February 16, 2026
Salary cage match: dodge or disclose?
How Not to Answer the Salary Question
Job seekers brawl over whether to dodge, disclose, or demand the range
TLDR: A blog says don’t discuss pay early—use “industry standard” and wait until an offer—sparking a brawl between candidates who disclose upfront to save time and those who delay to maximize leverage. Commenters also flagged new pay-range laws and joked through the tension, as the site got flooded with readers.
A blog told job hunters to play salary dodgeball: don’t ask first, don’t answer early, stall with “industry standard.” Cue chaos. The post got “hugged to death,” with one commenter dropping an archive link like a rescue flare, and the crowd split into two loud camps.
On one side, Team Tell Them Now. One veteran flatly declared they give the number up front to avoid week‑long interview marathons ending in lowball land, adding that benefits don’t sway them and “equity is a lottery ticket.” Another scorched the advice as “terrible” if you value your time or sanity, urging candidates to get the range immediately from the job post, a recruiter, or a friend.
Opposite them, Team Play The Game, echoing the blog: wait until the offer, float “industry standard,” and negotiate when you actually know the work, the manager, and whether the role secretly requires you to “donate a kidney.” A jokester even defused the dreaded “desired salary?” with “A million an hour, obviously,” before pivoting to the full‑package talk.
Adding fuel: a commenter asked if this all changes when companies must list pay ranges by law in some states—because if the range is public, why dance? The only thing everyone agreed on: salary talk can make or break an interview, and the first move sets the tone
Key Points
- •The article advises candidates not to initiate salary discussions and to delay answering salary questions until late in the interview process or after an offer.
- •Rule #1: If a job offer has not been made, it is not the right time to talk about salary.
- •Rationale: early salary discussion is distracting because jobs involve multiple factors beyond pay (e.g., responsibilities, location, benefits), and employers need to assess fit and capability first.
- •Suggested response: “I’m looking for a salary that’s within the industry-standard range for this type of role,” which preserves flexibility for later negotiation.
- •Candidates should research market salary ranges for their role and region using multiple sources and be prepared to reference them if an employer’s range appears out of line.