What is a surefire way to force a potential employer to name a number first?

Ask-“What has been the past/current salary for this position?”

When they give you an amount-where does that align on the salary grade?

Oh that is a good one. In my experience, the employer likes to ask “What are you currently paid? We’ll match it.” Which of course, is not what you want because you want an increase.

You might consider how you want to be viewed and treated by an employer, figure out what your questions for them are to see if an employer will work well for you or not, and express that.

Speaking for myself, a potential employer that is playing manipulation games, or tries to treat me in ways that I don’t like, tends to blow their chances with me.

Whatever you do, don’t say “I was hoping for…” At that point you’ve already given it up.

Oh, I have a long list of expectations for an employer, which is probably why I don’t have a job right now.

It seems perfectly logical that an employer would not want to pay you a cent more than is necessary. It is definitely a game, one that I tend not to win. I just hate discussing money. I think if you can get them to name a # first, you are in a much better position. I guess I need a good answer to “What are you currently paid” that skirts the question and flips the table back to “What is the current salary/what are you offering”.

I guess the discussion could go like this:

‘What are you currently paid? We’ll match it.”

“Not nearly enough – What are you offering?”

“Well why don’t you tell me what you’re paid and we’ll go from there.”

…

How many times do you go back and forth until the other person caves? Or is there another approach?

“What’s the salary range for the position we’re discussing? I’d like to know where it tops out.”

You’re doing it wrong.

Every interview you go into, you need to have a number you won’t accept less than.

@Captain_Fantasy, and be prepared to walk, right?

I grant you that’s the standing wisdom for any bargaining situation, but perhaps we can’t all afford that in these times. Some dollars are better than no dollars.

If you’re not prepared to walk, your negotiating power quickly drops to 0.