How should you handle the question: "What are your salary and total compensation expectations?"

In Simple Words: Never state a fixed single number early in the process. Deflect politely until mutual fit is established, benchmark market data using Levels.fyi and Radford, and negotiate on Total Compensation (Base, Equity/RSUs, Bonus, Sign-on).

Sample Winning Responses:

• Early Recruiter Screen: "Right now, my primary focus is ensuring that this role is a strong mutual technical and cultural fit. I am confident that once we determine that, your team offers competitive compensation aligned with top-of-market standards for this level. What is the approved compensation band for this role?"
• Late Stage / Offer Stage: "Based on market data for Senior Distributed Systems Engineers in this tier, my target total compensation is in the $185,000–$210,000 range, depending on the equity grant, bonus structure, and overall benefits package."

Practical Script & Summary Template

### Compensation Components Breakdown:
- **Base Salary**: Guaranteed liquid cash flow.
- **Annual Performance Bonus**: % of base (e.g. 10-20%), tied to company/personal goals.
- **Equity / RSUs**: Public stock (liquid) vs Private options (illiquid paper value with strike price).
- **Sign-on Bonus**: One-time cash payment used to offset unvested stock left behind at your previous company.