Q Re your recent column about disclosing previous salary to a prospective employer: Why would they even bother to ask what my previous salary was, unless it’s because they’re trying to get the cheapest labor possible and want to weed out candidates who might want too much money?

A So cynical. Most successful employers do not win the war for top talent by trying to get labor on the cheap. There is a very practical reason why employers ask applicants for their salary requirements — to avoid wasting time. There’s no use going through several rounds of interviews only to discover at the offer stage that employer and employee are tax brackets apart in terms of compensation. Better to know up front. And it goes both ways. If I’m looking to fill a VP position in the $200K range and a resume comes in from a guy making $60K, I’m going to assume that person lacks the seniority I’m looking for, even if his resume looks good.

If you’re truly flexible and concerned about pricing yourself out of a job, simply say that your salary requirements are negotiable, depending on the right opportunity. And do some research. With all the salary survey data available online, there’s no excuse for anyone not to know the general salary range for any jobs they’re applying for.