Salary Expectations
It’s common in the early interview process for a recruiter to ask you about your current salary. This can happen before you are invited to interview with the hiring manager(s). Recruiters will use this to gauge if you are willing to accept a low offer within the salary range for the position you are applying for. For this reason, avoid disclosing your current salary early on in the interview process if you can.
If the recruiter or hiring manager asks you, you could say something like, “I prefer not to discuss my current salary because this position is different than my current job. I am interested in finding a position that is a good fit for my skills and experience, and provides growth potential. I am confident that what you are offering is competitive. Would you be willing to share the salary range for this position?” By answering their question with a question, you avoid disclosing your current salary.
If they push for what your salary expectations are for the position, be prepared with your market data and answer matter-of-factly. You could say something like, “Based on my research, the market salary range for this position is $75,000 - $90,000. Is that within your range?” Answer their question with a question, and do not yet say what you would accept this early on in the interview process.
If you have to list your current salary on the job application try putting N/A or an obviously incorrect number, like $1. Most recruiters will not penalize you as they have likely seen this before from experienced negotiators.