[disease]

I'm currently in an underpayed development position and am trying to get to market rate, yet every recruiter and HR person asks this question.

Anyone have any idea what would happen if I just refused to answer it and use the 'I'm looking to be paid what I'm worth to the company' line?

[cannam]

My most uncomfortable interview experience (nearly 20 years ago) came about because of this problem.

I was working in a job I enjoyed, but that didn't pay well. The money had started to become a problem and I started looking for something better-paid. (This was London in 1997 -- I was being paid about £25K and I hoped for more like £35K.)

I used a recruiter, I told them my current salary and what I hoped to get, and they got me a promising-looking interview.

Cut to the interview, and one of the first questions they ask is "Why do you think we should pay you ten grand more than you're getting at the moment?"

Hindsight gives me many ways to answer this, but at the time I just sat there with my mouth open. I had no idea the agent had told them my current salary, so I was completely unprepared. I was dimly aware that a proper answer would express something about my value to the company, so I couldn't just say "I need more money". I eventually muttered something about that seeming to be roughly the market rate, and the interview was effectively over.

[agilebyte]

Ask a friend to pay you $1 for contract work that takes you half a minute. Draft a contract if you have to. There, now you are "allowed" to say you've been paid $120/hour.

[kmonsen]

Just tell them what you would like to get. If pressed super hard, give confusing answers in the same way companies give you. Like total compensation, if you add days off, perks etc.

[x3n0ph3n3]

Try it and find out!

[phamilton]

I've refused and gotten away with it.