“So, what is your desired salary?” This is a question that can make any job candidate’s stomach drop, whether they’re reading it on an application or hearing it from an interviewer. You don’t want to give a lowball answer, but you also don’t want to seem like you have unrealistic expectations. Before you can give a concrete answer to this question, you should have an actual number in mind. You should know what you’re aiming for, and what’s realistic, so you can be confident about the salary offers you will and won’t accept. Here are a few things to help you figure it out. Research A Google search can usually tell you the industry standards for salary in your desired position. Most job search websites will let you search for the standards in your geographical location as well. Sometimes pay ranges vary depending on state or region. The size of …