Why do employers ask about your current salary?

Employers often ask to understand your earning expectations or to see if you fit within their budget. However, salary history isn’t always the best indicator of your value. Your skills, experience, and the role’s market rate matter more.

Do I have to disclose my salary to a potential employer?

No, you don’t have to. It’s perfectly acceptable to say you prefer to discuss your expectations instead. You could respond with something like, “I’d rather focus on the salary range for this role and how my experience aligns with it.”

How can I decline to share my salary politely?

Keep it short and professional. You could say: “I prefer to focus on the value I can bring to this role and the range you’ve budgeted for it.” This keeps the conversation positive while protecting your privacy.

Can not sharing my salary hurt my chances of getting the job?

In most cases, no. Many employers respect your choice not to disclose it, especially as pay transparency becomes more common. If you communicate your expectations clearly and professionally, it won’t work against you.

How can I prepare for salary discussions in interviews?

Research the typical pay range for the role, know your non-negotiables, and practice how you’ll phrase your response. Being prepared helps you sound confident and informed, even if you choose not to share your exact salary. You can also take our salary negotiation quiz which benchmarks your salary and shows you how ready you are to negotiate.

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3 top tips on how to decline disclosing your salary

In this blog, we’ll share practical tips on how to politely decline sharing your salary, explain why some employers ask for it, and show you how to keep the conversation professional and confident.

3rd Nov 2025

It can sometimes be uncomfortable when you’re asked a question about your current salary in a job interview, and you may not know how to respond in the heat of the moment. It’s important to know that salary disclosure is not an obligation, no matter who is asking you: it's personal information, and it's entirely up to you whether you share it or not. So how should you respond to an interviewer if you'd rather not spill? There are a few ways to answer, while still remaining polite and professional. Check out our top 3 tips below.

1. Politely decline 🙅

We'll say it louder for the people in the back: salary disclosure isn’t obligatory. One option is to politely decline to share this information, and explain that you’d prefer to have a fair negotiation based on your expertise, skills and experience. A company that is fair and has good values will only respect you for this. And a company that has a problem with you not giving them a number may well be one you'd rather avoid anyway.

If you are unable to negotiate a fair reward for your experience, you’ll likely feel unhappy when joining the company. In other words, don’t be scared to assert yourself early: you’ll be happier in the long run.

2. Share your desired salary range instead 💰

You could tell your prospective new employer that you’d like to hear more about the opportunity, and instead ask them what salary range is on offer for the position. Alternatively, you could share your desired salary range instead. This is important information for you to be aware of, and will help you better gauge whether the role is a good fit for you.

Of course, you might not need to ask this question if your prospective employer is practising salary transparency in their job descriptions. In that case, you'll already be armed with this information when you walk into the interview room.

3. Remind the interviewer that this is confidential 🔒

If you're coming up against resistance from your interviewer, you can politely explain that salary information is confidential, and remind them that you don’t need to share this information.

If the employer is being persistent, you could ask their reasoning for wanting to know. Most employers won’t ask you, so if a hiring manager or HR professional asks you this question, pay close attention to how they respond to your answer and how they treat you following the conversation about salary disclosure. It can be a good indicator of what the culture and leadership is really like.

How do I know what salary I should be asking for? 🌟

Knowing when and how to negotiate your salary can feel tricky — that's why we're here to help.

We’ve put together a quick 2-minute quiz that will give you a Salary Negotiation Score and a clearer picture of where you stand.

You'll find out if your current salary is above or below the average for your role, and how ready you are to have the money conversation with confidence.

You can take the quiz here.

For more tips on how to negotiate your salary read our 'Money talks: how to negotiate salary at every career stage' blog.

We’ve also got some tips on how to get noticed by employers and interview tips which could help you during your job search.

Now you're all set to start applying for your dream role! And if you manage to secure a role using Flexa, be sure to send us feedback on your experience: we'd love to hear from you.

FAQs about salary disclosure

Why do employers ask about your current salary?
Employers often ask to understand your earning expectations or to see if you fit within their budget. However, salary history isn’t always the best indicator of your value. Your skills, experience, and the role’s market rate matter more.
Do I have to disclose my salary to a potential employer?
No, you don’t have to. It’s perfectly acceptable to say you prefer to discuss your expectations instead. You could respond with something like, “I’d rather focus on the salary range for this role and how my experience aligns with it.”
How can I decline to share my salary politely?
Keep it short and professional. You could say:
“I prefer to focus on the value I can bring to this role and the range you’ve budgeted for it.”
This keeps the conversation positive while protecting your privacy.
Can not sharing my salary hurt my chances of getting the job?
In most cases, no. Many employers respect your choice not to disclose it, especially as pay transparency becomes more common. If you communicate your expectations clearly and professionally, it won’t work against you.
How can I prepare for salary discussions in interviews?
Research the typical pay range for the role, know your non-negotiables, and practice how you’ll phrase your response. Being prepared helps you sound confident and informed, even if you choose not to share your exact salary. You can also take our salary negotiation quiz which benchmarks your salary and shows you how ready you are to negotiate.