Is it OK to demand higher salary just because the interviewer look impressed ? Higher salary in comparison with that of current company and industry standards?
Update :
I still have to give them a price. And just for the notice, I have to relocate to a city where cost of living is higher comparatively.
You can do anything you like, but I wouldn't advise it. You're only worth what the job pays, and if the salary has already been negotiated, it's bad form. If it hasn't, then you risk pricing yourself out of the job.
So, if you don't care whether or not you get the job, you can ask for more, just understand that in doing so, you may damage, or even ruin your chances.
Is it OK to demand higher salary just because the interviewer look impressed ? Higher salary in comparison with that of current company and industry standards?
Certainly. You can always adjust your salary demand based on anything you feel might work in your favor. In this case, if you think they were particularly impressed, you can indeed ask for more than you had initially intended.
Now of course there is a risk that you will price yourself out of their range and not get to an acceptance. You'll have to judge the likelihood of that based on how impressed the interviewer looked and how much more than the current company and industry standards you are seeking.
Companies are usually willing to give more to the best candidates, but not always. And sometimes they are willing to negotiate.
That really depends on how much you were planning to ask. How much is "higher"?
If you already were planning on asking for an above-average salary given your skill level and your market research, asking for something even higher could easily backfire.
However, if you (for whatever reason) were planning to lowball your demand and the interviewer's response has given you the confidence to ask for more, that might be a sign you deserve more than you thought you did.
Disclaimer: This second case happened to me once, and they ended up going above even my adjusted demand.
As always with salary discussions, you need to balance what you want/feel you deserve with what you think the company would be willing to pay.
I still have to give them a price
Good. Don't.
You're playing the wrong negotiation strategy. Your interviewer has an advantage over you and he's using it. The advantage is that he knows what he's willing to pay and you don't. Therefore, a number that in your case may be reasonable, might seem to you too high.
Never name a price first. Especially in your case, if they were truly impressed, they might offer you a number that was higher than you thought.
And then you ask for more.
How do you do that after they asked you to name your price? Repeat after me: You're in a much better position to know what I'm worth to you than I am. Are they pushing back? I don't think I should dictate to you what you should pay your employees.
You might have come across Patrick McKenzie's salary negotiation guide. I will also direct you towards his podcast on the same subject with Josh Doody. I was listening to that stuff on my way to my latest interview a few months ago, now I make double. Sorry to sound like a sleazy salesman, I'm in IT as well, and this stuff works. Give it a chance.
I wouldn't "demand" a higher salary. If you receive an offer and a salary lower than you'd like, you can negotiate. Ask politely for something 10-15% higher than what you think would be ideal and they'll hopefully meet you somewhere closer to your desired salary.
You can ask for an above average salary if your interviewer gave you the impression you are an above average candidate. You have more negotiation power in this type of circumstance. You are free to ask for whatever you like given that it's an open negotiation. I advise you to do your homework and ask for a fair number (likely between 10-20%).
The company may not give you exactly the salary you want, but you may get a better signing bonus or relocation package if they really want you.
