So, you got the call back and you’re headed to your first interview!

Worse than having to decide what to wear (which we all know is a struggle), you also must figure out what you’re going to say!

This can be more nerve-racking then even writing your resume. You need to really think about what you are going to say ahead of time. This is your chance to make yourself stand out above all other candidates.

Today I am going to help you with that. These are the top 6 interview questions and answers.

Interviews are stressful. You go into them wondering:

What they are going to ask you?

Do you know enough to provide the right answer?

Are there wrong answers to interview questions?

What if they ask me why I am qualified for this position?

But the biggest question I get asked is, In the interview, how do you answer, “What is your desired salary?” How can I answer that correctly without selling myself shoot or shooting way above the ballpark?

The fact of the matter here is that pay for any job is really chosen by the hiring manager when they work with the CFO on this opening you have applied for. So if you want to get paid well, and get the salary you want, you have to think like the Chief Financial Officer, not just an employee.

Range

The great part here is that you can actually give a range number to really allow them to work with it.

So when asked, “What do you expect for a salary?” You can answer strongly, and confidently, “I’m looking to make somewhere between $100-$150K annually. I understand this totally comes down to the outline and targets for this role, and also bonus structuring.”

See how with that answer, you were able to be flexible enough by a $50K range to allow the hiring manager to negotiate your proper salary with the CFO? I understand that not all jobs will allow a $50K range- but think negotiating with ranges, not a specific figure. It also doesn’t make you sound like you are aiming for the stars, and it certainly doesn’t undercut what you are worth.