How to Answer Desired Salary in Interviews | Determining the Amount and Examples
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Last Updated:
Category: Job Search Preparation & Interview Tips, Career Change Strategy
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
Published:
Last Updated:
Category: Job Search Preparation & Interview Tips, Career Change Strategy
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
When asked "What is your desired salary?" in a job interview, many people have experienced the moment of hesitation about how to answer. Answer too high and you might be at a disadvantage in the selection process; answer too low and you might end up locked into that amount—this is the classic dilemma of the desired salary question.
This article systematically explains the basics of how to answer when asked about desired salary in interviews, how to determine an appropriate amount, points to consider when including it on a resume, example phrases you can use immediately in interviews, common NG examples, and frequently asked questions. We've compiled practical content in a compact format so you can avoid the pitfalls of "too high and getting rejected" or "too low and losing out," and confidently communicate an amount that matches your market value.
To answer appropriately, first it's important to understand "why companies ask about desired salary." When you grasp the background of the question, the points you should address become clear.
Companies have salary ranges by job role and grade, and they check whether the applicant's desired amount falls within that range. If you communicate an amount that significantly exceeds the company's budget, you may be judged as "not matching the hiring cost" and dropped from the selection process. The primary purpose of screening is to identify "whether the person fits within the company's regulations and internal balance."
It's not just about the amount itself—they're also assessing how you evaluate your own skills and experience, and how deeply you understand the market. People who throw out unreasonable amounts, or conversely, those who quote low amounts not matching their actual capabilities, risk being seen as "someone who can't accurately explain their own value." Whether you can articulate an appropriate amount with its rationale serves as a signal of "whether you're a logical person who can articulate informed perspectives."
Whether you're "choosing the company based only on salary" or "truly resonate with the work and business" is also a key concern for interviewers. If you proudly state high amounts without being able to articulate why you want to work at that company, they'll worry that "if another company offers a higher amount, this person will immediately quit." Conversely, if you can speak about it together with your enthusiasm for the work, even a somewhat higher amount becomes more likely to be accepted.
Your desired salary should not be set "as high as possible" or "modestly low," but determined by combining the following three perspectives.
The starting point for your desired salary is your current salary. Based on your withholding tax certificate or pay stub, clearly articulate the following three: 1. Base salary and bonuses, 2. Overtime pay and various allowances, 3. Pre-deduction gross monthly average. This becomes the baseline that you don't want to fall below in the job change.
If your current salary is clearly lower than the industry/occupation market rate, don't be bound by your current salary—think based on market value. Conversely, if you're in an industry where bonuses are particularly high and your current salary is unusually high, asking the new company for that exact amount isn't realistic, so some adjustment will be needed.
Even for the same occupation, salary varies greatly by industry and company size. Cross-check your market value from multiple sources using salary diagnostic tools on job search sites, salary ranges in job postings for similar positions, and industry salary data from recruitment agency sites.
For example, engineering, consulting, and finance tend to have higher salary ranges than other industries, and it's not uncommon to see differences of 1 million yen or more for the same skills and same age. For cross-industry job changes, basing your thinking on "your value as seen from the market" is the practical approach.
The salary range listed in the company's job posting is an important clue. If there's a notation like "4 million-7 million yen," consider where in that range you should be positioned. If you have substantial accomplishments you can showcase in your resume and interview, aim for the middle to upper range; if you don't meet some application requirements, the middle to lower range is the realistic line.
When communicating your desired salary, we don't recommend giving a single pinpoint amount. Communicating in a range enables a richer dialogue between both parties.
The recommended approach is the "floor + range + rationale" format. For example: "As an amount that wouldn't fall below my current salary of 5 million yen, I'm hoping for 5.5 million to 6.5 million yen. As an evaluation reflecting my management experience as a team leader and the ○○ skillset that your company seeks, I've proposed this range." This delivery achieves the three pillars of "not too low, not too high," "clear floor," and "backed by rationale."
A range width of 1 million to 1.5 million yen is the guideline. Too narrow a range leaves no room for negotiation, and conversely, too wide a range puzzles the company with "How much does this person actually want?" Set an appropriate width matching your occupation and salary bracket, like "5 million-6 million yen" or "6 million-7.5 million yen."
Answering only with "I'll follow your company's regulations" or "I'll leave it to you" may appear humble at first glance, but interviewers often take it as "this person isn't thinking about their market value" or "lacks initiative." Furthermore, since the company has no reference point either, they may extend an offer lower than the budget cap, and you may receive a lower offer for the same skills. Communicating your wishes clearly is the basic rule.
From here, we'll introduce example phrases you can use directly in interviews by scenario. Use the example closest to your situation as a base, and adjust by replacing specific amounts and skills.
When changing to the same occupation as your current job, requesting a slightly higher amount than your current salary that reflects market value is common.
"My current salary is 5.2 million yen, and considering the salary range listed in your company's job posting, I'm hoping for 5.5 million to 6.5 million yen. In my current role, I serve as the primary person in charge of ○○ work, and given that I would be entrusted with similar duties plus the △△ area at your company, I'm considering this range. Of course, I'd be grateful if you could review this based on your company's evaluation and regulations."
When changing to an industry without experience, requesting your current salary as-is is difficult, so show flexibility while clearly communicating your floor.
"My current salary is 4.8 million yen, but considering that I'll be starting from scratch in your industry, I'm hoping for 4.2 million yen as a minimum to maintain my livelihood, up to around 5 million yen if you can evaluate the skills portion. I'd be grateful if you could review this based on your company's evaluation criteria and regulations."
When you want management experience or expertise to be evaluated, this example clearly shows the rationale of your accomplishments.
"My current salary is 6.8 million yen, and as a team leader, I'm responsible for managing 8 members. I understand that your company expects management of a larger organization, and based on that scope of responsibility, I'm hoping for 7.5 million to 8.5 million yen. In my current role, I led the ○○ reform and achieved △△ results as the outcome. As an evaluation reflecting such accomplishments, I'd be grateful for your consideration."
This is an example for when your current salary is lower than the industry standard, or your market value has risen through skill development. Using skills and market data as rationale, you build the case carefully.
"My current salary is 4.5 million yen, but checking salary diagnostic tools on job search sites and job posting data for similar positions, I believe the market value of my skills and experience falls in the range of 5.5 million to 6.5 million yen. I'd be grateful if you could review this not as 'my current salary' but as 'an amount matching the ability to deliver value at your company.'"
When asked about desired salary early in the selection process such as the first interview, and you want to see other companies' selection situations before deciding, this example shows a certain range while leaving room for negotiation.
"At this point, I'm using 5 million yen and above as a guideline—an amount that wouldn't fall below my current salary. However, I'd like to think flexibly based on your company's work content and the role expected of me. I'd be grateful if you could discuss specifics with me as the selection process progresses."
The desired salary field on resumes and entry sheets follows the same approach as in interviews. Keeping these points in mind ensures you communicate a consistent message in both the document screening and the interview.
The notation "following your company's regulations" commonly seen on resumes appears polite at first glance, but from the recruiter's perspective, it has the disadvantage that "the desired amount is unclear, making it hard to construct an offer." Including a specific range makes it easier for the company to extend an appropriate offer.
The recommended style is to include a range with a one-line comment, such as "5 million-6 million yen (hoping for the same or higher than my current salary, but I'd be grateful for review based on your company's regulations and evaluation)." This shows both clarity and flexibility, and is also effective for adjusting expectations before the interview.
If there's a field for "current salary" on the resume, write the amount exactly as stated on your withholding tax certificate. If you write an inflated amount, it won't match what you say in the interview or when you submit the withholding tax certificate after joining, which will significantly damage trust.
Even slight differences in how you say it can significantly change the interviewer's impression—that's the difficulty of desired salary. Let's pick up five common NG examples.
Avoid communicating high amounts based on personal circumstances or vague wishes, such as "My friend gets that much" or "It's tough considering my mortgage." The basic rule is to articulate the rationale for desired amounts based on "your skills and experience" and "market value"—personal living circumstances are not judgment material for companies.
Communicating like "I'm receiving unfairly low evaluations in my current job" or "My current salary is too low" piles on dissatisfaction with your current job and gives a negative impression. Explain the rationale for the amount not by "dissatisfaction with current job" but by "market value and your skills." Companies want to hire "people aiming for positive career advancement" rather than "people trying to resolve dissatisfaction through job changes."
Responses like "anything is fine" or "I'll leave it to your company" may seem humble at first glance, but may be received as "someone who can't explain their own value" or "someone who hasn't thought deeply about the work." Furthermore, the company side often extends low offers in such cases, resulting in a pattern where you ultimately lose out.
When undergoing selection at multiple companies, significantly varying the amount by company is risky. When going through an agent, there are cases where the same person sees selections at multiple companies, and if discrepancies in amounts are found, trust is damaged. The safe approach is to keep your desired amount consistent based on "your market value," adjusting within the range according to each company's work content and scope of responsibility.
If only the amount discussion stands out alone, you'll be seen as "choosing the company based only on salary" or "someone who'll take whichever offers more." After communicating your desired amount, adding "However, the top reason I want to join your company is ○○, and I place equal weight on that, beyond just the salary," allows you to communicate both enthusiasm and the amount with good balance.
In interviews, when you should communicate desired salary and at what level of detail are also important points.
The first interview is typically conducted by recruiters or hiring managers, and the screening aspect is stronger than detailed salary negotiation. At this stage, the range-based approach introduced above is appropriate. Negotiating specific starting amounts or allowances is best done at the final interview or offer meeting stage.
In final interviews, attendees often include executives or department heads, increasing the likelihood of specific salary discussions. Keep the range-based delivery as-is, but more concretely communicate the rationale (e.g., leadership experience, expertise in specific areas) for targeting the upper end of the range, aiming for the higher amount.
At the offer meeting held after the offer or notification, specific amounts and conditions are presented. If you receive the offer and feel "this is lower than the range I was hoping for" or "I'd like to negotiate a bit more," communicating politely at this timing is the basic rule. The tip is to communicate enthusiasm and negotiation together, like "My desire to join your company won't change even at the amount you presented, but if possible, I'd be grateful for your consideration up to ○○ yen."
When using a recruitment agency, the point is to firmly align with the agent before directly communicating your desired salary to the company.
Tell the agent both "the floor below which you'd decline" and "the amount you realistically want to stretch for." Since the agent understands the company's salary tables and budget sense, they'll provide realistic explanations of how much room there is for negotiation. The advantage is that even amounts that are hard to negotiate in interviews are easier to discuss through an agent.
If there's a difference between the amount you communicate to the agent and the amount you communicate at the company's interview, you risk damaging trust with both the agent and the company. The amount you initially communicate to the agent should be communicated to the company in the same range as the rule. If your thinking changes after going through other companies' selections, share that with the agent as well.
Communicating to the agent in advance what amount you would accept if an offer came, and what amount you would want to negotiate, smooths the post-offer schedule. Concretely articulating things like "I'd accept if presented at 5 million yen" or "At 5.2 million yen or above, I'd accept without hesitation" and sharing them with the agent reduces hesitation.
To answer desired salary appropriately, do these three preparations before the interview.
Find your withholding tax certificate and pay stubs and accurately grasp your current salary. If you have a vague memory or an inflated amount, you risk being called out when submitting your withholding tax certificate after joining. It's also important to clarify breakdowns such as annual income including bonuses versus monthly average excluding bonuses, and whether allowances like housing allowance are included or excluded.
Cross-check your market value from multiple sources, such as salary diagnostic tools on job search sites, job postings for similar positions and sizes, and interviews with recruitment agencies. Relying on just one source carries the risk of leaning toward a biased view. The realistic market value is the area where salary ranges largely converge when viewed from multiple perspectives.
Research the target company's salary sense based on the salary range listed in the job posting, salary tables seen on review sites, and information from the agent. Communicating an amount "clearly above the range floor" is realistic, and communicating an amount that exceeds the upper end of the range requires clear rationale that matches it.
When thinking about desired salary, having a perspective that looks at overall working conditions, not just the face value amount, is also important. Even with a lower salary, the overall package may end up being an attractive offer.
"Face value salary" and "actual take-home pay" don't match. Even at the same 5 million yen salary, take-home pay can vary by more than 300,000 yen annually depending on the presence or absence of taxable/non-taxable allowances like social insurance premiums, tax deductions, and housing allowance. When an offer comes, calculate your provisional take-home pay using a simulator to get a realistic image of your life.
Even with the same face value of "6 million yen," whether it's "4 million base + up to 2 million incentive" or "5.5 million base + 500,000 bonus" makes a huge difference in stability. With a larger portion tied to performance, there's also a risk that take-home pay drops significantly in poor periods. At the offer meeting, always confirm these breakdowns.
Including taxable/non-taxable allowances like housing, family, qualification allowances, and retirement plans, your effective income varies considerably. Furthermore, in companies with a steep promotion curve, even if the joining salary is slightly lower, the lifetime salary viewed over 3 or 5 years may end up higher. The perspective of looking not just at the "amount" of salary but at "the trajectory of growth" is important.
After communicating your desired salary, calculating offers, and progressing through selection, many people get caught up wondering, "The amount is within my consideration range, but is this really the workplace and work that's right for me?" Interviews alone make it difficult to assess the workplace atmosphere and actual work, and mismatches beyond salary are also common challenges in job changes.
One option in such situations is "trial employment (try-out work)." It's a mechanism that allows you to experience actual work for a fixed period before completing the selection process or accepting the offer, letting you check your compatibility with the company in real terms before deciding to join. Compensation is often provided, and it's spreading as a new style of job change that lets you prevent "non-salary anxieties" risk-free. Making on-site experience the axis of your career choice—as important as the salary discussion—is also a valid approach.
Avoid inflating your current salary. Many companies require submission of withholding tax certificates when joining, and discrepancies will significantly damage trust—worst case, the offer may be withdrawn. The basic rule is to communicate your current salary as the truth, and set your desired salary based on market value. A low current salary is not a negative—if you can well-articulate the gap with market value, you can positively highlight it.
If you communicate an amount that significantly exceeds market value or the company's range, you may be judged as "hiring cost doesn't match" or "self-evaluation isn't appropriate" and face disadvantages in selection. On the other hand, if the amount matches clear skills and accomplishments, even proposing near the top of the range rarely puts you at a disadvantage. "The clarity of the rationale" is more important than "the height."
Communicating an amount clearly lower than market value doesn't necessarily make you easier to hire. Conversely, there's a risk of being seen as "if they only ask for this amount, maybe they lack confidence in their skills or experience." Furthermore, if the offer comes out at the low amount as-is, you'll lose the amount you originally could have gotten. Communicating an appropriate amount that matches your market value is the choice that costs you the least in the long run.
Even if not asked in the interview, since the amount listed on your entry sheet or resume becomes the basis for the company's consideration, you don't need to proactively communicate further. However, if work content and expected role become visible during the interview and you want to aim higher than your initial wish, at the final interview or offer meeting, raise it by saying "Based on the work content, I'd appreciate it if we could discuss the salary range again."
When changing to an industry without experience, a temporary salary drop to 70-80% is common. Demanding an amount that doesn't drop at all risks being seen as "lacking awareness of being inexperienced" and putting you at a disadvantage in selection. However, clearly establish the floor that maintains your livelihood, and have the courage to decline offers below that. The point is balance—showing the attitude that "even with a small decrease, I want to prioritize long-term career" while protecting the realistic floor of livelihood.
Salary negotiation after the offer is presented is a generally accepted process as business etiquette. However, rather than unilaterally communicating "a bit higher," the point is to communicate "I'm gratefully receiving your offer," express gratitude, and then communicate with clear rationale and a polite tone: "Considering the bonus loss from leaving my current job, if possible, I'd be grateful for your consideration up to ○○ yen."
Communicating other companies' selection status is common, but avoid the framing of "another company is offering this much, so please match or exceed." The standard approach is to communicate facts without exaggeration: "I'm also progressing through selection at other companies, so I'd like to make my decision considering both companies' offers." Showing the enthusiasm that "your company is my top choice" while negotiating often makes companies more willing to consider positively.
Phrases that can be used without disguise include "Considering your company's skillset and market rate," "I'd be grateful for review based on your company's evaluation and regulations," and "This range is just one guideline." Using these makes you appear less self-serving and shows an attitude that presumes dialogue with the company. Stockpiling a graceful negotiation style different from both "following regulations" and "please go easy" is reassuring.
Companies generally tend to present offers in the lower to middle of the desired salary range, and it's rare for offers to come out at the upper end of the range as-is. For this reason, setting the amount you really want at the upper end of the range tends to lead to amounts lower than expected at offer presentation. Set the floor as "absolutely not negotiable amount" and the upper end as "stretch goal amount"—communicating with awareness of where the offer is likely to land is wise.
How to answer desired salary in an interview is just as much about "how to communicate" as it is about "how much to set it at." Decide the amount considering three factors—current salary, market rate of occupation/industry, and the target company's salary range—and the basic rule is to communicate with the three-set format of "floor + range + rationale."
With a range width of 1 million to 1.5 million yen as the guideline, avoid throw-away phrases like "following your company's regulations" or "I'll leave it to you," and explain logically based on your skills, experience, and market value. What's even more important is to communicate "enthusiasm for the work" just as much as the amount discussion. Rather than proudly stating the amount alone, speaking about it together with "the reason you want to work at this company" allows the company side to confidently consider a higher offer.
If you find yourself uncertain at the offer meeting stage, thinking "I'm satisfied with the amount, but I can't quite picture the workplace atmosphere and actual work," trial employment (try-out work), where you experience the workplace before deciding, is also an option. Utilize the examples and tips in this article and confidently advance to your next career.
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