How to Answer "What Is Your Expected Salary?" in a Sri Lankan Job Interview

13 Oct 2026

Few interview questions make candidates as nervous as "What is your expected salary?" Ask for too much and you fear losing the job; ask for too little and you may be underpaid for years. With a little preparation, you can answer calmly and fairly. This guide is written for private-sector jobs in Sri Lanka, where salaries are usually negotiable. (State-sector salaries follow fixed scales and are generally not negotiated.)

Step 1: Research before the interview

Your answer should be based on facts, not guesses. Gather information from:

• Job adverts that show salary ranges for similar roles. On JobPortal LK you can filter jobs by minimum salary to see what employers are offering.
• People in the industry – former classmates, colleagues and professional groups.
• Your current package – calculate the full value, including allowances, overtime and bonuses, not just the basic salary.

Then decide three numbers: your ideal salary, a realistic target, and your minimum – the figure below which you would not accept the job.

Step 2: Think about the whole package

Salary is only part of what an employer offers. In Sri Lanka, important parts of a package include:

• Basic salary and fixed allowances (the figure on which EPF/ETF is usually calculated).
• Transport, fuel, vehicle or travelling allowances.
• Mobile phone and internet allowances.
• Annual and performance bonuses.
• Medical and insurance cover, sometimes including family.
• Overtime payment and working hours, including Saturdays.
• Training, study support and professional exam fees.

A slightly lower salary with medical cover, a fuel allowance and paid professional exams can be worth more than a higher basic with nothing else.

Step 3: How to answer the question

If you can, let them speak first

You can politely ask: "Could you share the salary range budgeted for this position?" Many employers will tell you, and that gives you a starting point.

Give a range, not a single number

If you must answer, give a range whose lower end is your realistic target: "Based on my experience and the responsibilities of this role, I'm expecting between Rs. 120,000 and Rs. 140,000 per month, but I'm open to discussing the full package."

Explain your value briefly

Connect the figure to what you bring: experience, qualifications, skills that reduce training time, or results you achieved in your last role.

Be honest about your current salary

If asked about your current salary, answer truthfully. Employers may verify it with payslips or references. You can add context: "My current gross salary is Rs. 95,000 including allowances. I'm looking for a move that reflects the additional responsibilities in this role."

Step 4: When you receive an offer

• Thank them and ask for the offer in writing, including the breakdown of salary and benefits.
• Take a day to consider it if you need to. That is normal and professional.
• Negotiate one or two points, not everything. For example: "Would it be possible to increase the basic to Rs. 125,000?" or "Could the transport allowance be included?"
• Ask about the review cycle. When is the first salary review or confirmation after probation?
• Confirm EPF and ETF registration from the first month.

What not to do

• Do not lie about competing offers or your current salary.
• Do not make salary the first thing you talk about in the interview.
• Do not accept verbally and then try to renegotiate after signing.
• Do not be rude or impatient – negotiation is a normal business conversation.

For freshers

If this is your first job, you have less room to negotiate, and that is fine. Focus on learning opportunities, training, and the chance of confirmation and increments. A good first employer that develops your skills often leads to a much better salary within two or three years.

Compare salaries across hundreds of vacancies – browse jobs in Sri Lanka and use the salary filter on JobPortal LK.