The salary-expectations question makes many experienced candidates strangely defensive. They know that one careless number can become the ceiling for the entire process, so they try to avoid answering at all.

From the recruiter's side, the question is usually simpler: can the company plausibly hire you within its range, or are both sides about to spend weeks on a process that cannot close?

Your goal is therefore not to dodge the question at any cost. It is to keep the process moving without setting an unnecessarily low ceiling before you understand the role. The best response depends on what you actually know.

When the company has not shared a range

Ask for the approved range before giving a number:

I would like to understand the scope and level in a little more detail before setting a precise expectation. Could you share the approved compensation range for the role?

This is a normal business question. It may produce a clear answer, a broad range, or a request for your expectations first.

If the recruiter still needs a number, do not turn the conversation into a contest over who speaks first. Give a researched range you can stand behind:

Based on what I understand so far, I would expect the base salary to be in the €115,000 to €125,000 range, depending on the final scope, level, and total package. Is that compatible with the range you are working with?

That answer does four useful things:

  • Provides enough information to test alignment.
  • Makes the range conditional on information you do not yet have.
  • Keeps total compensation in view.
  • Invites the recruiter to reveal whether the range fits.

When the job posting includes a range

You do not need to select your final number during the first screen. Confirm alignment while preserving room to learn:

The published range is broadly consistent with my expectations. Where I would expect to sit inside it depends on the final scope, level, and total package, so I would like to understand those through the process.

If the recruiter asks for more precision, explain the position you believe matches your experience:

Given my experience leading comparable work, I would currently expect to be considered in the upper half of the range. I would want to confirm that after understanding the team and responsibilities in more detail.

Do not assume the top of a published band is the default offer for a strong candidate. Companies may use the full range across different experience levels, locations, or progression points.

Also do not assume the published range reveals the company's complete internal band. Depending on the jurisdiction and employer, a posting may show the expected hiring range, a location-specific range, or only part of a broader compensation structure. Ask what the range covers: base or total cash, one level or several, one location or many, and whether the company expects most new hires to land around a particular point.

The useful question is not only “What is the maximum?” It is “What evidence determines where someone enters this range?” That answer tells you far more about how the company will evaluate your experience and eventual offer.

When an application form requires a number

Use the best evidence available:

  1. The employer's published range.
  2. Comparable postings for the same role, level, and location.
  3. Reliable compensation reports.
  4. Your current or alternative package, where relevant to your decision.
  5. Your walk-away point.

If the form permits text, use a concise range with a qualification such as “depending on scope and total compensation.” If it accepts only one number, enter a credible target rather than your minimum.

Your minimum is a private decision threshold, not necessarily the opening information the employer needs.

Why refusing every number can hurt

Advice online often treats the question as a trap and recommends never answering. That is too absolute.

A recruiter may need to confirm that a candidate expecting €180,000 is not entering a process capped at €120,000. Refusing to provide any directional information after the employer explains the role and range can look evasive or simply leave the alignment question unresolved.

The better principle is:

Delay precision until the role is sufficiently clear, but provide honest alignment information when the process requires it.

Why giving your minimum can also hurt

Candidates sometimes answer with the lowest number they would accept because they fear being screened out. That can create two problems:

  • The employer may reasonably treat the number as your expectation.
  • You may later need to reverse your position after learning more, which weakens the clarity of your negotiation.

Give a range that reflects the value and scope you currently understand, not the point at which financial pressure would force a difficult decision.

Current salary is a different question

Current or previous compensation and future salary expectations are not the same. Laws governing salary-history questions differ by jurisdiction and continue to change. You can keep the discussion focused on the target role:

I would prefer to focus on the scope and market value of this position. For this role, I am currently considering opportunities in the €115,000 to €125,000 base range depending on the total package.

Do not make legal claims in the conversation unless you understand the applicable law. For a rights or compliance question, obtain qualified local advice.

The range needs three numbers behind it

Before the conversation, define:

Target

The outcome you believe is attractive and supportable based on the role, market, and your evidence.

Acceptable range

The outcomes you would seriously consider after accounting for bonus, equity, benefits, flexibility, commute, risk, and progression.

Walk-away point

The point below which the move no longer makes sense. Keep this private unless you intentionally use it to make a final decision.

These numbers prevent you from inventing a position under pressure.

Four scripts for common situations

Early recruiter screen

I am still learning about the exact scope, so I do not want to imply false precision. Could you share the approved range? I can then confirm whether we are aligned.

Recruiter requires a range

Based on comparable roles and what I understand so far, I am considering a base range of €115,000 to €125,000, depending on level and total compensation. Is that within the range for this role?

Published range fits

The published range is broadly aligned. My position within it would depend on the final scope, level, and package, which I expect we can clarify through the process.

Published range appears too low

My current expectation is above the published range based on the role scope and my experience. Is there flexibility in the level or total package, or is the stated range a firm constraint?

Prepare the answer before the call

Write down:

  • What you know about the role and level.
  • The range you can support.
  • The evidence behind that range.
  • What remains unknown.
  • The question you will ask in return.

The objective is not to defeat the recruiter. It is to establish enough alignment to continue without giving away flexibility you may need when the full offer exists.

Sources and further reading

Editorial note: Pay-transparency and salary-history laws vary by location. This article is general career information and not legal advice.