> One of my negotiation principles is "Don't disclose your current or desired salary" during the negotiation. With persistence, the recruiter or hiring manager will usually just move on.
Honestly, discussing desired salary is a good screening tool and when following advice like this I find ~50% of job applications are a waste of my time.
So desired salary is an important filter if a job doesn't state the salary range.
At least two of my past jobs were jobs where the employers stated range was substantially below what I was finally offered, so this can backfire. In one case I negotiated my way up 50% over the initial offer, and the initial offer was already at the top of the advertised range. In the other I got 30% above the top of the range + about twice the options. Both cases it was the situation where they realised I was overqualified for what they'd spec'ed, but they decided they wanted me anyway and upped their budget.
I know it can often mean wasting time, but focus on whether it's a company you want to work at. If it is, see it as a way of getting on their radar, and if you can't agree for that position, ask them to keep you in mind if they get something more suitable.
Honestly, discussing desired salary is a good screening tool and when following advice like this I find ~50% of job applications are a waste of my time.
So desired salary is an important filter if a job doesn't state the salary range.