Job recruiter explains how you can increase your salary in a new job with simple interview trick

Job interviews are quite the delicate dance which can be very difficult to navigate - especially when the topic of your salary comes up.

Although they say money talks, it isn't easy to lay out your pay expectations to the person who has the power to decide whether you get the role or not.

You don't want to look too cheeky and demand mega-bucks, but in the same breath, you shouldn't sell yourself short either.

But if you know your worth, this recruiter with nearly two decades of experience reckons you can easily increase your wages by using this simple interview trick.

Lee Harding, better known online as @theintrovertedrecruiter, kindly shares career advice on social media to assist those who are on the job hunt.

And as a self-proclaimed introvert, he knows that it can be really tough to pluck up the courage and negotiate a bigger pay cheque during an interview.

Which is why he has decided to let everyone know that the majority of applicants tend to make one major error during this uncomfortable discussion.

In a TikTok video shared last year, the dad explained that a lot of hopefuls put their foot in it.

"When asked what their salary expectations are, [most people] will say something like, 'I'm currently on 60k and I'm looking for 70k'," Lee explained.

"So what the interviewer actually heard there is that you're currently on 60k and you will probably take any offer that is above 60k, because it's more than you are currently making now.

"There's a pretty good chance you won't get anywhere close to the 70k mark."

Lee said that although a lot of candidates get a bad case of word vomit and decide to reveal their current salary, you don't actually need to disclose it as it's 'completely irrelevant' in his eyes.

So, how should we really be handling the chat about our salary expectations?

Well, according to Lee, he's got a much 'better way' of doing it - turning the tables on the interviewer and asking them: "What is the salary range for this role?"

He continued: "Most of the time, you'll get a response like, 'It's between 65k and 75k'.

"Now, you want to follow this up with another question, which is, 'What skills and experience separate those being paid 65k and those being paid 75k?'

"As the interviewer starts telling you all of the things that will command the 75k salary, if you realise that you tick all of those boxes, you can reposition your salary expectations and say you're looking for 75k."

The recruiter said that if you are confident that you can 'do everything that would justify that salary', you should make this known during your interview, as you would be 'entitled' to the larger pay.

"So when you are discussing your salary expectations with a recruiter or with an interviewer, always avoid telling them what your current salary is," Lee added.

"If they won't tell you what the salary ranges for the role are, tell them what your expectations are. Rather than saying, 'I'm currently on 60k looking for 70k', tell them you are looking for 70k.

"If they do ask you what is the minimum you would accept, say 70k - don't lowball yourself."

As Lee established, there's a lot more that goes into a job interview rather than just a glittering CV - there's a bit of psychological warfare involved too.

Social media users flooded the comment section of his video with their thoughts on his interview hack.

One said: "Brilliant, thanks! I’m going through this at the moment."

Another wrote: "Wish I’d seen your videos 30 years ago!"

A third added: "Or they will go to the next person willing to take 65k..."

A fourth wrote: "Good way of phrasing the questions."

And a fifth chimed in: "This is great advice!"