Lie in an Interview? Right or Wrong? Part 2
Continue my last post, http://tipsinterview.com/2010/03/22/lie-in-an-interview-right-or-wrong-part-1/
4. I don't have any experience in the field or industry?
It will be clear in the interview that the experience you have from one position may not be in line with your needs working in a new position, Guinn says. "There is nothing in that which is inappropriate or in which any fact is being misrepresented." Stress your interest and what you can provide in the position and discuss what specific training you will be offered to create competency in your role.
5. I know my boss will give me a bad reference?
"Many bosses today refuse to discuss past employees with potential ones and turn these questions over to the HR department," Guinn says. "If you know your boss will give you a bad reference, tell the interviewer that you have concerns your reputation may be tarnished by working for the past employer, and you'd appreciate knowing if there was anything improper said about you during the reference checks."
6. I made much less in my last job, but think I deserve a significant raise?
It's tempting to want to inflate your past salary to earn more in your next role, but with more employers doing credit checks, you'll probably get caught. You're better advised to share the range of salary you received and ask about opportunities for improvement of salary, Guinn says.
7. I intend only to stay for a few months and/or don't want this to be my career?
"Employers invest large sums [of money] in finding the right candidate for a position. What's to say this can't be a great, long-term job for you?" Guinn says. "Many of us started out in a role with no plans to stay, but found that the job we took was meaningful, satisfied our personal and professional needs and paid us a worthy salary. You don't know what is going to happen in six months; always leave your options open."
8. I already have a vacation, wedding or getaway planned?
If you're hired, the employer is obviously going to find out sooner or later that you need some time off. If you offer to follow the appropriate measures, most employers will find a way to work around any previously planned events
9. I am overqualified for the job and want to leave some credentials off my résumé?
You've worked hard for those credentials and you should be proud of them. Guinn suggests having multiple résumés that differ based on the level of position for which you are applying. "List the qualifications you truly hold that would be of benefit in securing the job you want to have," he says.
10. I have an injury or illness that prevents me from doing necessary work for the job?
Many applicants are hesitant to address an injury or illness for fear that the employer will see them as a potential insurance liability. But Guinn says most employers will make accommodations for great applicants with a handicap. He suggests asking if any accommodations can be made and if not, seeking out an employer that is willing to make the adjustment.
Interview Tips: Negotiate a Job Offer in This Economy
About salary history and expectations often elicit feelings of anxiety, particularly when times are tough in the job market. Many who have been unemployed for several months worry their power to negotiate has diminished. Others know they are overqualified for the positions they seek and fear their salary history will screen them out of consideration. Here are some suggestions after a job offer:
· If the offer is more than you expected, congratulations! But you may get an even better one if you don't jump at the first offer. Pause long enough to give the employer the impression you may be expecting more. You may even ask for time to think over the offer.
· If another employer has made a better offer, that's the most powerful argument you can use.
· If you have no other offers, but your research tells you the going rate is higher than what the employer is offering, say so. Keep in mind that the employer probably has also researched the employment market, so be sure you have good sources to point to.
· If the employer won't raise the offer enough to suit your expectations, ask the employer to agree to review your salary sooner than normal.
· Employers who won't budge on salary offers sometimes are willing to make concessions on benefits or perks that you want. Maybe you can get stock options, extra vacation, use of a company car or the ability to work at home part of the week. Sometimes you can argue that you both will gain from the benefit; for example, if the company pays your tuition expenses for night classes, it will profit from your improved skills.
· You may also be able to get concessions on certain work responsibilities you either want or want to avoid. For example, you might ask to be given a managerial task that's not normally part of the job, and this eventually could lead to a higher-paying position. Any tasks you ask to avoid should be lower-level so that ruling them out would not interfere with your growth in the job.
· If possible, do all your negotiations face-to-face, rather than by telephone, because you can gauge people's reactions better in person. Sometimes, candidates will say and do everything right during the interview process and during negotiations and still won't achieve the job offer they were seeking. In these instances, Shatkin suggests telling the employer, "that the job is one you would like if the salary were appropriate, and thank them for their time and consideration. It is possible that they will not find someone else to fill the position and will reconsider hiring you at the salary you asked for."
Interview Questions on Salary
Interview Question: What kind of salary do you think you are worth?
Answer Guide: Candidate should use this opportunity to sell the benefits of their skills, competencies and experience. They should show the ability to negotiate. Negativity is not needed here.
Interview Question: What kind of salary do you believe you will be earning in say, five years?
Answer Guide: Job seeker should show confidence, belief in self, and strong ambition. Candidates should see themselves in the company and growing with it.Interview Question: What kind of salary would you require to accept this position? Answer Guide: Candidates should have a healthy regard for their value, be able to sell their skills and experience to you, show an ability to negotiate, act diplomatically, and have the ability to redirect the question back to you without an answer.
You can’t be prepared for every salary interview question
You can't be prepared for everything, but you can be ready for most eventualities. The steps to getting prepared are pretty obvious. You have probably have thought of all of them. Still, I find it's helpful to put all my salary considerations down on paper and then review them before going into an interview. 
1, How much do you want to earn? Realistically, how much do you think someone with your skills and experience should be able to command? People with several years of experience in a field have a pretty accurate sense of what the market will bear. But if you're new to a field it's a bit more difficult. Do some research. Talk with knowledgeable people, check with an employment recruiter, search the job information that's so plentiful on the Internet. And remember that salary is only one part of the compensation package. An employer may offer other benefits that reduce your salary requirements. Health insurance, a retirement plan, profit sharing are all worth money. In your research, try to find out how quickly compensation increases in your line of work. How much does someone with, say, five years of experience typically make? Future year earnings potential may alter your views of how much you need to make initially.
2, How valuable are the non-salary benefits to you? It's not enough to know what they are. You should put a price on them. If, for example, you really need health insurance, then the value of that policy to you would be equal to what you'd have to spend if you went out and bought your own. You should know how much lower a salary you could accept or how much higher it would have to be, depending on whether or not the job includes a good health insurance program. Suppose you don't need health insurance. Then you should estimate how much money you'd be saving the new employer who didn't have to provide it to you. If it's offered as part of the package, say you'd rather take an increase in salary instead. Perhaps your employer offers commuter subsidies, day care facilities, or other perks that offset your costs of going to work. You should determine what value you place on them and factor them into the salary that's offered.
3, How low will you go? At some point, the compensation just doesn't justify getting dressed to go to work in the morning not unless you're independently wealthy and only work for the fun or it. Or unless you're willing to moonlight doing pizza delivery. You need to know when you walk into an interview what your absolute bottom line is, including the trade-offs between salary and other benefits you might be offered. That doesn't mean you should tell the interviewer what your bottom line is, since your floor could become the interviewer's first point of negotiations. But you should know what it is.
3 Tough Interview Questions
Tough question No. 1: "Why were you laid off?" 
This question will become more common as the economy continues to slow down. It's a tough question, however, especially because many workers aren't told exactly why they were laid off. The best way to tackle this question is to answer as honestly as possible.
Suggested answer: "As I'm sure you're aware, the economy is tough right now and my company felt the effects of it. I was part of a large staff reduction and that's really all I know. I am confident, however, that it had nothing to do with my job performance, as exemplified by my accomplishments. For example..."
Tough question No. 2: "What can you offer me that another person can't?"
This is when you talk about your record of getting things done. Go into specifics from your résumé and portfolio; show an employer your value and how you'd be an asset.
Suggested answer: "I'm the best person for the job. I know there are other candidates who could fill this position, but my passion for excellence sets me apart from the pack. I am committed to always producing the best results. For example..."
Tough question No. 3: "Would you be willing to take a salary cut?"
Salary is a delicate topic. In today's tough economy though, how much a company can afford to pay you might be the deal breaker in whether or not you are offered a position.
Suggested answer: "I'm making $X now. I understand that the salary range for this position is $XX - $XX. Like most people, I would like to improve on my salary, but I'm more interested in the job itself than the money. I would be open to negotiating a lower starting salary but would hope that we can revisit the subject in a few months after I've proved myself to you."
Best 3 Ways to Successfully Negotiate a Salary
But he points out that, generally, the higher you go with respect to compensation, the more realistic professionals tend to be about their market value. This could be because they have more experience, learned from mistakes they have made, and have held enough jobs to have a good understanding of fair compensation. Morley offers these five tips to help understand your worth and negotiate for it with confidence:
1. Be realistic about your experience.
"You need to be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot do," Morley says. For example, you may be tempted to apply for a job that is offering a $60,000 salary, even if you don't meet the job requirements. One major part of being realistic about what you can make is being realistic about what skills you can bring to the table.
2. Do your research.
"There are a variety of salary surveys that you as an individual can access over the Internet," Morley says. Research professional industry associations and HR Web sites. He also suggests browsing job postings and classified ads. While ads don't always list salaries, you can often get ideas of a pay range companies are willing to offer.
3. Be methodical in your decision making.
Use a simple list-making method, Morley suggests. On a piece of paper, write down all the things that are important to you in order of their rank. While cash for most is king, having a short commute and good medical benefits might matter more than a few extra dollars. Or perhaps you'd be willing to trade a couple thousand dollars for more vacation time. Having this knowledge about yourself, the market and your personal needs will give you the confidence to negotiate effectively. Write down your desired salary and the benefits you most desire. Be ready to play hardball, but give yourself a little wiggle room. That way if you have to negotiate, you can still achieve your bottom line total compensation goal.
How to answer salary question in job interview
Americans aren't keen to discuss money. We like making it and we like spending it, but money doesn't belong in polite conversation. It sits on the shelf of forbidden topics, alongside politics, religion and sex.You haven't even met anyone at the company yet and you're expected to divulge information only you and your bank account know? How rude.Yet, one of the requisites often found on a job posting is, "Include salary history."
Like it or not, salary talks are part of job hunts, and often they arise in the early stages of the game. For a topic as sensitive and tricky as money, how should you proceed?
The dos and don'ts
As with any portion of a job hunt, there are bad signals you can send to an employer and vice versa. For example, you don't want to show up wearing beach attire to an interview. At the same time, you don't want to work at an office where all the employees looked unhappy and terrified of the boss. Salary talks have similar red flags.
"During salary discussions, an employer does not want to hear about financial pressures candidates may have, such as debt, loans or, especially, maintaining a lifestyle," Fuller cautions. "Showing an appreciation for the tangibles, intangibles and the big picture will go a long way. [Also], employers will screen out candidates who are all about the money and not about the contribution and advancement of the organization."
But be wary of employers during these conversations. You need to trust what you're being told; otherwise you probably don't want to work at the company.
"Candidates who cannot establish trust with an employer about the role, the expectations, the compensation and the future outlook should not accept an offer with an employer," Fuller says. If you have no faith in what you hear, can you imagine what it will be like to work for this employer every day?
The interview
Even if you're able to sidestep the issue during the application process, you might encounter it during a phone interview. Unless you like long, awkward silences, you'll have to address the issue.
"The best answer is to tell the employer what you are currently earning [or most recently earned]," Fuller suggests. "At that point, compensation is not at a negotiation stage; it is at the information gathering stage. This is an important distinction to understand."
If you're asked what you expect to earn, not what you did earn, Fuller recommends you give a realistic range for the position. This gives the employer an idea of what you want and can lead to a discussion of whether that pay aligns with what he or she had in mind.
Regardless of when the topic arises, Fuller stresses that job seekers be honest about their salary history. Employers can verify your salary in a matter of minutes these days, so lying only serves to make you look bad. Just because you give a high number doesn't mean the employer will match the amount, Fuller says.
