So, what's your salary expecation?'....long pause

How to answer the dreaded ‘what are your salary expectations’ question in a job interview.

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Money talk is awkward at the best of times. This very important part of our lives for some reason has become a bit of a taboo subject, something most of us aren’t particularly comfortable talking about. Then throw in the stress of a job interview - we’re bound to seize up, sell ourselves short or just get a little awkward. Plus we’ve got the added stress of TikTok trends giving us tips on how to avoid answering the question altogether, confusing right!

So how should you answer ‘what are your salary expectations’?, and how do you even figure out what salary to ask for? Because as much as you might hate the question, it’s an important one to answer if you want to get what you deserve. Our recruitment team gives us their tips on how to answer.

Why do recruiters ask for your salary expectations?

The first thing to know is that recruitment consultants (especially from an agency) want you to get the salary that you deserve. There’s no winning for anyone if you don’t get what you need. 

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Recruitment consultants will ask for your salary expectations so they have a clear idea of your requirements and where you see yourself in the market, then help guide you from there. Most specialised recruiters will have an understanding of the market trends and what’s realistic for your level of experience. Quite often they come across candidates who are seriously selling themselves short (particularly in ecommerce), who they can help rethink their expectations.

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The tricky thing in the ecommerce industry at the moment is that not all role titles come with the same salary, or role responsibilities. An Ecommerce Manager for a $10 million dollar business, won’t be earning as much as an Ecommerce Manager at a $100 million dollar business. And quite often when recruiting for a role there won’t be a specific budget, instead many clients are open to spending more if they can find a great candidate with more experience.

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And then there’s the obvious reason, sometimes clients just can’t afford you! Which is completely fine, but something that’s better to know up front instead of at the pointy end of the interview process. 

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How to figure out what your salary expectations are?

The answer is research! Before you sit down for any job interview you’ll want to answer the below questions:

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1. What is my current salary?
2. What would I like to be making?
3. What salary should I be making? 

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The first two are easy - it’s number three that you might need to spend a little more time on. 

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We all know that the ecommerce landscape has and continues to change. Ecommerce professionals went from being undervalued, to the most sought after talent for most retailers. And as you probably guessed, this shifted the going rate for ecomm professionals in Australia. 

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To figure out what you should be making, Em and Liz have given us their top tips:

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1. Ask a recruiter 

You’d be surprised how often our recruitment team gets this exact question. There’s absolutely no harm in asking. Our team can tell you where we think you sit in the market, whether you’re making enough in your current role and even give you advice on how to negotiate a higher salary - you don’t need to be applying for a role with us to ask for our help.

2. Look online

You can find salary information online pretty easily these days. Start with Glassdoor and PayScale, and download as many salary guides as you can find. We have a great one dedicated to Ecommerce Salaries in Australia. 

3. Consider your own qualifications and experience

This might be a hard pill to swallow, but it’s important to reflect on where you’re at in your career and what skills you have to offer. Think about your strategic and executional skills, past experience, education and achievements so far and how they align with the role you’re applying for. Or, if you're approached for a role make sure you ask detailed questions on the responsibilities of the role to see if they align with yours. 

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And finally, how to answer “what’s your salary expectation”?

You’re ready! You’ve done the research, you know what you’re worth and now it’s time to answer the question. 

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So really, there’s no need to skirt around the question. Be honest and upfront, and make sure you don’t negotiate straight away. A simple “based on the role requirements and XYZ that I could bring to the role, I would expect $$” will get the point across, then wait for a response. 

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You’ll know pretty quickly if the number you’ve asked for is higher than expected, which isn’t always a bad thing if you and the client are willing to negotiate. And if the recruiter believes your skills warrant a higher salary - even better! They’ll let you know and help you come up with another figure. 

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For more information on Ecommerce Salaries in Australia, download our Salary Guide here. Or reach out to one of our Recruitment Specialists directly.

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