How to answer "What are your salary expectations?" (With Scripts)

You walk out of that final round interview feeling on top of the world. 

The hiring manager smiles, shakes your hand warmly, and says "We want to extend an offer for you to join our team..." This is IT, all your work has led to this moment!

And then comes the dreaded question, "So...what are your salary expectations?"

You stumble over your words, not wanting to ask for too much or too little. You might even state random numbers or say anything just to end the awkward pause...

In my decades of recruiting experience, these are the most common statements I hear when asked for ‘salary expectation’. 👇

"I made X at my last job, so I should get at least that."

"I don't have much experience, so I'll accept whatever you offer."

"I'm looking for growth opportunities, so salary isn't important."

Of course, this isn't really what we want to say.

So why do we downplay ourselves?

It’s because of the fear barriers (lack of confidence, willingness to compromise, fear of losing the job, etc.) and lack of awareness. A lot of candidates don’t even know that they even have to negotiate.

How to get over the fear barriers?

I totally get those worries swirling around in your head when salary negotiation comes up. 

But I want to offer some friendly counter-perspectives so you can see your true value and have this chat without so much anxiety.

⭐ Just because you're early in your career doesn't make you unqualified for fair pay. Your skills are worth investing in.

⭐ Even if you really need this job, don't settle too quickly without exploring the salary possibilities. The right employer will appreciate you knowing your worth.

⭐ The promise of future growth isn't a guarantee. Ensure you're paid fairly now based on the current role.

⭐ What you made in the past or at other companies doesn't fully apply to this position. Aim higher.

Ready to use scripts for salary negotiation

When it comes to salary, think of it like a game of poker - you want to avoid showing your cards early. 🃏

Whoever states a number first drives the discussion in their favour.

So if no salary range is posted, do your best not to share your ideal or past salary too soon.

👉 Deflect giving an exact figure at first. 

👉 Research salaries for the role beforehand so you know the reasonable market rate.

Q. Recruiter:  What salary range were you expecting for this role?

❌ Incorrect response: Well, I’m still quite junior, so I'll leave it up to you to decide what's fair. At my last startup, I was making ₹8 lakhs per annum. But not sure what the norm is here.

Why it’s wrong: Undervalues your skills and anchored too low. Sharing past salary gives away leverage.

✔️Correct response:  Based on my research into standard pay for software engineers with 5+ years of experience successfully leading projects, the range seems to be ₹15 - 20 lakhs annually. What range did you have in mind for this position?

Why it’s better: Provides a well-informed market salary range without revealing your baseline or needs. Politely flips the question to set expectations higher into their budget first.

Q. Recruiter:  We were planning to offer ₹12 lakhs annually for this position.

❌ Incorrect response:  I was truly hoping to land around ₹15 lakhs per annum given my specialised experience. But I am excited for the role, so I’m willing to compromise on salary if there are clear growth opportunities down the road.

Why it’s wrong: Shows all your cards immediately overplaying your hand. Prioritises vague verbal promises over concrete compensation.

✔️Correct response: Based on my expertise in leading projects end-to-end, I would need an annual salary closer to ₹18 lakhs to make this move work. But I really want this to work out - maybe we could explore some extra performance bonuses or additional training opportunities that could help bridge the gap. What do you think about this?

Why it’s better: Counters higher while leaving room to negotiate. Surfaces non-salary perks and invites creative collaborative solutions.

Q. Recruiter:  Well, our budgets can realistically only go up to ₹15 lakhs all-in for this role right now. Can you work within that?

❌ Incorrect response:  Well if ₹15 lakhs is your cap, I guess I could try making that work…

Why it's wrong: Settles too quickly instead of continuing to negotiate - the goal should be maximising pay not minimising your needs.

✔️ Preferred response: Getting to ₹15 lakhs is challenging for me. What if I could exceed targets, will you reconsider in 6 months? Or could we meet halfway at ₹16.5 lakhs today? As I said, I want this to work for both of us.

Why it's better: Aims higher than offered but with flexibility. 

Q. Recruiter:  Meeting halfway at ₹16.5 lakhs base may be possible. We want you fully on board. Let me verify if that works given the approvals…

❌ Incorrect response:  Okay great, thanks for checking! I'm comfortable with ₹16.5 lakhs so no need to keep pushing on my end.

Why it's wrong: Undersells willingness to negotiate further - the goal should still be maximising pay.

✔️ Preferred response: I genuinely appreciate you exploring ₹16.5 lakhs base. Would you also consider higher bonuses if I consistently exceed targets?

Why it's better: Continues pushing for meaningful bonus pay tied directly to performance.

Q. Recruiter:  Let me explore both the ₹16.5 lakh base offer and incentive options with leadership. And what bonus setup could motivate you to go above and beyond to hit goals?

❌ Incorrect response:  I'm sure whatever the standard bonus rates are will be fair if we can agree to ₹16.5 base.

Why it's wrong: Backtracks on negotiating variable compensation connected to hitting targets.

✔️ Preferred Response: I want to be flexible here. Perhaps we could consider bonuses starting at 15% of the base salary, scaling up to 20% for consistently exceeding the targets set?

Why it's better: Puts forward the proposal for meaningful bonus pay tied directly to performance.

Q. Recruiter:  Let me verify if leadership can support increasing bonuses to 20% for top performers. So, what kinds of targets are you planning to reach to unlock that level of bonus pay?

❌ Incorrect Response: Whatever targets you usually set for bonuses are fine with me.

Why It's Wrong: Fails to advocate for bonus pay connected to hitting targets.

✔️ Preferred Response: Things like delivering projects ahead of deadlines, minimising production defects, and customer satisfaction metrics. But if 20% remains a blocker, we could start at a 15% bonus and check back on ramping it up more based on my performance. What do you think?

Why it's better: Pitches realistic milestones for variable pay while being flexible.

Tweak the responses based on your situation.

Remember, it’s not you versus them - it's crafting a mutual win.

If the recruiter still seems reluctant about aspects of the package, leave your doors open.

Keep surfacing alternative perks if certain ones get stuck.

The goal is to show you want a lasting win-win relationship built on trust - not just haggling over a single number.

I hope this gives you more confidence entering those important salary conversations.

It can feel intimidating or awkward at first. But remember - you’ve worked hard to get there and that deserves fair compensation.

You’ve got this! 💪

Practise these dialogues out loud before you walk into the negotiation. 

But who can provide the best insights? Mentors who interview and coach candidates like you daily!

Check out these top HR and Communications mentors who can provide personalised mentorship tailored to your industry and experience level. 👇

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