Should I ask about salary at my interview?

面试时我该不该问工资？ by Amber Rolfe

老板，工资多少啊......

Nothing divides interview opinion quite as much as salary…

面试时，没有什么比“薪酬”问题更微妙了......

But aside from being a great way to ensure a role is right for you, finding out how much is on offer could actually help save everyone’s time in the long run – especially if it turns out it’s not in line with your expectations.

除了确定职位正好是适合你的之外，了解薪酬归根结底会节约所有人的时间——特别是如果它能证明这职位是否符合你的期望。

To make sure you know exactly when (and how) to ask about salary at your interview, here are a few of our top tips:

为了让你知道在面试中何时以及如何询问薪酬，我们有一些特别棒的技巧分享给你：

Use the interview as a guide

把面试过程当做铺垫

First thing’s first: there are no set rules on talking about salary within an interview.It’s all about gauging（测评） the situation, and approaching the subject with caution.

首先你得明白，在面试的时候讨论薪酬并没有什么既定的规则。“讨论薪酬”就是——评估形势，巧妙跟进，适时提出。

To make sure you don’t bring it up at a time when it won’t be well-received, use aspects like the interviewer’s approach, and the intensity of the questions you’re being asked, to figure out whether money is a good topic of conversation.

你需要确保自己没有在不恰当的时机提出薪酬问题，根据面试官的提问进度和强度，来判断“钱”是否已成为交流中对的问题。

For example, if there is a second interview as part of the hiring process, bringing up salary might be a better fit at this stage. But if proceedings have been particularly informal, or if it’s clear there aren’t any other interviews to attend, discussing money is perfectly acceptable.

比如，受雇过程中的复试阶段，提出薪酬问题可能更为恰当。如果复试的过程特别不正式，或者你已经清楚这将是最后一次面谈，那么讨论薪酬问题就完全没有问题了。

Similarly, using your questions at the end of an interview to bring up salary isn’t uncommon, and is the most effective way to introduce the subject politely – providing it’s not the only thing you ask about…

同样的，在面试快要结束的时候提出薪酬相关的问题也很正常，这是比较有效的、礼貌的方法提出这样的问题——证明薪酬并不是你唯一关心的事情。

---

Pick the right moment

选择恰当的时机

It probably goes without saying that asking how much money you could get is off limits within the first few minutes of your interview.

刚开始面试就提出薪酬问题，毫无疑问你会秒秒钟被淘汰。

Not only could it indicate you’re more interested in the money than you are in the actual job, it could also imply that you don’t have much to offer in terms of skills and experience.

这不仅暗示了你关心钱多于工作本身，还有可能让面试官认为你对自己的经验和能力并没有太多可供陈述和展现。

So, before you start to think about how much you’re making, make sure you cover all the other interview bases first. Whether it’s selling your skills, demonstrating your experience, or just concentrating on each individual question that comes up, make sure you get the basics sorted before thinking about figures.

所以，在考虑能赚多少钱之前，先确保自己符合职位所需是首要的任务。不论是出售技能、分享经验，还是应付好面试官每一个问题，确保你自己解决了雇佣者的基本需求，再来为自己打算。

After all, nobody likes a gold digger.

毕竟，没有人喜欢淘金者。

图自网络

---

Get your expectations sorted

梳理正确的薪酬期望值

Before you bring up the M word, it’s important that you have salary expectations in mind – ones that represent the company and role accurately.

问“钱”之前——你脑子里要先设置一个期望值，一个确实符合招聘公司和职位的数值。

To make sure you go into the interview armed with as much knowledge as possible, it’s absolutely vital to research potential salary brackets beforehand, with the role and organisation in mind. Salary Checkers are a great place to start, but you could also try checking similar positions in your area, which should give you a good idea.

尽可能的了解你将要去面试的公司的各种情况至关重要，这能给你一个潜在的薪酬标准。Salary Checker是一个好办法，但你需尽可能的调研同类职位的薪酬状况，这会让你有更周全的认识。

Once you’re in the know about what they’re likely to offer, you’ll be able to come up with realistic salary expectations.Not only does this ensure you’re both on the same page in the interview, it also safely avoids any awkward silences…

一旦你对面试公司的薪酬水准有了大致的评估，你就能提出现实的、准确的薪酬期望。这不仅帮助你保持和面试官一致，也能避免期待过高所造成的不必要的尴尬。

PS：Salary Check is a free interactive engine that helps you search for, and compare with, market-centric salary information matched to you exact job. 
Salary Check是一款免费的互动软件帮助你搜索、对比、市场化的薪酬信息。

---

Be prepared for them to make the first move

提出问题前做好准备

Sometimes, an employer might come out and ask for your expectations before you bring it up yourself.

有时候可能雇主会先于你提出讨论薪酬。

Although being asked obviously allows you the opportunity to discuss money more freely, it’s always best to maintain a sense of diplomacy with your answer.

尽管被动回答可能会让你更自在的讨论这个问题，但机智的外交官式回答总能让对方感觉更好。

Slightly overstating the amount you’re looking for, drawing attention to your interest in the position itself, or explaining that you need to know more before answering, are all good strategies here. Especially as they’ll help you from falling into the ‘I’m flexible’ trap, which could mean you end up receiving a lower offer than you’re looking for.

稍稍提高你实际的期待值，更多关注职位本身，或者在回答薪酬期待之前询问更多关于工作本身的信息，都是极佳的策略。特别是雇主把你绕进“我耳根子软”这个陷阱的时候，你有可能拿到远低于期望的薪水。

N.B. lying about your current earnings is never a good idea.

注：对上一份工作的收入撒谎，从来都不是一个好主意。

---

Concentrate on showing your own value

专注于展示你的价值

Finally, succeeding in an interview often comes down to knowing your worth.

最后，成功的面试往往是基于你充分展示了自己的价值。

So before anything money related comes up, you should’ve taken the time to explain your suitability and passion for the role you’re interviewing for. That way, salary will be representative of your skills and experience, and the employer will be able to accurately assess if the amount they have in mind matches up.

所以，在任何涉及“钱”的话题被提出来之前，你一定要尽可能的陈述你的能力和热情。这样的话，薪酬就需要匹配你的技能和经验，雇主就需要考量他们提出的薪酬是否恰当。

If you’re not sure their offer is enough for you, present your reasoning assertively, and don’t be afraid to negotiate – as long as you have the grounds to back it.

如果你对雇主提出的薪酬不太满意，提出你个人的想法，不要惧怕谈判——只要你有足够的理由。

Remember: confidence is key.

记住：自信是关键。

谢谢你   阅读风筝的译文

本译文所涉翻译行为已取得著作权人许可，本译文所涉法律后果均由本人承担。本人亦同意简书平台在接获有关著作权人的通知后，删除文章。

本译文仅供个人研习、欣赏语言之用，谢绝任何转载及用于任何商业用途。本译文所涉法律后果均由本人承担。本人同意简书平台在接获有关著作权人的通知后，删除文章。