Addressing the question about salary expectations is one of the most uncomfortable moments in any selection process. Technology expert Sofía Sicilia warns that one of the most common mistakes is providing an exact figure, as this drastically limits the candidate's negotiation capacity.
Instead of giving a fixed number, Sicilia, operations director of the Artificial Intelligence GPTZone website, recommends always offering a sufficiently broad salary range. This range should be based on prior research into typical industry salaries, personal experience, and the local job market.
Based on what I have researched and the value I can bring to this position, I am looking for a range from X to Y. I am flexible depending on the full compensation package and growth opportunities. What range did the company have in mind?
This response works because it prevents a single figure from limiting the offer and, crucially, focuses the discussion on the professional value the candidate brings to the company. Furthermore, it returns the question to the interviewer, forcing them to reveal the actual budget the company has allocated for the position.
Sicilia also advises avoiding justifying salary expectations based on current pay or personal needs. According to the engineer, this type of justification “reduces negotiation power.” The key is preparation: researching real salaries and defining a reasonable salary band before the interview.
