From the book How to Prepare for an Employment Interview.
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If you're being seriously considered, the question of salary will have to come up at some point.
In larger, more traditional companies with set salary structures, there may be a predetermined salary range that's already been assigned to the position. In such cases, the employer will likely tell you what the range is, and you'll at least have some idea of what they have in mind before you have to say what you think is the appropriate level.
But in many cases, you'll just be asked what your expectations are with nothing to go on from the employer.
Early in the interview, you can try to delay questions about salary by saying that it would depend on the scope and scale of responsibilities involved, and that you don't know enough about the position yet to say.
Once your questions have been answered, however, the salary question will come up again.
If you're asked about salary at the initial interview, the employer is only trying to see if you're in the same ballpark. The question is only being used to filter out people whose requirements are beyond the company expects to pay. That's why you'd like to avoid giving an answer if possible-it will only eliminate you, not help you.
But someone's got to be the first to state a figure-or at least a range-and while you'd prefer that it be the employer, it will often have to be you. You can try reversing the question by asking "What do you have budgeted for this position?," but if the interviewer is persistent, your further attempts to dodge the question will only agitate them and hurt your ...[continued here]
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