When to talk about pay in a job interview?

Need advice on preparing for your job interview? Contact laura@alphea-conseil.fr

If there's one tense and delicate subject in the hiring phase, it's the question of remuneration. Indeed, salary remains a taboo subject and yet so important, both for the candidate and the company.

To help you tackle the issue calmly, we'll give you some pointers.

Dedramatize the subject of compensation

Pay is a determining factor in interviews: it comes to validate thevalue of your work for the company. On the employee's side, if the salary conditions are not satisfactory in view of your skills, frustration can set in. And professional collaboration becomes tainted.

This is why it's so important to calm down when discussing remuneration in an interview. We therefore advise you to dramatize the subject beforehand, even if the stakes seem high to you. You have skills and strengths that are worth their weight in gold.

Imagine.

What happens if you ask for a salary that's too high for thecompany budget? Are you instantly thrown out like a piece of trash? Will your name be posted all over town on 4x3 billboards? Of course not, nothing like that.

At worst, the recruiter will tell you that your salary expectations are too high... Period.

And if you don't ask "enough", you'll never know.

So it's all about you and your perception: what's fair, acceptable and good for you, in relation to your contribution?

Preparing the topic of compensation before the interview

Set yourself an overall annual range in gross. Don't forget to prepare your expectations on your fixed and variable. Also take into account whether you'll be paid over 12, 13 months, whether it's a framework contract...

Of course, don't inflate your expectations too much or you risk missing out on great opportunities. Be careful, it's not your degree that determines how much you'll earn, but your skills, experience and know-how.

And in interviews, let things come... (Breathe, it's going to be okay).

Chronologically, you can think of it this way:

1. Start by explaining your motivations, what appeals to you in the ad, in this company.

How you can contribute, why you're the ideal candidate for the job. Share. Be curious, open, and a good listener (this isn't the time to talk salary yet). Feel free to click right here: to help you prepare for your interview.

2. Then talk about the proposed working conditions.

For example, is it a 35h/39h work contract? Is weekend work an option? Are there any specific requirements (health, organizational, other)?

3. Finally, broach the topic of salary.

If the recruiter hasn't broached it yet, simply ask: "Would you also like to consider my salary expectations? To make sure they fall within those defined by the company?"

Chronologically, remuneration is discussed in the second part of the interview. When skills, your personality, your career path and the company's needs have been discussed.

Even if there's emotional stakes behind it: simplify, de-dramatize, lighten the weight you put behind this subject. Show that you really like the job and have the skills for it, and the rest will follow naturally.

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