How to answer the question of Salary Expectations in a job interview.

Hi guys while reading some interesting job/career articles we found this one shared below. We hope it will be useful to you... Article is in Italics font, see source link at bottom of page.

One of the most awkward questions you can be asked in a job interview is "What are your salary requirements?" or "How much are you making in your current job?"

As in many uncomfortable situations, your immediate reaction may be to immediately give an answer, stating how much you make and then explaining what range you'd be looking for in this job.

It's a trap, argues Ramit Sethi, the bestselling personal-finance writer and teacher. In a recent episode of "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast, Ferriss highlights several of Sethi's lessons that are hosted on CreativeLive, an online classroom company Ferriss works with.

When experienced hiring managers hear a direct answer to that salary question, Sethi says, they immediately think, "OK, gotcha." Because, for example, maybe they were willing to offer you $90,000. But when they hear you were making $60,000, they'll know they won't have to let go of as much of the company's money to appeal to you.

If you flatly refuse to answer the question, you might give your interviewer a bad impression. But you won't need to do that. Borrow a tactic from politicians and dodge it instead.

If you're in a job interview and a hiring manager asks you how much you make or how much you're looking for, Sethi says, answer something like, "You know what, I'm happy to discuss money down the road, but right now I'm just trying to see if there's a good fit for both of us. I'm sure you're trying to do the same thing."

Sethi says that this communicates confidence to the interviewer and can suggest that you have multiple offers on the table.

His advice is to hold off on salary negotiations until the hiring manager comes at you with a job offer, but, people being people, you may run into an interviewer who will keep pushing until they get an answer.

In an interview with Business Insider in May, HR consultant Lynn Taylor also recommended the dodge tactic, but said that if you get an insistent interviewer, answer truthfully but with an explanation.

That is, answer the range question based on what people already in that position make at the company — which you should know from your research — and answer the current-salary question by fleshing out your other benefits and the possibility of recently increased duties that have yet to be reflected in a raise.

Whatever the case, never answer directly.

Otherwise, you've already lost the edge in a negotiation before it even began.

SOURCE

Tell me about yourself? How to answer this question.

It is the question that has many job seekers worried and afraid to answer. Before we are able to help you with answering this question we have to explain why it is important to the employer to ask it. 

In recent times this question, "tell me about yourself?", has become more popular as it gives the employer/recruiter insight into your skills/abilities, experience, but also who you are as a person!  

The question gives insight into: 

• You abilities (skills and qualifications)
• Your work experience relative of course to the position you are applying for.
• It also reveals how well you communicate information (how you get your points across)
• It reveals your personality - while it does show the employer whether or not you have the requisite technical skills to fit the position it also reveals how you see yourself and gives a glimpse of your personality (example; cheerful, cautious, personable or reserved, etc.) Yes personality traits may also determine if the employer sees you as the perfect fit for the position and also the work environment you may be placed in. 

All this information your prospective employer needs to know! 

We suggest then that you use this question to your advantage rather than hold negative views about it. Instead approach it as an opportunity to highlight your strengths (relative to the position, of course) and to give focus to the qualifications that make you the perfect fit and help you stand out during the interview process.

Note well that this “question” may also be presented in other ways such as, “Who really is Marcia?”, “Tell me more about you?”, or “Give us an insight into your background?”. Whatever the presentation, the interviewer's intent is the same. He/she is looking for strong indications that:

1. You can do the job (person-job fit)
2. You will fit into the organisation (person/personality-organisation fit)
3. There are accomplishments you can speak of which substantiate your claim to being the right person for the job
4. You have what it takes to help the organisation achieve its goals

Please do not answer this question by telling your life story or only present a list of personal attributes. Also, there is no need to restate your name; the interviewer already knows that. If in the past your response was along the line of Jane Smith's answer below, it's time to re-consider.

“Well, as you know, my name is Jane Smith. I live in Manchester but I'm originally from a district in Clarendon called Gimme-mi-bit. I am kind, compassionate, eager to learn, highly motivated, a team player and I can hit the ground running. I love to cook and make pastry. And later in the future I would like to own my own catering company.”

Your response to “Tell me about yourself” is your 30- to 45-second commercial or elevator sales pitch that will have the employer interested in learning more about you and that will assure him/her that inviting you to interview was a good decision after all. The golden rules to responding well are:

1. Focus on what interests the employer
2. Highlight your most significant accomplishments
3. Don't make a long speech

We are also recommending a three-step approach to constructing your personal commercial/elevator sales pitch.

Tell who you are professionally
What is most impressive about you as a potential employee. Do not give too much detail or a chronology of all your experience and accomplishments. Instead, highlight what is most impressive about you as a professional. It's okay to make reference to how your competencies/skills are being applied at your current job. For good measure, mention personality traits that may have direct bearing on the position you are seeking.

Say why you are qualified
Highlight two to four of your accomplishments that will convince the interviewer that you are the perfect fit. This could be a classic reverse chronological summary of your accomplishments in your last two positions. Again, bear in mind relevance to the position.

Clearly state why you are there (at the interview)
Express enthusiastic interest in the position. In one or two sentences, show that you are fully aware of the company's needs and that you are more than prepared to help them meet those needs.

Even as you follow the golden rules and the three-step approach, try not to sound rehearsed as you respond. Your confidence, enthusiasm and true personality must shine through for the message itself to be convincing.

We wish you all the best on your job hunt journey!