What were your starting and final levels of compensation?
Interviewers expect a candidate for employment to be able to provide the details of their compensation history. Be prepared to tell the interviewer how much you earned at each of your prior positions.
Make sure that what you tell the interviewer matches what you listed on your job application. Refresh your memory prior to the interview by reviewing your compensation history, so, you can speak in detail and accurately. Don’t exaggerate or inflate your earnings. Many employers will check references and confirm your salary history prior to making a job offer. A discrepancy between what you reported and what the employer says could knock you out of contention for the job.
It is common for a prospective employer to be interested in your previous salary. This will give them some prospective on how much you will be expecting to earn in a new role, and to a lesser extent, will also help back up some of your interview answers. For example, if you continually mentioned your high levels of responsibility and the levels of trust that put you in situations such as being alone with vast amounts of money, and you were on minimum wage, it may appear to the interviewer that you were perhaps telling one or two lies.
This question will also show the interviewer that you have a good grasp of your own interests. If you don’t have enthusiasm over your own interests then how would you be able to show enthusiasm for the interests of the prospective company. For this reason, if you are unsure, it would be prudent to research back through your own work history and revise the facts and figures. These numbers may also have been required for the initial forms upon applying for the job, so it is essential to ensure that anything you say in an interview, corresponds with what was put in any forms. At worst a slip up and therefore a discrepancy, could paint you as a liar, which is not an attractive trait.
The answer can also be structured to give some indication of your progression in your last position.
Example Answers
1
"After leaving school at 18 I went into my first post at 16,000 per year. After finishing and passing my apprenticeship two years later I received a pay increase with my new position at 22,000. Earnings were loosely performance based. The company gave annual appraisal reports and decisions on pay rises came from these reports. In the three years after my probation period, after passing the apprenticeship, I received three pay rises. The first was to 24,000 then 26,000 before my final salary which without bonuses stood at 28,000."
2
“I was paid a flat rate of £100 per article I wrote, as they tended to be very short articles. My usual rate is £350 per 3000 words, and 3000 words would usually take me one full working day to complete, depending on the subject. So my income was linked very much to how much work I was allocated.”
This shows you are fully aware of how your career had progressed and the figures of your earnings. As long as this compares to the information the interviewer has an answer like this should get a positive response.
Good luck.
Yes, definatly tell the truth for these questions, if you cant remember what they were, say so. Dont guess! If you were paid hourly, state this and what the hourly amount was. Some pay hourly, some pay monthly, but mostly they would be looking for your yearly salary. If you are paid hourly this would be difficult to work out hence saying your hourly rate
It’s definitely a good idea to just be honest about things in your interview. The employer can do background checks and find information that you probably weren’t aware he had access to, so don’t try and lie to make yourself look good.
You’d look terrible if you lied during an interview and then got found out!
Good reading, thank you.