Ideally, they have a range for the position, you know the range before you even start the application and you're okay with it, and once you've done the intervie

Ideally, they have a range for the position, you know the range before you even start the application and you're okay with it, and once you've done the interviews and you have a soft 'yes', you can discuss salaries and ask for a specific amount. Asking for an amount without knowing their range is a bad idea.