A Recruiter Asked for My Current Salary. What Should I Say?
Quick answer: In many states, you actually don’t need to answer. New York and a growing number of other jurisdictions prohibit employers from asking about your current or past salary, although employers can generally still ask what compensation you're looking for.
But even where the question is legal, I don't think your current salary is the most useful number to build the conversation around.
Your current salary is not your market value. It's simply the price one company agreed to pay you under one set of circumstances.
The better approach is to understand the market, know your own floor, target, and stretch numbers before the conversation starts, and, whenever possible, ask the recruiter what range has been budgeted for the role before you name yours.
Six minutes into a recruiter call, the question lands:
“What are you making right now?”
And it is remarkable how quickly an otherwise confident person can lose their footing. I've spent years working closely with recruiters, hiring leaders, candidates, and compensation decisions. I've hired and promoted people, participated in offer conversations, and watched talented candidates negotiate exceptionally well. I've also watched smart, accomplished people get caught completely off guard by one compensation question.
They start wondering:
Do I have to answer this?
Will I look difficult if I don't?
Should I inflate the number a little?
What if I say something too low and leave money on the table?
The problem usually isn't the question itself. The problem is that they walked into the conversation without having decided what they believe the opportunity is worth. That is something you can prepare for.
Do I have to tell a recruiter my current salary?
It depends on where the job is based. In New York, employers are prohibited from asking applicants about salary history under Labor Law § 194-a, and New York City has overlapping protections. A number of other states and cities have enacted similar salary-history restrictions.
The idea behind these laws is important: what you made in your last job should not automatically determine what you're paid in your next one.
Salary-history rules vary by state and locality, so it's worth understanding the laws that apply to your particular situation. This article is practical career guidance, not legal advice.
But there is another part of this question that has nothing to do with the law. Even when you don't have to answer, there can still be enormous social pressure to answer. People worry that redirecting the question will make them look evasive, difficult, or overly focused on money.
It doesn't have to. A calm, professional response can move the conversation away from your past compensation and toward the thing that actually matters:
What is this role worth?
Salary history and salary expectations are different questions
There is an important distinction between these two questions:
“What are you currently making?” and “What compensation are you looking for?”
Your current salary is a fact about your past. Your salary expectation is part of a conversation about your future.
Those are not the same thing. And the second question is the one I want my clients prepared to answer thoughtfully.
Your current salary is not your market value
This is the part I wish more people understood. Your salary is not some objective measurement of your professional worth. It is the result of a particular negotiation, at a particular company, at a particular moment in your life.
Maybe you accepted less because you had just been laid off. Maybe you valued flexibility. Maybe you joined a startup because you believed in the equity. Maybe you stayed at a company for seven years and your responsibilities grew much faster than your compensation. Maybe you moved into a lower-cost market. Maybe you made a career pivot. Or maybe your company simply underpaid you.
None of those circumstances should automatically determine what another company pays you three years later.
This is one of the reasons salary history can become such a powerful anchor.
If Company A underpaid you, and Company B determines your salary by adding 10% to what Company A paid you, that original underpayment follows you into the next job. And sometimes the one after that. Instead of building the conversation around your paycheck, bring it back to the role in front of you.
You can say:
“I'd prefer to focus on the scope of this position and the compensation budgeted for it. What range has the company established for the role?”
You're not refusing to discuss compensation. You're asking to discuss the compensation that's actually relevant.
Know your numbers before the recruiter calls
Most people don't struggle with compensation conversations because they haven't memorized the right negotiating script. They struggle because they haven't made the decision before the conversation. They haven't researched the market. They haven't thought carefully about what they'd accept. They haven't decided what would make the opportunity compelling.
So when a recruiter asks for a number, they're doing the math emotionally and in real time. That's when people make bad decisions. Before you begin interviewing, I recommend knowing three numbers.
Your floor
This is the lowest total compensation you would genuinely accept.
Your floor is primarily for you. You generally don't need to volunteer it. The purpose of knowing your floor is to prevent yourself from spending five weeks interviewing for an opportunity that could never realistically work. And your floor doesn't have to be purely financial.
Maybe you'd accept slightly less for dramatically better work-life flexibility. Maybe remote work has significant value to you. Maybe you're willing to trade some cash compensation for meaningful equity, better benefits, a shorter commute, a stronger title, more interesting work, or an extraordinary learning opportunity.
Compensation is a package. Know what your actual minimum looks like.
Your target
Your target is the strong, realistic outcome that is supported by the market and your qualifications. This is usually the number I want someone prepared to discuss out loud.
It shouldn't simply be:
“I'd like to make 20% more.”
The market doesn't care that you would like to make 20% more.
Your target should come from the role itself:
What do comparable positions pay?
How closely does your experience match?
What is the scope?
What skills do you bring that are particularly valuable?
How competitive is your background in this market?
That is a much stronger foundation for a compensation conversation.
Your stretch
Your stretch number is the outcome you'd be thrilled with. Maybe the role turns out to be larger than expected. Maybe the company sees unusually strong alignment between your background and what they need. Maybe you bring a specialized skill set that is difficult to find. Maybe the equity or bonus structure creates additional room.
Your stretch is worth knowing. But I would hold it loosely. Not every opportunity justifies asking for the absolute top of the range.
How do I research what a job should pay?
Use more than one source.
Look at comparable roles by:
location
industry
company size and stage
seniority
actual scope of responsibility
base salary
bonus
equity
benefits
remote, hybrid, or in-office expectations
For technology roles, tools such as Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and published job postings can all be useful. But no single website has the truth.
You're trying to triangulate. If five comparable jobs are paying roughly the same amount and your expectations are dramatically different, that's useful information. You should also pay attention to how wide your own range is.
If you tell a recruiter:
“I'm looking for something between $150,000 and $200,000”, don't be surprised if the conversation suddenly becomes about $150,000.
A $50,000 range usually isn't communicating flexibility. It's communicating that you haven't really decided.
What should I say when a recruiter asks for my salary expectations?
Whenever possible, I prefer asking for their range first.
Something as simple as:
“I'm happy to talk about compensation. What range has been budgeted for the position?”
You don't need to make it adversarial. You don't need to deliver some clever negotiation line you found on TikTok. Just ask the question. A strong recruiter isn't going to fall out of their chair because you asked about the range. Compensation alignment is part of their job.
In fact, most experienced recruiters would rather discover a significant compensation mismatch during the first conversation than after you've gone through five interviews. Once they share the range, you can respond thoughtfully.
For example:
“That's generally consistent with what I've seen for comparable positions. Based on my background and what I understand about the scope so far, I'd probably be targeting the upper half of that range, although I'd like to learn more about the role and the overall package before getting too specific.”
That communicates confidence without pretending that compensation exists separately from everything else about the opportunity.
What if the recruiter won't tell me the range?
Sometimes you'll ask and hear:
“It depends on the candidate. What are you looking for?”
I don't automatically consider that a red flag. An external recruiter may not have perfect visibility into the client's budget.
The company may genuinely have flexibility depending on experience. Or the recruiter may simply be trying to determine whether you're financially in the same universe before moving forward. If they continue pushing you for a number, give them a researched target based on the role rather than your current compensation.
For example:
“For positions with this level of scope, I've generally been targeting total compensation in the $180,000 to $200,000 range. I'd want to understand the responsibilities, equity, benefits, and growth opportunity before narrowing that down.”
Notice what is missing? You never had to explain what you're making today.
What is the recruiter actually trying to learn?
This is something candidates sometimes misunderstand. Most recruiters aren't sitting on the other end of the phone trying to trick you into saying the lowest possible number.
They're usually trying to figure out a much more practical question:
Does it make sense for us to keep talking?
They're evaluating whether your expectations and the company's budget are reasonably aligned. They're also learning whether you understand the market. And, eventually, they're thinking about whether they'll be able to advocate for you internally. Where you position yourself within the range can tell them something too.
If a company posts a range of $150,000 to $200,000 and you immediately insist that you're a $200,000 candidate despite meeting only 60% of the requirements, that can communicate a lack of market awareness.
But automatically placing yourself at $150,000 isn't necessarily wise either. The strongest candidates tend to be ambitious and grounded. They understand what they bring. They understand where they may have gaps. And they can explain why they believe they belong in a particular part of the range without turning the conversation into a standoff.
Does the number I give on the first call lock me in?
Usually, no. Your first compensation conversation is mostly about alignment. You're still learning what the job actually is.
Maybe the responsibilities turn out to be significantly larger than the job description suggested. Maybe the bonus isn't as reliable as you expected. Maybe the health benefits are expensive. Maybe the company wants you traveling 40% of the time. Maybe the equity is meaningful. Maybe it isn't.
You're allowed to update your thinking as you learn more. And by the time you receive an offer, the dynamics have changed. Early in the process, the company is evaluating whether it likes you. At the offer stage, they've decided they want you. That creates more room for a thoughtful conversation.
You might say:
“I'm genuinely excited about the opportunity. After learning more about the scope and the impact you're hoping this person will have, I was hoping we could move the base closer to $205,000. Is there flexibility there?”
That is very different from suddenly asking for $250,000 after telling everyone for six weeks that you'd happily accept $175,000. A thoughtful counter is normal. A completely different compensation expectation at the finish line is harder to explain.
Don't turn compensation into a referendum on your worth
This may be the most important part. Money has a funny way of becoming personal.
Someone offers you $170,000 and suddenly the number starts feeling like a statement about your talent. Someone else makes more than you and you begin wondering whether you're behind. A recruiter asks what you're currently earning and suddenly it feels like you have to defend the career decisions that led you there. You don't.
Your salary is a business agreement. It is not a verdict on your worth. The goal of a compensation negotiation isn't to “win.” It isn't to squeeze every possible dollar out of an employer. And it isn't to prove how valuable you are as a human being.
The goal is to understand the market, understand the opportunity, understand what matters to you, and make a thoughtful decision about whether the exchange makes sense. That is why the best compensation negotiation often happens long before an offer arrives.
Do the research before the recruiter calls. Know your floor. Know your target. Know your stretch. Know what would make the opportunity genuinely worth pursuing. Then when the question comes, you don't have to scramble for the perfect answer. You've already done the harder work. You know what you want. And you can talk about the future instead of defending a number from your past.
This is the work I do with my clients as a career transition coach.
Key takeaways
Salary-history laws vary by location. New York, for example, prohibits covered employers from asking applicants about past compensation, although employers can still ask what compensation you're seeking.
Your current salary reflects one set of past circumstances. It does not automatically define your market value today.
Establish your floor, target, and stretch before you begin recruiter conversations.
Whenever possible, ask what range has been budgeted for the role before naming your own number.
Base your expectations on the market, your qualifications, the scope of the position, and the entire compensation package.
Your initial number is generally a starting point for alignment, not an irreversible commitment.
By the offer stage, you have more information and usually more leverage to make a thoughtful counter.
Where this fits into a bigger career question
Compensation matters. But I've also coached enough people to know that a bigger paycheck doesn't automatically fix the wrong career. You can negotiate an additional $20,000 and still wake up six months later realizing the work drains you.
You can land the title you thought you wanted and discover that the environment doesn't fit you. You can optimize the offer and still choose the wrong opportunity. So yes, learn to negotiate your compensation.
But also ask the bigger questions:
Who am I?
Where will I flourish?
What is actually worth building?
If you're in the middle of a job search, considering a career transition, or trying to figure out whether it's the role or the fit that's off, career coaching can help you get clear on what you're actually looking for. If you're rebuilding your search after a layoff, read my guide torunning a job search built on relationships, not just applications.
And if the exhaustion you're experiencing feels bigger than one bad job, read aboutthe difference between burnout and career misalignment.
If you want help thinking through your next move, you can schedule a conversation with me.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to tell a recruiter my current salary?
Not always. Several states and cities, including New York, prohibit covered employers from asking applicants about salary history. Where the law doesn't prohibit the question, you can still professionally redirect the conversation toward the role's compensation range instead of answering directly.
Is it illegal for a recruiter to ask about my salary history?
It depends on where the job is based and which laws apply. New York Labor Law § 194-a and similar laws in other jurisdictions restrict covered employers from asking about salary history. Because rules vary by location, confirm what applies in your particular situation.
What should I say if I don't want to share my current salary?
Try:
“I'd prefer to focus on the scope of this position and the compensation budgeted for it. What range has the company established?”
It's direct without being combative and moves the conversation toward the number that matters.
Will declining to answer hurt my chances?
A calm, professional redirect is unlikely to surprise an experienced recruiter. Compensation questions are routine, and recruiters hear many different responses. Being prepared usually matters more than giving an immediate answer.
How do I figure out a realistic target salary?
Research comparable positions by location, industry, company size, seniority, and scope. Use multiple sources, including published job postings and compensation databases, and evaluate the full package rather than base salary alone. Then define your floor, target, and stretch before the conversation.
Can I still negotiate after giving an initial number?
Yes. Early compensation conversations are primarily about determining whether expectations are reasonably aligned. As you learn more about the actual scope, benefits, bonus, equity, travel, and responsibilities, your expectations may reasonably change. A thoughtful, market-supported counter at the offer stage is normal.
About the author: Jeff Rothenberg is the founder of A Path That Calls and a life and career coach. Before coaching, he spent more than 15 years in sales, recruiting-adjacent, and operations leadership at early-stage technology companies, where he hired, promoted, led teams, and participated directly in compensation and hiring decisions. He holds a certificate in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and is MBTI certified. He coaches clients in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley in person and nationally by video. Learn more at apaththatcalls.com.
I’m Jeff Rothenberg, a personal growth and career coach helping people turn uncertainty into confidence and clarity. Whether you’re rebuilding after change, exploring your next career move, or simply ready to grow, I’ll help you create momentum that lasts.
