For a "normal" straight salary job I like to state a range as soon as they ask. The "never make the first offer" rule is taken as gosple but IMO, wrong. Stating

For a "normal" straight salary job I like to state a range as soon as they ask. The "never make the first offer" rule is taken as gosple but IMO, wrong. Stating your numbers (with wiggle room, hence the range) has an "anchoring" effect. To pull the number lower, the other party will have to expend negotiating capital. As for a stock options go, I would value them as zero but use them as a negotiation "chip" to be traded for real compensation/benefits. Before you trade this (statistically) worthless chip for something, get them to "sell" you on how valuable it is. ;-)