12 tips for talking about money in a job interview without making it awkward

Talking salary with a hiring manager during your job search can feel awkward.

It seems like there's never a right time or place to broach the subject. "You don't want to wait too long, but the last thing you want to do is bring it up too early and annoy the hiring manager," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert, author, and leadership coach.

"Prospective employers are not jumping at the chance to divulge salary ranges because they typically want to leave their options open. If they were to immediately blurt out that the position pays between $80,000 and $100,000, they know you're not going to shoot for $80,000," she explains. So how do you navigate the timing of the big money question?

"If you're hearing the advice that you should absolutely wait until the second interview to talk pay, or that you must find out in the first phone conversation, consider this: There are no rules, just variables," says Taylor.

Here are some steps you can take to determine when and how to bring up salary: