Why this question matters so much
When a recruiter asks "What are your salary expectations?", the first number said out loud becomes the anchor for everything that follows. Name a number below their budget and many employers will simply accept it — happily. You'll never know you could have asked for more.
Three ways to answer
- Ask for their range first. "I'd love to understand the role a bit more first. What range have you budgeted for this position?"
- Give a researched range. Build it from market data for your job and state. Make the bottom a number you'd happily accept. "Based on the market data for this role, I'm looking at $X to $Y in base, depending on the full package."
- Defer politely until you understand the role. "I'm flexible for the right role. Could we come back to numbers once we've talked about responsibilities?"
If they ask what you make today, you can redirect to market value — many US states and cities restrict employers from asking about salary history. "I'd rather focus on what this role is worth in the market."
What the practice is like
Enter your job title and state. The AI recruiter opens with "Before we move forward, what are your salary expectations for this role?" Behind the scenes it has a budgeted range based on BLS wage data for your job. If you name a number inside or below that range, it accepts — just like a real recruiter would. Push higher with good reasons and you'll learn where the limit is.
After the call, your debrief shows your score and your biggest mistake. With a pass, you see the range they had budgeted — the number you could have asked for — plus a script and an email for your real answer.