Top skills recommended for Optum Senior Software Engineer interview Insights by AmbitionBox
“What are your salary requirements?” example answer
“Taking into account my experience and Excel certifications, which you mentioned earlier would be very helpful to the team, I’m looking for somewhere between $42,000 and $46,000 annually for this role. But for me, benefits definitely matter as well. Your free on-site gym, the commuter benefits, and other perks could definitely allow me to be a bit flexible with salary.”
How to answer
Easy—just say where you found the job (on a job board, through LinkedIn, via a networking contact) and a little bit about what made you actually apply.
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“The company implemented a rule that I didnt like right before I left. The company decided to reduce the employees health benefits and not cover spouses or children. That would require employees to have $600 per month deducted from their paycheck to cover their spouses and children. For that reason, I gave my two weeks notice and applied for this position.”
Start by telling the interviewer that you follow all the company rules and support the companys leadership decisions regarding regulations. The interviewer wants to hear that you are not a rule-breaker and you support the rules the company has put into place. After all, there had to be some logic to their professional decision! Your willingness to remain a team player shows the interviewer that you respect decisions even when you recognize you would make different choices sometimes.
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What are your salary requirements?
While it may seem presumptuous, interviewers ask this in phone interviews to quickly eliminate anyone who’s out of their budget.Oftentimes recruiters are given a certain amount per position, and rather than bring a candidate all the way through the process only to get stuck on salary, they want to ensure the person is comfortable with what they can offer.
This isn’t meant to be a trick question, nor will shooting high necessarily put you out of the running. However, you’ll want to do your research to make sure you provide an accurate number or range that’s appropriate for the role and that you can back up with evidence of your value.
“Find out what the market bears for your particular area, and then figure out where you fit into that based on your experience and your education so that when you go into the interview and you’re asked that question you’re prepared to say, ‘Based on experience, based on this data, based on the market…my ideal salary would be in the range of X to Y,’” says Smith.
Talking salary depends heavily on where you are in the process. If this is an initial phone screen, you might have better luck keeping your answer vague, such as: “Right now I’m really interested in finding the right fit and am open to negotiating on salary.” Then, if they press you for a more specific answer you can give your range (this is why preparing ahead of time is so important!). Regardless, don’t bring up money unless they do—you’ll be in a better position to get the salary you want later on.