"What's your desired salary?"

"A million an hour, obviously (haha). But in all seriousness, I'd expect to be compensated commensurate with the responsibilities of the role, keeping in mind that the salary number is just one aspect of a compensation package as health insurance and other benefits are important to me."

There are only two reasons HR asks this:

1. possible leverage later in the process.

2. attempting to not waste time if the candidate's expectations are way out of line with the amount the company is willing to pay.

Either way, there is no good reason to name numbers prior to the company making an offer with compensation package details.

> Either way, there's no reason to name numbers until AFTER the company makes an offer with included compensation package details.

I agree that a candidate shouldn't name numbers until after an offer.

But I think the company should give a range as early as possible. This is because of point #2 above. As an engineering manager I've had at least one heartbreaking experience where we took a candidate through the hiring cycle and then found out we and they were way out of line re: comp. Hiring sucks enough without that curveball.

That's why, for all the warts, I'm a fan of salary disclosure laws (like those in Colorado, USA). Yes, it's hard to have an accurate range, because jobs and skills are squishy. Yes, candidates anchor towards the top. Yes, it's weird for a buyer of a thing (labor) to state a price.

But companies have more power in the hiring process (there are, after all, many employees working for a company, but usually only one company an employee works for). Companies, or the hiring managers, also have a budget.

If you are a hiring manager, I'd encourage you to have your salary range shared with candidates as early as possible in the process.

No one wants to work for a company in category #1, though I recognize some people might have to.

Find out their range and standard benefits package as soon as possible in the process. If you still don't know after the first phone screen/chat and are not in dire need of employment, move on. It's a great filter.

> 2. attempting to not waste time if the candidate's expectations are way out of line with the amount the company is willing to pay.

Good reason for them to say what they're willing to pay before I bother reading their job advert