Q: What’s the best way to answer the interview question, “What salary are you looking for?”

A: You’re smart to get ahead of this question because it will come up. But there may be some good news for job seekers—many states and cities are requiring that organizations include the salary range in their job postings.

You need to know your value and then determine if the job and organization is the right place for you. 

However, if you don’t live in an area covered by these laws, here are some things you can do to be prepared for this question:

Do some research. Try the Department of Labor’s website or organizations like PayScale, 81Cents, or Glassdoor to find salary data in specific areas. These sources won’t tell you what a specific job at the organization you are applying to pays, but it will give you some valuable insights.

Determine your salary bottom line. What is the lowest number you could accept and meet your financial obligations and also feel valued? This takes some introspection, but it is so important.

Take your bottom-line number and create a range around it. Say your number is $100,000. Your acceptable range could be $100,000 to $120,000—knowing that if they negotiate, you can live on the bottom number.

Think total rewards. The organization may have a great benefits package that would add to your total compensation. For example, can you work from home and avoid commuting costs?

Don’t give an absolute number. A range will always serve you better.

Know the law. Many states now have laws that make it illegal to ask a candidate what they are currently making or what they made on their last job,

Turn the question back to the interviewer. As a final tactic, ask the organization what their salary range is. Keep in mind that sometimes this works but not always.

Ultimately, you need to know your value and then determine if the job and organization is the right place for you. Hopefully you can work with the hiring manager to come to an agreement that everyone can live with. Good luck.