How should I respond to salary expectations questions on online applications and when recruiters ask?

I am a firm believer in the adage of, “Let them fall in love first, BEFORE you tell the what kind of ring you need.”

Smart candidates make career moves based on many factors, including:

Where  a job will position them 1, 3 and 5 years down the line.
They also look at quality of life…who they are working with, selling to, commute time, etc.

Third is compensation

So, it is not realistic for either party to determine how much it would take to have a candidate accept a role without learning about the opportunity.

With that said,  there is no question that compensation definitely plays a role into making a career decision, and in the effort to honor everyone’s time, it is important to establish some baselines.

When working with a recruiter, know that we always ask a candidate what it would take to get them to make a move, and most importantly, what they are currently making, broken down by guaranteed base and then total comp including all variables like commissions, bonuses, etc. We do this because we do not want to waste anyone’s time by bringing opportunities to their attention that offers less pay than they are currently making.

Source - Read More at: www.execunet.com