Salary · 8 min read

How to answer 'what are your salary expectations?'

The salary expectations question feels simple: the recruiter asks, you tell them a number, and everyone moves forward. In reality, the person who names a number first almost always loses negotiating power. Understanding why requires a brief look at how salary decisions actually work.

Why naming a number first is usually a disadvantage

The recruiter or hiring manager already has a budget range for the role. It might be £45,000 to £65,000, or $90,000 to $130,000—the exact width varies by company and seniority. If you say £52,000 and their floor is £45,000, you have just anchored the negotiation to the lower end of where they would have gone. If you had said nothing, you might have gotten an offer at £62,000. You have handed them permission to offer less.

This is not malice. It is how anchoring works. Research on negotiation consistently shows that the first number named shapes what follows, even when both parties know the first number is arbitrary. The person who does not say a number first keeps the employer's estimate of their value in play. The person who does say a number first gets their own estimate used against them.

There is a second, quieter cost. If your number is too low, you signal that you do not know your market value. If it is too high, you risk being filtered out before a conversation even happens. Saying nothing avoids both traps.

The two situations where answering first can work

This rule has exceptions. The first: you have researched the market carefully and you know what the role pays in your location, at that company, and given your background. You have a number that is genuinely competitive, not inflated. You say it with confidence. This can work because you are anchoring to reality, not to a guess. Most candidates do not do this work. Most candidates throw out a number they think sounds reasonable and hope. Do not be most candidates.

The second situation is rarer. You are very senior or very specialised, and your market value is genuinely non-standard. You might be a retained specialist earning £200,000 in a market where typical hires are £80,000. In that case, you cannot say nothing, because the organisation simply will not know where to place you. But even here, you should phrase it carefully: 'based on my experience in specialist infrastructure work, the market rate in London is typically 120 to 160. Given the scope here, I would be looking at the upper end of that range.' You give context. You do not blurt a number and wait.

How to deflect once, and what to do when pressed

Early in a conversation, when a recruiter asks what you are looking for, the easiest deflection is honest: 'I want to understand the role better first—the scope, the team, and what success looks like. Then I can give you a number that makes sense for both of us.' Most recruiters accept this. It is professional and true.

Some do not accept it. If they push back and say 'I just need a ballpark to know if we are in the same universe', you have three choices. First, you can give a range rather than a single number, which is less anchoring and gives you room. Second, you can ask them what their budget is—this is direct but often works because it puts the burden back on them to commit. Third, you can deflect once more: 'I have seen this role posted at quite a range depending on the company and location. Could you tell me your budgeted range, or what the previous person in the role was earning?'

If they are asked a third time, you should answer. At that point, evasion starts to look like you are either hiding something or unprepared. Give a range based on what you have researched. Do not give a single number.

Why a range is usually better than a single number

A range gives you flexibility and reduces the appearance of arbitrary precision. If you say '£58,000', you have drawn a line. They will offer £57,500 or find a reason to stay below it. If you say '£56,000 to £66,000', you have left room for negotiation. Your minimum is defensible, and your maximum is aspirational without being absurd.

The range should be rooted in research. Check Glassdoor, PayScale, or industry surveys for your role and location. Look at what similar companies are advertising. Ask peers if you can. A range of £10,000 to £15,000 is typical. Wider ranges look uncertain. Narrower ranges look like you have a specific number in mind and are hiding it.

When to give a single number, if you must: this is rare. Usually it is when you have already negotiated with the employer and they are asking for confirmation, or when you are so far along in the process that giving a range feels like stalling. Even then, err toward the middle to upper end of your research range. You can negotiate down more easily than up.

Mandatory fields and how to handle them

Some application forms will not let you proceed without entering a salary number. This is frustrating and common. You have a few options. First, enter your researched range's midpoint. This is not evasive—it is a sincere estimate. Second, enter a number on the high end of your range with a note in a cover letter or recruiter message that it is aspirational and open to discussion. Third, if the form allows, enter a range in the free-text field even if the form calls for a single number.

If the form truly requires a single number with no text field for notes, enter the midpoint of your range. This is honest and defensible. You are not lying. You are committing to a number that is real and researched. You can negotiate from there.

When your current pay is well below market

This is a common situation. You have been underpaid for years, and now you are interviewing. You know the market rate is significantly higher than what you are earning. Do not let your current salary anchor the negotiation.

Employers often ask 'what are you earning now?' This is not the same as 'what do you expect to earn?' You can answer the first without answering the second. If asked, you can say: 'I have been fortunate to find a stable role, but the market rate for this kind of work in this location is higher than my current salary. That is one of the reasons I am looking to move. I am targeting roles that pay between £X and £Y.' You acknowledge the question without letting your history dictate your future.

Some regions have laws limiting how much employers can base offers on prior salary. Even where they do not, you can still push back. If an employer says 'based on your current salary we can offer £52,000', you can say: 'I understand that is a factor, but I have been underpaid for some time. The market rate for this role in this area is £60,000 to £70,000, and that is the benchmark I am using.' This is direct and fair.

One hard truth: if an employer is determined to peg your offer to your current underpayment, that is information about their negotiating culture. They are not looking to pay fairly. They are looking to pay what they can get away with. You are allowed to walk away from that, even if the role is otherwise attractive.

Preparing your research before you need it

The best time to research salary is before you are actively interviewing. Bookmark a few sites you trust. Know the range for your role, experience level, and region. Note the ranges for one level up and one level down. If you are moving to a new city or country, research that market early. Know what skills command a premium in your area. Having this done means you can answer or deflect confidently when the question comes, without scrambling.

Write down your bottom-line number and your target number before you interview. Your bottom-line is the lowest you will accept—account for cost of living, taxes, benefits and your own financial reality. Your target is what you genuinely believe the market pays. This is not bragging. It is preparation. It means you are not making up numbers on the spot when you are nervous.

How to research salary if you are changing careers or moving to a new location

Career changes and relocation make research harder because your prior salary is not a useful anchor. You cannot say 'I earned £X before' because the market rate for your old role is irrelevant. Instead, focus on the new role and new market. If you are moving from marketing to project management, research what project managers earn in your new location, not what marketers earned before. If you are relocating from a small town to London, research London salaries for your role, not small-town salaries.

Geographic differences can be large. A developer might earn £55,000 in Manchester and £75,000 in London for identical work. A sector manager might command £48,000 in Bristol and £62,000 in the South East. These are not small shifts. They matter to your research. Do not assume your old market rate applies. Do not let an employer tell you 'we pay less because we are not in an expensive city' without checking whether that is true. Some cities genuinely do pay less for comparable roles. Some simply pay less because candidates accept it.

If you are undergoing a significant career transition, you might have less bargaining power initially. If you are moving from finance to tech, employers might offer less than someone already in tech because they see you as taking a risk. This is frustrating but it is real. You can still research the market rate for the role you are targeting. You can still push back if an offer is significantly below market. But you should be realistic about the fact that a transition might cost you some money in year one. Make this calculation knowingly, not in surprise when an offer arrives.

The short version

If you can, do not name a salary first. If you must, base it on real research, not a guess. Give a range when you can—it leaves room for negotiation. If your current salary is low, do not let it anchor the conversation. If asked directly, answer honestly but frame it: 'I have researched the market rate for this role and this location, and it is £X to £Y. That is what I am targeting.' You are not evasive. You are professional and prepared. Most employers will respect that.

Related guides

Try JobStraight free →