Job Interview Tips: Handling Salary Expectation Questions During an Interview

This is intended to be a short article but (hopefully) an important one for those of you in career transition and job search mode. Likewise, I'd encourage corporate recruiters and executive search consultants ("headhunters") to chime in if this resonates with your practices or varies from how you handle salary issues that come up during prescreening meetings or in-person interviews with candidates. The goal of this piece is to help candidates understand what goes on "behind the curtain" when recruiters screen candidates based on salary expectations and how to respond appropriately under pressure. 

The Question: What salary do you have in mind for the position and what's the minimum you'll accept? 

The Premise: Recruiters want to ensure not only that you're qualified for the opening at hand but that your salary expectations are in line with theirs. Sounds reasonable from the recruiter's standpoint, but as a candidate, you're concerned that you'll undercut your salary potential if your response it too low or price yourself out of the job if your answer is too high. 

I have a long answer to this seemingly short question, but it's important that you understand what elements are in play and what factors need to be considered when responding. My general advice right out of the gate when it comes to job interview tips and fielding "desired salary" questions. . .

1. Be honest with the recruiter. Let them know if you feel that it's really important for you to get back to work, if you always wanted to be a part of that organization, or that you don't want to say anything "wrong" that could remove you from consideration. The recruiter will likely appreciate the honesty and that healthy sense of transparency and “vulnerability” in your initial response. This is a good opener, but they're expecting you to name a number or a range, so let's flesh this out a bit more. 

   
   

2. Locate the position’s salary range, which is often in the job posting, depending on state reporting requirements. Have a quick look at what the organization listed on public job boards or LinkedIn to locate the published range. (If you can’t find it or it's not available, use ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or other AI model to find out “How much is XYZ Company paying for the SVP Human Resources position posted on its job board at the Pasadena, CA location?) Be as specific as you can, and even if you can't locate the exact answer, the AI platform will likely generate comparison salary ranges by title and/or geography. 

3. Understand that there are three elements in play on the company's side: (a) the salary range, (b) the budget, and (c) what's known as “internal equity.” The salary range is what the company typically posts, which is good to know but simply a general marker. The budget is what the organization wants to pay or is planning on paying: it’s typically what the last person was making or less. Internal equity is the real driver behind it all: The company will slot your years of experience, education, bilingual abilities, technical skills, and the like to the rest of the existing team. That’s how they ultimately determine what you’re starting salary should be.

Posted Salary Ranges

Companies generally post the full range they are realistically willing to pay for a new hire, but rarely the "full" internal salary band for that role. In HR terms, that often means they post from the "minimum" to the "midpoint" of the salary range: not from the "minimum" to the "maximum" of the salary range. That makes sense for several reasons: 

First, let's keep the compensation formula simple for our discussion: 

Minimum: $100,000 

Midpoint: $150,000

Maximum: $200,000 

(Note that a range from $100,000 - $200,000 is considered a "100% spread," which is likely higher than most positions. The typical spread is usually in the 40-60% range, unless the position is a senior executive role, where a 100% spread may be more reasonable because talent and achievement levels can vary greatly.) 

Companies are expected to post a "good faith estimate" of what they expect to pay at the time of hire. The "upon hire" range is typically the bottom 25% to 50% of the company's internal pay grade. They aren't displaying the "ceiling" for the role, only the "entry window." For example, if a posted range shows $100K - $150K, it's likely that $150K is the midpoint for that position (i.e., the market rate for a fully qualified person who can do the job independently). Likewise, the "sweet spot" for the offer in that case will likely be in the $120 - $125K range (i.e., below the midpoint, which gives the new hire a few years to grow into the position and get to the point where they're fully functioning on all levels within that role). 

That's why you'll rarely see to the top of the salary range posted on company recruitment sites or job boards (i.e., $200K in the example above): Companies aren't planning on paying that to new hires, companies need room to grow their employees within the salary range (so they don't max out too early), and companies don't want existing employees to see the maximum of the range because they'll assume that new hires will be paid more than them. (Not a good formula for retention, as people will leave if they feel like they're being underpaid simply by seeing how much higher the salary range goes above their current salary level.) 

Salary History Bans and Pay Secrecy 

As of this writing, 22 states (plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) have what are known as "Salary History Bans" in place. When you include states that only ban the practice for state government agencies, the number of jurisdictions with some form of protection jumps even higher. That means that if you're in one of the covered states, you’re not required to tell a recruiter what you were making at your last/current company or anywhere else. 

You certainly have the right to share your salary history voluntarily. Just keep in mind that in almost all these states, if you volunteer your salary first, the employer is legally allowed to discuss it internally and use that information to set your pay. It can work to share your salary, for example, if you were highly paid. But you also risk being screened out if a recruiter reasons that you'll be dissatisfied with a lower offer or might otherwise leave later in your first year when you can "recoup" your prior higher salary elsewhere. In comparison, if you suspect you're lower in the range, you risk getting a lower offer because of your good faith transparency; on the other hand, you might be placed at the front of the hiring line because the employer finds a well qualified and motivated candidate with a lower salary demand. 

My best advice: go with your gut. As a former corporate recruiter and headhunter myself, I appreciate candidates who disclose their salary history openly. I feel that it builds trust and rests on a spirit of transparency. It's also an important data point for recruiters to have when looking at internal equity. As a job candidate myself, I always shared my salary history because I knew the recruiter or hiring manager would otherwise be shooting in the dark when it came to "guessing" what an appropriate offer might be. 

Job Interview Tips: Sample Responses to Salary Expectation Questions During an Interview

I recommend responding in any of the following ways when asked about salary expectations: 

• “In my position at XYZ Company, I was earning $____________.  I’d like to make in that neighborhood or above to the extent possible. However, I also really want to return to work, as I’ve been in transition for a while. Therefore, I’ll defer to you as to what an appropriate starting salary might look like for someone with my background and experience level.”

If the recruiter pushes further and says something like, “That sounds great, Paul, but what’s your absolute minimum?” you might respond:

• “I don’t have an absolute minimum in mind. I'm much more focused on the opportunity as a whole. Benefits are likewise important to me. Is that an acceptable answer for right now?"

If the recruiter then shares, "I'm concerned that we might not be able to offer you what you were making in the past," you have the option of saying:

• Well, I could probably make everything work budget-wise if the offer came in at or ___% below what I was making at XYZ Company. But again, the opportunity itself and the total compensation package are more important to me than the base salary." (Assuming you shared your current/most recent salary with the hiring official at that point, the percentage can be easily be translated into dollars.)

That’s about as fair an answer as you can give. And only you know what that percentage might look like. Just be yourself and try to connect with the recruiter person-to-person.  Rest assured they’re not likely going to try to low-ball you because they need to pay you what you’re worth for internal equity reasons. In other words, if they pay you lower than your peers (which they know you’ll likely find out not long after onboarding), they’ll risk losing you, which they don’t want to do. If they pay you more than your peers (i.e., experience/education/technical skills all being equal), they’ll risk losing your peers, who will become incensed that the organization paid a new hire more than their existing staff. (Companies have found out the hard way that you can hire one person and lose four if you mess up on the internal equity piece.)

So the system kind of takes care of itself. They’ll make you the best offer they can relative to their budget and internal equity analysis. To do otherwise would be foolish on their part because there’s simply too much to lose. While companies prefer that coworkers do not share salary information and keep it confidential (a concept known as "Pay Secrecy"), almost all employees talk about salary sooner or later. And they’re allowed to: salary is considered a “term and condition of employment,” and employers are required by law to allow private sector workers to discuss terms and conditions of employment with their peers. (Note that public sector and supervisory employees may not have these same broad protections afforded under the National Labor Relations Act.)

Other responses might sound like this: 

• "My current employer considers compensation details confidential, and I'd like to honor that agreement. However, I've reviewed the range posted for this role and am comfortable working within those parameters." 

• "Based on the requirements for this role and the current market for a __________ (TITLE) in _____________ (LOCATION), I'm looking for a base salary in the $___ to $___ range and a total compensation package (including bonus) in the neighborhood of $___. Does that align with your budget for this position?" 

• "I'd prefer to focus on the value I can bring to this specific role. Since the responsibilities here are unique compared to my current position, I'd like to hear more about your total rewards package before we dive into the numbers. Is that a fair request on my part?" 

If you live in a state where employers have no legal obligation to post salary ranges, you might come back with:

• “I’d love to better understand the full scope of the role and total compensation package before landing on a number. Could you share the budgeted range for the position?”

And if you're really pressed to give a number, you're always better off providing a range rather than a single dollar figure:

• “Based on my experience and what I’m seeing in the market, I’d expect something in the $130K–$150K base range, depending on total compensation, bonus structure, and benefits. Is that in line with your intended pay range for this position?”

For senior-level candidates (which is especially relevant if someone is targeting VP/SVP HR roles), you can reframe as follows:

• "For roles with enterprise-wide responsibility, I typically see base salary and total comp structured in the $X to $Y range. Is that in line with what you're budgeting for the position?"

Finally, if you really want the position and do indeed have some flexibility in whatever salary range is offered, try a response like this:

• “Compensation is important, but fit, scope, and growth opportunity matter just as much to me. I’m confident we can land at something mutually fair if it’s the right match.”

A lot will depend on how interested you are in the opportunity. The "Interest-Demand Barometer" shows that the higher the interest level on the candidate's part, the lower their demands. Reciprocally, the lower the interest level on the candidate's part, the higher their demands. You'll base your own "barometer" on the people you meet, the location and commute, onsite requirements, office vibe, other pending offers, and more. Just be as honest and transparent as you can under the circumstances and see where things go from there.

One thing's for sure: After reading this blog post, you now know how salary ranges are posted, what "internal equity" is, and how to respond to the "initial salary expectation" question using several different approaches. I hope you find this useful and again welcome any thoughts or comments with differing experiences, results, and recommendations! 

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