What salary range are you targeting?

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What salary range are you targeting?

That question is dreaded by any IT professional or job seeker. Many states now require salary ranges to be posted in the job listing…but many haven’t caught up yet.

So how do you handle that question in an interview?

My advice: Never give a number first.

If asked, redirect the conversation and use a phrase like “I'm more concerned at the moment with talking to you about discovering whether we're a mutual fit. If we're a great fit, then I can be flexible on the numbers with you and you can be flexible on the numbers with me”.

If you’re asked in an online form — you can put a ridiculous number like $1.

When a number is provided, the conversation gets anchored to that number.

If you avoid giving a number you maintain flexibility and potentially allow the employer to name a higher number than you would have named.

This advice is super-simple but can make you thousands of dollars over your career.

For more on salary negotiation, feel free to check out my favorite article on the subject

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