"What do you earn now?" How to handle the salary question in a job interview

You can prepare for every competency question on the list and still freeze on this one. This week the BBC's cost of living correspondent, Kevin Peachey, looked at the interview question many candidates dread: how much are you paid in your current job? It's a good moment to talk about how to answer it well, especially when there's no human in the room and the question is waiting for you on a screen.

You don't have to answer

In the UK, employers are allowed to ask about your current salary, but you have no obligation to tell them. Acas, the workplace advice service, told the BBC that no regulations stop employers asking about current pay or salary expectations. Its guidance is that if employers do ask, they should put the same question to every applicant so that everyone is treated fairly.

There are good reasons to be cautious about sharing. The #EndSalaryHistory campaign, backed by the Fawcett Society, argues that basing offers on past pay carries forward existing inequalities linked to gender, race and disability. Offers then reflect what someone was paid before and how well they negotiate, rather than their skills, experience and performance. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has backed the campaign and asked recruiters to stop asking the question.

The rules also depend on where you're applying. Across the EU, new pay transparency rules are banning employers from asking about salary history. Many US states and cities have similar bans. The UK government is taking a different approach, focusing on getting employers to publish salary information in job adverts. If you're applying in more than one country, check the rules for each.

Why it's harder in a one-way video interview

In a live interview you can read the room, ask a clarifying question or soften your answer with a smile. In a one-way, recorded interview none of that is available. The question appears on screen and you get a short window to think. Then the camera records, and there may be a limited number of retakes, or none.

Any hesitation, awkward hedging or nervous laugh ends up on the recording, and several people may watch it later. If you answer with a vague "um, I'd rather not say", you can come across as evasive. If you prepare a calm, confident answer in advance, the same refusal comes across as professional.

Don't inflate your number

Some people the BBC spoke to said they'd give a higher figure to boost their next offer. It's tempting, but it's a bad bet. In the UK, your P45 shows your pay for the tax year so far. Some employers also ask for payslips or check references. An offer can be withdrawn over a misrepresentation, and that costs you far more than whatever a bigger number might have gained you.

Three ways to answer

1. Lead with your expectations. Steer the conversation from what you earn now to what the role is worth.

"I'd prefer to keep my current salary private, but based on my research into similar roles in this sector, I'm looking for something in the region of £X to £Y, depending on the overall package."

2. Refer to the range. If the advert lists a salary, use it. If it doesn't, show you've done your research.

"From what I've seen, roles like this typically sit between £X and £Y. I'd be comfortable within that range, and I'm keen to understand how the full package is structured."

3. Focus on value. Recruiters regularly advise candidates to make skills and experience the measure of their worth, rather than past pay.

"Rather than my current salary, I'd point to what I'd bring: [one or two concrete results]. I'm confident that will be reflected in a fair offer for the role."

Each of these answers is honest and polite and takes about 20 seconds to say. That's the right length for a timed recorded response.

Do your homework first

The REC's director of campaigns, Shazia Ejaz, advised candidates to approach pay questions with "realism but also confidence." The confidence part comes from preparation. Before the interview, find out the market rate for the role. Look at salaries in comparable job adverts, recruiter salary guides and professional body surveys. Also decide which parts of the package matter most to you, such as flexibility, pension or development budget, in case the conversation goes beyond base pay.

Practise saying it out loud

Knowing what to say is one thing. Saying it smoothly when a camera starts recording is another. That's why we built ScreenReady. You can practise one-way video interview questions, including uncomfortable ones like this, with timed responses and AI feedback on your answers. Get the awkward first take out of the way in practice rather than in the real interview.