The task
A recruiter asks for your salary range, usually before they have told you the level, the band, or the role’s responsibilities. You want to answer in a way that anchors high without being absurd, leaves negotiation room, and does not commit you before you have the full picture. Most candidates fail by either naming a number too early or being so evasive they trigger suspicion. The job is three drafted scripts you can pick from based on the recruiter’s posture.
When AI helps — and when it does not
AI is great at varying tone and producing three distinct phrasings for the same number. It is poor at knowing your specific market, so feed real market data with sources, and the role / location so the language is appropriate. AI cannot tell you whether to share a range; that judgement depends on local norms (some US states require disclosure on demand, EU varies, China has cultural norms).
What to feed the AI
- Role + level + location
- Market data with sources (Levels, Glassdoor, friend reports)
- Current total comp
- Target total comp
- What you cannot move on (location, hours, equity vs cash)
- The recruiter’s posture (warm and chatty, cold and process-driven)
- The stage (pre-screen, post-screen, post-offer)
Copy-ready prompt
I am being asked for my salary range.
Role and level: <line>
Location: <line>
Market data with sources: <list>
Current total comp: <number>
Target total comp: <number>
Recruiter posture: <warm / cold / process-driven>
Stage: <pre-screen / post-screen / post-offer>
Write 3 reply scripts:
(a) confident-direct — name a range, anchor high
(b) deflective-then-firm — defer until you have more info, then commit
(c) exploratory — turn the question back into a conversation about role scope
For each:
- Under 60 words spoken (about 35-40 written)
- One line of body language / tone note ("smile, pause, then deliver")
- The risk of using this script
- When it works best (which recruiter posture, which stage)
Do not anchor at my current comp. Do not justify with "I need this much." Do not say "I'm flexible" without a range.For markets requiring disclosure: “If the law requires disclosure of expected pay on demand, mark which script is legally safest in [state / country].”
Recommended output structure
Three labelled scripts (direct, deflective, exploratory) with tone notes, risks, and best-fit stages. A quick decision tree: if the recruiter is X, use script Y.
How to check the output is usable
- Each script is under 60 seconds when read aloud
- The range you name aligns with market data, not your current
- “I’m flexible” never appears alone, always with a number
- The deflective script does not feel evasive; it acknowledges and redirects
- The exploratory script earns useful info, not delays
Common mistakes
- Naming a number before you researched market: anchors low
- Anchoring at your current comp: you came here to move up
- Justifying with “I need this much”: recruiters do not negotiate need
- Being silent: recruiters read silence as agreement
- “I’m flexible” with no anchor: you have lost the negotiation before it started
- Not differentiating base vs total comp: recruiters slip between them
Practical depth notes
For Phrasing Salary Expectations with AI: 3 Recruiter-Range Scripts, the difference between a usable AI result and a generic one is the input packet. Give the model the audience, the current draft or raw material, the desired format, the decision you need to make, and two examples of what good and bad output look like. Ask it to preserve facts first, then improve structure or wording second.
After the first response, do a separate review pass. Look for missing constraints, invented details, weak calls to action, and language that sounds plausible but does not match the real situation. The best final output should be easy to use immediately: clear owner, clear next step, and no hidden assumption that someone else has to untangle. A stronger version of this workflow also defines the handoff. Decide who will use the output, what they should do next, and what information would make them reject it. If the deliverable is copy, test whether it has a single clear action. If it is analysis, test whether it separates observation from recommendation. If it is planning, test whether dates, owners, and tradeoffs are explicit enough for someone else to execute.
FAQ
- Should I share my current comp? Depends on jurisdiction. Where you can refuse, refuse politely. Where you must, anchor on target instead.
- Range or single number? Range, with the lower bound at your target.
- What if they push for a single number? “I’m targeting the upper half of that range based on [scope / market].”
Related
- Salary negotiation prep: full negotiation rehearsal
- Salary negotiation prompts: additional script variants
- Recruiter reply prep AI: written replies to recruiter
- Self introduction: earn the right to negotiate
- Job description analysis: what scope info to mine
- Mock interview AI: same simulation pattern
Tags: #AI writing #Job search #Salary