Our compensation for this role is between $600 and $800 a month depending on the position. What are your salary expectations and how did you arrive at that figure?

Situation

When I was offered my first VA position, the client asked what I expected to earn. I didn't know the industry range then, so I just said 'Whatever you think is fair, sir.' Later I found out I was being paid below market rate for someone with my skills.

Task

Now, I want to approach this professionally so that I both respect the company's range and advocate for myself based on my actual value.

Action

Before the interview, I researched MyOutDesk's published range and read through the job description to list which specific skills I bring that match the higher end: for example, I have two years of experience using Follow Up Boss and have managed over 5,000 leads with a conversion rate above 12%. During the interview, I said: 'Based on my experience running similar pipelines and my proven ability to hit lead response targets, I'm targeting the $750–$800 end of your range. I understand compensation kicks in once I'm matched with a client, and I'm prepared for that timeline.' I didn't apologize for naming a number.

Result

The recruiter didn't flinch; in fact, she noted that my specific CRM experience would make me a stronger match for higher-tier clients. I was eventually matched with a client in the $780 range.