What to say when a recruiter asks your current salary
This question isn't small talk. How you answer it will shape every number in your offer. Here's how to handle it.
It comes up in almost every early recruiter call: “So, what are you currently making?” It sounds casual. It isn't. The recruiter is trying to anchor your offer to your current salary — which may have nothing to do with what you're worth in the current market.
If you answer honestly, you hand them a ceiling. If you're underpaid now, you'll likely be underpaid in your next role too.
Why recruiters ask this question
Recruiters ask for your current salary for one reason: it makes their job easier. If they know you're making $90,000, they can offer $95,000 and call it a raise. You'll probably take it. They've just saved their company $15,000–$30,000 a year compared to what the market would have required them to pay.
The question is designed to benefit the employer, not you. In many US states, it's now illegal for employers to even ask. But even where it's legal, you have no obligation to answer it directly.
The best response (and why it works)
Here's what to say:
“I'd prefer to focus on what the role is worth and what I'm looking for going forward. Based on my research and experience, I'm targeting [target range]. Does that work with your budget?”
This response does three things at once: it deflects the question without lying, it anchors the conversation to market rate instead of your current salary, and it immediately asks a question back — which puts the recruiter on the defensive in the best possible way.
What if they push back?
Some recruiters will push. They'll say they need the number for their system, or that they can't move forward without it. Most of the time this isn't true — it's a pressure tactic.
If they press a second time, try this:
“I'm not comfortable sharing that at this stage — I want to make sure we're evaluating fit before getting into numbers. What I can tell you is that I'm looking for [range]. If that's in the right territory, I'd love to keep talking.”
You're not being difficult. You're being professional. Any recruiter who drops you for not revealing your current salary wasn't going to give you a fair offer anyway.
How to figure out your target range
The only way to confidently name a number is to know what the market actually pays. Look at data from Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and Payscale for your specific role and location. Don't average them — look at the 75th percentile and aim there. Hayven's Compensation Analyzer does this automatically — it gives you a precise market rate by role, level, and city so you can name a number with confidence. If you're currently underpaid, the market data is your leverage.
Your target range should be specific enough to be credible and wide enough to give you room. A $10,000–$15,000 window is ideal. Lead with the top of your range — you can always come down, but you can rarely go up.
One thing most people get wrong
Most people wait until the offer arrives to think about negotiation. By then, the recruiter has already anchored internally to a number — often based on what they guessed you were making. The salary conversation starts the moment a recruiter reaches out, not when the offer lands.
Handle this question well and you'll walk into the offer conversation with your leverage intact. Handle it poorly and you'll spend the rest of the process fighting uphill. Once the offer does arrive, read how to negotiate salary after a job offer for the exact scripts to use next.