# Salary expectations question

The salary expectations question asks a candidate to state what pay range they're targeting, usually during an early recruiter screen. Researching the actual market rate for the role and location beats guessing, and letting the employer state a range first, where possible, avoids anchoring too low.

It comes up earlier than many candidates expect, often before the first real interview.

**Salary expectations question** — This question asks for a compensation range, not a single fixed number, framed around what a candidate would consider fair for the role. A well-prepared answer is grounded in researched market data for the specific title, location, and experience level, stated as a range rather than one exact figure, which leaves room to negotiate in either direction.

Where pay-transparency laws require a posted range on the job listing, this question becomes less of a guessing game, since the employer's range is already public. Where it isn't posted, naming a number first can anchor the conversation lower than the employer was actually willing to pay, which is why asking about the budgeted range before answering, or giving a wide, researched range instead of a single figure, is common advice. A number stated with no research behind it is easy for a recruiter to talk down.

Intervieux runs a dedicated salary negotiation practice interview, with separate scenarios for negotiating a new offer and negotiating a raise inside a current role, so a candidate can rehearse the actual conversation, not just prepare a number in the abstract.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should a candidate give an exact number or a range?

A range, grounded in actual market research for the role, location, and experience level, gives more room to negotiate than committing to one fixed figure this early.

### What if the job posting already lists a salary range?

Where pay-transparency rules require a posted range, that number is a strong starting anchor. It's reasonable to respond within that range rather than guessing independently.

### Is it a mistake to answer with 'I'm flexible' instead of a number?

It can come across as unprepared. A researched range, even a wide one, shows the candidate has actually thought about their own value rather than deferring the question entirely.

## Related pages

- [Browse open roles](/jobs)

## Rehearse the negotiation, not just the number

Run a salary negotiation AI interview on Intervieux, for a new offer or a raise, and rehearse the real conversation.

Start practicing free: https://www.intervieux.ai/register · Hire with Intervieux: https://www.intervieux.ai/employers/signup