Salary questions arrive early, often in the first screening call, and the instinct to answer honestly and immediately usually costs money. The goal is not evasion, it is sequencing: you want the number discussed after they have decided they want you, not before.
Know whether you have to answer
In a growing number of places employers must publish a range and are prohibited from asking your current salary. Knowing the rules where you are is worth ten minutes, because it changes the conversation entirely.
Where a range is published, the discussion becomes about where in the range you sit, which is a much better conversation to be having.
Try to turn the question around first
The cleanest response is to ask what range they have budgeted. Phrased as a genuine question rather than a refusal, this is normal and frequently answered.
If they give a range, you have the information you need and have said nothing.
Defer once, politely
If pressed early, it is reasonable to say you would rather understand the scope of the role before discussing numbers, and ask what they have in mind.
One deferral is professional. Two starts to look evasive and can create friction with a recruiter who genuinely needs to filter.
When you must answer, give a researched range
Base it on the market rate for the role, not on what you currently earn. Give a range with a floor you would genuinely accept, because you may well be offered the bottom of it.
Frame it as market-derived: based on what you have seen for this level and scope, you are targeting a particular band.
Never anchor on your current salary
Your current pay reflects your last negotiation and your previous employer budget, not the value of this role. Volunteering it hands the employer a reason to offer slightly above it rather than what the job is worth.
If asked directly where it is legal to ask, redirect to your expectations for this position.
Include everything in the conversation
Base salary is one component. Bonus, equity, pension contribution, health cover, leave and flexibility all carry real value.
Saying that you are looking at the overall package keeps options open when base is constrained, which it often is.
Do not inflate your current figure
It is verifiable in many jurisdictions and the reputational cost if discovered is severe. There is no need for it: stating what you are targeting is both honest and stronger.
Recognise a mismatch early
If their range is far below your requirement, saying so straight away saves both sides several rounds. Do it without hostility and leave the door open, since budgets change.
Walking away early from a role that cannot pay you is not a failed negotiation. It is a filter working correctly.