Answer The Delicate ‘Salary Question’ With Ease: Business Expert Reveals Their Genius Method
Two multiethnic female businesswomen are working together, discussing ideas at a modern office. Corporate business persons discussing new project and sharing ideas in the workplace.
Most job seekers dread the question, ‘What is your expected salary for this role?’ Though the question can be a tough minefield to navigate, it doesn’t have to be.
“We’re conditioned to hate talking about wanting money, and that hinders people when negotiating salaries,” says Kasra Dash, a leading SEO consultant. “But with rising living costs and increasing competition for jobs, settling on a subpar salary is a no-go.”
That’s why Kasra is here to explain his innovative approach to salary negotiations, empowering candidates to easily achieve their desired salary.
The Value Exchange Method
Kasra’s special trick to acing salary conversations is called the Value Exchange Method. “This approach shifts the focus from a direct salary figure to the unique value candidates bring to the organisation,” Kasra explains. Here’s how it works:
Emphasise Your Skills And Achievements: Start by highlighting the skills and past achievements from your work history that align with the job’s requirements. For example, if you have successfully led projects that resulted in significant revenue growth, mention that. This lets the interviewer understand the value you can add and sets the stage for negotiation.
“Use specific metrics or examples to quantify your past contributions,” advises Kasra. “Instead of saying, ‘I improved sales,’ try, ‘I increased sales by 20% over six months through targeted marketing strategies.’ Giving hard numbers instead of vague claims makes you stand out and makes the interviewer take notice.”
Articulate Your Value Proposition: Craft a narrative that connects your skills and achievements to the company’s goals. Discuss how your background and expertise will help solve problems or drive success for the organisation.
“Marketing is all about storytelling, and in a job interview, the product you’re marketing is yourself,” says Kasra. “Crafting a good narrative will draw the interviewer in and have them imagining you in the role, which is half the battle already won.”
Provide A Salary Range: Once you have established your value and sold the interviewer on your narrative, you can introduce a salary range. “Basing this figure on market research, your experience level, and the specific role is imperative,” says Kasra. “After building your narrative journey, you don’t want to bring everything down by naming wildly inappropriate numbers.”
Be Open To Discussion: Finish your answer by expressing openness to further discussion. “This shows that you’re excited enough about the job that you’re willing to negotiate,” says Kasra.
Kasra Dash, a leading SEO consultant, commented:
“The genius of the Value Exchange Method is that it lets job seekers shift the conversation away from a cold hard number and toward a compelling narrative about their value. Employers are looking for confident candidates who can sell themselves, and the Value Exchange Method makes this easy for them. Instead of having to read your resume in detail and pick out why you deserve a certain salary, you lay it all out for them.
“Our cultural hangups around money can make just naming a number seem demanding, even though that was the employer’s question. Justifying the desired salary range has a softening effect, improving your interviewer’s subconscious perception of you. As a bonus, it positions you as a proactive, strategic thinker who gives more in-depth, well-thought-out answers.”