I have another salary negotiation tip for job seekers.

If the salary question pops up in a job interview, use it as an opportunity to express interest in the role.

When you’re looking for a new opportunity, money is certainly one of the factors you will be considering, but it should never be your key motivation for changing jobs.

The people you work with can make all the difference in the world. The company has to be a match in terms of corporate culture and work-life balance. If the job itself is a perfect match and gives the opportunity to truly shine, many jobseekers will accept a lower salary.

There may be other monetary considerations besides base salary, such as bonus, benefits, pension, RRSP matching, car allowance, and perks like product discounts.

How to summarize all this concisely?

Here’s the phrasing I suggest:

“I’m targeting $X as a base salary, but that being said, it’s not all about the money. I’m really interested in joining COMPANY NAME because GIVE A REASON. But if you need a number, I can tell you I’m targeting $X.”

Here’s a couple of bonus tips: it’s better to give a number than a range, and best to give a number that’s slightly higher than what you would accept. It’s much easier to negotiate down from a high number than it is to negotiate up from a low number.

Other thoughts or questions on salary negotiations? Do you have a better answer to this common interview question? Please let me know in the comments.

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