Steven Rothberg at College Recruiter posted a great article from Beyond.com on salary negotiation.  I loved this piece in particular because it addresses the question of how much information to give away about your requirements before the interview.  This came up recently when I was hanging out with my friend Rob, who was filling out a job application at the time.  We argued for ten minutes about whether he should leave the requested salary line blank.  I said yes, he said no.

The Beyond.com article suggests that when replying to ads that ask for salary requirements or a salary history, you should not answer directly because any answer will hurt your chances.  Remember that a typical ad can produce hundreds of resumes. And a fast way to make that pile smaller is to weed out applicants who are either too expensive (over-qualified) or too cheap (under-qualified).  Instead, write: “my salary requirements are negotiable.”  This shows you've read the ad, but are choosing to dodge the issue. Most HR professionals and hiring managers won't take offense. On the contrary, it gives them one less reason not to call you.

I agree with this advice, and would also add that in general, you should avoid giving specific numbers until you’re well into the process, preferably until you know the organization is serious about hiring you.  This goes for questions on job applications, and even those posed by recruiters directly in person or over the phone.  Stall them by asking a question of your own about how much they’ve budgeted for the position.  Anything to avoid tipping your hand until you have them thinking that they couldn't possibly live without you!