Understand why the recruiter is asking
The question is usually a practical check: whether your expectations fit the approved range and whether it makes sense to continue the process. It is not yet the final negotiation.
Your answer should therefore be clear enough to establish alignment, but not so rigid that you commit before understanding the role, level and package.
Prepare a credible range
Research compensation for the role, level, location and company type. Use more than one source where possible, then adjust for the scope of the position and the experience you bring.
- Floor: the minimum package that would make the move viable.
- Target: the outcome you consider fair and attractive.
- Evidence: market data, role scope and relevant experience.
- Package: base, bonus, equity, pension, benefits and flexibility.
Do not present your private minimum as the bottom of your public range. A range should represent outcomes you could reasonably accept, not the widest possible interval.
If the question comes too early
When the responsibilities or level are still unclear, ask for the employer's budgeted range first. You can say: “I would like to understand the scope and level fully before giving a precise figure. Could you share the range budgeted for the position?”
If they require an answer, give a researched range and make the assumptions explicit: “Based on the scope described so far and comparable roles in this market, I would expect a base salary in the X–Y range, depending on the complete package.”
What to enter on an application form
If the field accepts text, “negotiable based on scope and total package” can preserve flexibility. If it requires a number, use a credible target rather than an artificially low figure designed only to pass the screen.
Where salary-history questions are restricted, keep the conversation focused on the role and your expectations. Rules vary by location, so check the current requirements that apply to you.
Answers that weaken your position
- “Anything is fine.” This suggests you have not assessed the market or your needs.
- An unexplained number. A figure without context can sound arbitrary.
- An enormous range. It gives little useful information and makes the lower end the obvious anchor.
- Your current salary as the only reference. The new role should be valued on its own scope.
- A fabricated competing offer. False leverage can damage trust and is difficult to sustain.
Revisit the discussion when an offer arrives
An early expectations conversation does not remove your right to assess and negotiate the eventual offer. The final role may be broader than initially described, and the complete package may change the comparison.
Give a range you can defend, then keep the final decision tied to the complete role and package.
Frequently asked questions
Should I give one number or a range?
A range normally communicates flexibility, provided both ends are credible. A single number can be useful when the employer asks for a precise target and you understand the role well.
Should I include bonus and equity?
Clarify whether you are discussing base salary or total compensation. Otherwise, two apparently similar figures may describe very different packages.
What if the employer's range is below mine?
Ask whether the level, scope or other elements can move. If the gap is structural, decide early whether continuing the process is worthwhile.
Salary negotiation coaching helps you define a credible range, practise the conversation and prepare for the offer stage.
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