Recruiters are often paid x% of one year&#x27;s base salary. In this case, your interests are aligned with the interest of the recruiter.<p>In my experience, recruiters are &#x27;box checkers&#x27;. They have little to no knowledge of your skill set or the skills required for the job outside of buzz words that can be printed on a resume. The reason recruiters ask for your salary is not to engage in price fixing but to ensure that they pursue a placement where 1) the candidate is getting a pay bump and 2) the candidate is priced competitively.