As I’m sure you’ve found, more and more companies are asking for (and even insisting on) salary requirements or history, well before they make you an offer. Often it’s stated in the job posting with a line like, “Please include salary requirements.” With so many qualified candidates chasing too few jobs, companies are looking for any way they can to narrow the field. If your requirements are much below their target salary then that will tell them that you’re too junior and probably under-qualified. If your number is much higher then they’ll believe your over qualified. Either way, you’re out of the race and you’re not getting back in.
So, to avoid being disqualified before you get started, try not to answer any questions regarding salary and compensation. If you’re a strong candidate for a position then not naming a number probably won’t exclude you from consideration. On the other hand, if the line reads, “No submissions accepted without salary history / salary requirements” and it’s a soft market like we’re in, then you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth the risk of possibly disqualifying yourself by not naming a number. The question might also come up at the interview. If asked to name your requirements, I would respond with, “You know Mary, I’d like to hear a bit more about the position and the responsibilities before answer that. Now a moment ago you were telling me about the department’s biggest challenge right now…”
But there may be times when not answering will disqualify you. In that case, match as closely as possible the number they were thinking of, but while still leaving yourself room to negotiate later. Do this by giving them a range if possible. The way to say it is something like, “It’s my understanding that the industry standard for this position is between $76K-$88K. I would be comfortable within that range. But don’t forget, if you do name your salary requirements now you’ll have a very hard time getting much more than that when it comes time to negotiate the compensation package later. So best if you can avoid the topic altogether.
When it comes to compensation, the goal is to avoid naming a number as long as possible. It’s like a good car salesperson. When they’re helping you consider a new car they’ll spend most of their time showing you the sporty leather seats, the great sound system, and the cool alloy wheels. Once you’ve fallen in love with the car and they know you can’t live without it – then they’ll show you the price.