and more."
Example #4
"I have worked as a freelancer for a few years, so it is challenging for me to determine how much is average pay for this type of role. I have heard a range but would be interested in learning more about what you are offering, as I am sure it is fair."
Example #5
"Most retail positions offer minimum wage plus some commission breakdown. Overall, I currently earn about $18/hour with commission worked in. I would like to join a company that is a touch more generous than my current employer, but that can also translate into work-related perks versus my hourly rate."
Example #6
"I need to be earning a minimum of $150,000 per year. I believe this number to be very fair given my track record of success and the many years of experience I bring in this industry."
Example #7
"From what I have researched, the average pay for a high school English teacher with 8-10 years of experience, in this region, is $90,000 per year. Is this correct?"
More Interview Q&As
Explore expert tips and resources to be more confident in your next interview.
Behavioral
Common
Phone
Tough
Leadership
All Interview Topics
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About Our Approach to Q&As
Our interview questions are created by writers, most of whom have a long history of recruiting and interviewing candidates. They do not necessarily have experience interviewing or working with the companies, careers or schools they may write for on MockQuestions.com. We strive to match our experts' background and expertise with the appropriate question sets found on our website.