What are your salary expectations

What are your salary expectations — Best Answer & Examples

They are gauging budget fit without over- or under-committing you. Answer too low and you leave money on the table; a…

What they are really asking

They are gauging budget fit without over- or under-committing you. Answer too low and you leave money on the table; answer too high and you may screen yourself out before the real conversation. They also watch whether you handle the topic with calm professionalism rather than discomfort, because money talks are part of the job in many roles.

Sample answer

Defer with a range tied to market. "Based on similar roles I am targeting seventy to eighty-five thousand; happy to align with your band." If you can ask their range first, do it — knowledge beats guessing. Research the market on a public salary site before the call so your number sounds informed. Keep it a range, not a single floor, which leaves room to land inside their band. If they press, give your prepared range and ask what the band is, so neither side guesses. If you currently earn less than the role pays, do not anchor to your old salary; anchor to the market for this role, or you leave money on the table. If you earn more, be ready to explain why a step back still makes sense, usually because the scope or growth is worth it. Either way, the range should be defensible from public data. Ask for the band first, then place your number inside it, because a number said into a vacuum is a guess and a number said into a range is a negotiation. If your old pay was low, anchor to the market for this role, not to your history, and keep the number as a band with room to land.

Avoid this mistake

Do not name a single low number that caps you, and do not bluff a number so high it looks like you did not research. Never lie about current pay; stay truthful and focus on the target. Avoid dodging completely, since a total refusal can read as evasive. A confident, researched range is the professional move, and it keeps the door open for the real negotiation after they want you.

Sample answers reviewed by the InterviewQA editorial team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I answer first?

If possible, ask their range first; otherwise give a researched band.

Lie about current pay?

Never; stay truthful and focus on the target range.

What if they press for a number?

Give the range you prepared, then ask what the band is.

Is a range or a point better?

A range; it shows flexibility and still protects your floor.

When do salary talks get serious?

After they have decided they want you, not in round one.