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I've recently interviewed with a company, at the end of the interview, they asked me what my expected salary is. I made the mistake of saying a somewhat low range (somewhat bellow average for that location). I'm currently finishing a MSc program and the position is in a different country within the EU. I consider to have relevant experience already in the field.

On the interview, we did't discuss any of the actual benefits (bonuses, working hours, vacations etc), or the details of the work itself.

How can I avoid to make a bargain of myself in further interviews (same company)? I'm also interviewing with 2 different companies in the same city, can I use this to negotiate a better salary even when I've already set a lower expectation?

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    I like the current top answer in this answer that I saw recently, also, make sure to give yourself good time to research the average salary in that area in that industry.
    – Jonast92
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 14:02

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Before you go into an interview, research the position to see what the common pay range is.

Another thing to do is simply to ask them what the salary range is when they call you to set up the interview.

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I found myself in this situation once. I was working in the UK and interviewed for a job in New York City. When I was asked the question "What are your salary expectations" I answered along the lines of "I'm unsure of the going rate NYC, but I'm sure if I receive an offer, it will be competitive commensurate with my skills and experience".

I ended up accepting the position. Another colleague who went through the same process a couple of weeks later, gave a figure in response to that question, and was offered that exact figure - more than 20% below my offer.

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Any corrections that you want to make, make them as soon as possible after the interview. Dont drag your feet, make it simple and straightforward, no excuses, get to the point:

"Re: correction regarding salary expectation

I thank you for taking the time to interview me for the position of [state the position] on [state the date] at [state the location].

I'd like to make a correction regarding my salary expectations: it is not [state the original figure] but state the figure you currently have in mind]. I apologize for having mispoken and of course, the responsibility for having mispoken is fully mine.

I am really impressed with the way the company introduced itself to me during the interview process and I hope to hear from you going forward"

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    This sounds weird to me. If I interviewed someone then received this email, I probably wouldn't make an offer. Instead of sending an email like this, just wait until the offer and negotiate as necessary.
    – sgryzko
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 21:43
  • @interrobang For any negotiation to take place, the negotiation must start from accurate premises. The OP originally gave an inaccurate number during the interview. Fine. The OP then QUICKLY corrects his mistake so that the negotiation starts from the premise of an accurate initial quote from the OP. To wait until the prospective employer makes an offer based on the OP's original figure and then quote a significantly higher figure may well strike a surprised prospective employer as an act of bad faith. Better the temporary embarrassment of openly acknowledging an honest mistake and fixing it.
    – Vietnhi Phuvan
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 22:47

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