What Are Your Salary Expectations? How to Answer in ₦, £ and $

If you have searched for the "what are your salary expectations best answer", you have probably found a lot of conflicting tricks. Some say never give a number. Others say aim high and let them negotiate down. This guide gives you a simple method: research a range, state it calmly, and adjust the wording to the currency and pay norms of the country you are applying in. It includes scripts in naira, pounds and dollars, plus a version for remote jobs paid across borders.

No script can promise a particular offer. What a clear answer can do is stop you underselling yourself by accident, or ruling yourself out with a figure that has no basis.

Why there is no single "best answer" to what are your salary expectations

The right answer depends on three things: the market rate for the role, your own minimum, and how pay is structured where the job is. A good answer in Lagos might quote a monthly gross figure and ask about allowances. In London it is usually an annual gross figure. In the US it is often annual base salary, with benefits discussed separately.

So instead of memorising one line, prepare:

1. A researched range for the role, level and location.
2. Your walk-away number, which you keep to yourself.
3. The pay format used locally (monthly or annual, gross or net, base or total package).
4. One or two short scripts you have practised out loud.

Step 1: Research a realistic range

Use several sources and look for overlap, not a single perfect number. Make sure you compare like with like: same job title, seniority, city and industry.

Useful places to look:

• The job ad itself. Many ads include a pay band. If one is listed, your range should normally sit inside or near it.
• Official statistics. In the UK, the Office for National Statistics publishes earnings data through its earnings and working hours pages. In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. In Canada, Job Bank lets you search wages by occupation and region.
• Similar ads. Note the bands on five to ten comparable vacancies on reputable job boards.
• People in the field. Former colleagues, professional associations and recruiters who specialise in your sector can tell you what is normal, especially in markets where pay is rarely published.

Official data is usually broad and can lag behind the market, so treat it as a sense check rather than the final answer.

Set your range

Once you have a rough market picture, build a range of roughly the width a recruiter would find credible. Put the bottom of your range at a figure you would genuinely be happy to accept, not your absolute minimum. That gives you room if the package has other strong elements.

Write it down in this format before the interview:

• Market range I found: [low] to [high]
• My stated range: [your low] to [your high]
• My private minimum: [figure]
• Pay format: [monthly/annual], [gross/net], [base/total]

Step 2: Choose your approach

You have three honest options. All are reasonable; pick the one that fits the stage of the process.

Option A: Give your range

Best when you have done your research and the employer has asked directly. It is clear and saves time for both sides.

"Based on the responsibilities and what I have seen for similar roles in [city], I am looking for something in the range of [low] to [high], depending on the full package."

Option B: Ask about their band first

Useful in an early screening call, especially when no pay was advertised.

"I would like to make sure we are aligned. Could you share the budgeted range for this role? I am happy to tell you where I sit within it."

If they push back, move to Option A. Repeatedly refusing to answer can come across as evasive.

Option C: Confirm the advertised band

When the ad lists pay, you rarely need to invent your own figure.

"The advertised range of [low] to [high] works for me. Given my experience with [relevant skill], I would hope to be towards the [middle/upper] end, but I am open to discussing the full package."

Only claim experience that is true. If you are stretching into a role, aim for the lower or middle part of the band and say so.

Version for naira (Nigeria)

In Nigeria, pay is often discussed monthly, and packages can include several allowances. Before you answer, clarify what is being asked.

Check:

• Monthly or annual? Many offers are quoted monthly; some employers quote annual total compensation.
• Gross or net? Ask whether the figure is before or after PAYE tax and pension contributions.
• What is included? Housing, transport, meal allowances, health insurance (HMO), a 13th month payment or performance bonus may be part of the package or separate.

Script:

"For this role, I am looking at a gross monthly salary of around ₦[low] to ₦[high]. Could you tell me how the package is structured, for example whether housing and transport allowances are included or paid on top?"

If you are a graduate or applying for a trainee scheme, pay is often fixed. In that case:

"I understand graduate trainee pay is usually set for the cohort. I am comfortable with the standard package and would appreciate details of how it is structured."

Version for pounds (UK)

In the UK, salary is almost always discussed as an annual gross figure. Employer pension contributions, bonus and benefits are usually discussed separately. Public sector roles, such as NHS and many council jobs, use published pay bands, so negotiation is often about which point you start on rather than the band itself.

Script for a private-sector role:

"I am looking for a base salary of £[low] to £[high] a year, depending on the pension, hybrid working arrangements and other benefits."

Script for a banded public-sector role:

"I am happy with the band advertised. Given my [years/type] of experience, I would like to discuss whether starting above the entry point is possible."

If the job is in London, check whether a London weighting or allowance is included, as it can change the comparison.

Version for dollars (US, Canada, Australia and remote roles)

Dollars cover very different markets, so name the currency clearly: US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand or Singapore dollars are not interchangeable.

US dollars

US conversations usually focus on annual base salary, with health insurance, retirement plans, bonus and equity discussed as part of total compensation. Some US states and cities have pay transparency rules or restrict questions about salary history. These rules vary and change, so check the relevant official state or city government website rather than relying on this post.

"I am targeting a base salary of $[low] to $[high], and I would like to understand the benefits and any bonus or equity before finalising."

Canadian and Australian dollars

In Canada, annual gross salary is standard. In Australia, clarify whether a figure is "plus super" or "including super", as superannuation can make a real difference to the comparison.

"I am looking for A$[low] to A$[high] plus super. Could you confirm whether the advertised figure includes superannuation?"

Remote roles paid in US dollars

If you live in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, the Philippines or elsewhere and apply for a remote role paid in dollars, ask how pay is set before quoting a figure. Some companies pay a single global rate; others adjust by location.

Also clarify:

• Are you an employee or contractor? Contractors usually handle their own tax and may get no benefits.
• How will you be paid (bank transfer, payroll provider, platform)?
• Who covers equipment and internet costs?

"I am looking for $[low] to $[high] per year as a contractor. Could you tell me whether your pay is location-adjusted and how payments are made?"

Be cautious if a "recruiter" offers an unusually high dollar salary before any proper interview, or asks you to pay fees. Our guide on spotting fake remote job scams covers the warning signs, and the remote job application tools can help you prepare applications for international roles.

Step 3: Practise and handle follow-ups

Say your scripts aloud until the numbers come out without hesitation or apology. Then prepare for the common follow-ups:

• "That is above our budget." Ask what the budget is, then decide whether other parts of the package, a review date or a different start point make it workable. Do not accept on the spot if you are unsure.
• "What are you earning now?" You can answer honestly, or redirect: "I would prefer to focus on the value of this role. Based on my research, I am looking at [range]." Where salary history questions are restricted by law, check the official source for your location.
• "Is that negotiable?" "Yes, I am flexible depending on the overall package."

To rehearse this alongside your other answers, the QuickApplyPilot interviews tool can generate practice questions for a specific job ad and give feedback on your draft answers. It cannot tell you what a particular employer will pay, so your own research still comes first.

Salary often comes up right after motivation questions, so it is worth preparing both together. Our guide to answering "why do you want to work here" pairs well with this one.

Quick checklist before your interview

• I have checked the ad for a pay band.
• I have compared at least three sources for this role, level and location.
• I know whether this market discusses pay monthly or annually, gross or net.
• I know the currency and whether benefits such as pension, super or allowances are included.
• My stated range starts at a figure I would genuinely accept.
• I have practised my script out loud.
• I have a polite reply ready if they say my range is too high.