How to Answer 'What Are Your Salary Expectations?' in Salary Negotiations

Problem Description:
During an interview, interviewers often directly ask, 'What are your salary expectations?' This question may seem simple, but an improper answer can lead to a lower offered salary or even losing the job opportunity. You need to learn how to respond in a way that showcases your value while leaving room for negotiation.

Solution Process:

1. Don't Rush to Give a Specific Number

   • Wrong Approach: Stating a fixed amount directly (e.g., 'I expect a monthly salary of 20,000'). This can lead to two risks:
     • If your quote is lower than the company's budget, they may gladly accept it, but you end up shortchanged.
     • If your quote is significantly higher than the budget, the interviewer might perceive your expectations as unrealistic.
   • Correct Strategy: Ask a counter-question first to gather more information, for example:
     'Thank you for the question. I want my compensation to be commensurate with my experience and the role's responsibilities. Could you share the salary range for this position?'

2. Research and Anchor a Reasonable Range in Advance

   • Before the interview, research the market rate for the position through industry reports (e.g., salary surveys on job sites), professional networks, and public company information.
   • Based on your own experience (e.g., years, skill scarcity), adjust the market rate by 10%-20% to define a minimum acceptable salary and a target salary.

3. Use a Range Instead of a Specific Number

   • If the interviewer insists that you provide a number first, offer a floating range, for example:
     'Based on my experience and the market situation, my expected salary range is between 300,000 and 400,000 per year.'
   • Note: The lower bound of the range should be higher than your minimum acceptable salary to avoid being lowballed.

4. Link Value to Justify the Range

   • After giving the range, immediately follow up with reasons, tying the salary to the value you can bring, for example:
     'This expectation is based on my 5 years of experience in similar projects, where I contributed to cost optimizations of 2 million. I am confident I can quickly create value for the team.'

5. Leave Room for Flexibility

   • If the other party indicates the range is high, you can顺势 inquire about other forms of compensation (e.g., annual bonus, stock options, training resources), demonstrating flexibility:
     'Salary is just one part of the overall compensation package. I also value growth opportunities. If there's flexibility in the compensation structure, we can discuss further.'

Summary:
The core of answering the salary question is 'delaying the quote—exchanging information—anchoring value.' Gain the initiative by asking counter-questions, support your expectations with research data, consistently link salary to your value, and ultimately achieve a win-win outcome through flexible negotiation.