How do I ask for a certain salary at a job interview?

What to answer at a job interview when the employer ask what your current salary is?

• What do you say to a potential employer if they ask you what your current salary is? I was asked this question during an interview and I gave them a salary based on which I think ...show more

• Answer:

  Were you paid at or below the market for how your skills were utilized? If so - then you tell them what the salary is and that you realize it wasn't a market competitive salary. If you are/were paid above market, then tell them what you were paid and move on. If you approach it from the standpoint of what you believe you should make, you are potentially hanging yourself out to dry. Because what you feel you are worth, and what the company feels your skills are worth may be two completely different things. And if you give them a number that is lower than they expect, you leave money on the table. If you are over - you risk getting kicked out of the process. If it's appropriate, you can simply state that you are more interested in the job, company and the challenges than the salary. That once you have a complete understanding of the job and they of your skills, you can have a better conversation about salary.