Not sure about point C, but I can help answer some on A and B. A) Base pay isn't always exactly the same for everyone in a given geography. They'll have a standard range for sure, and new external hires usually come in at the middle of the range (roughly), but the range is there for a few reasons. 1) Anyone promoting from a lower level will usually get put into the lower end of the range. It's not typical to bring external hires in at the lower end of the range. 2) It helps provide incentives for growth. If you come in at the top end of the range, that doesn't leave much room for raises, bonuses, etc. because you could be exceeding their range. 3) It also leaves room for negotiation. If you're a good candidate and fielding another strong competing offer, it allows your current company some flexibility to match or beat the competing offer to win the candidate. Otherwise, they default to putting you in the middle. B) Market research, confidence, competing offers, etc. I still don't get why companies do it, but they still are and like to ask for your number first to see if you're on track with what they want to pay. I typically like to advise people to negotiate and talk about TC only and once you establish the range you're comfortable with, then get into the finer details of the base pay vs. equity, etc. I'd suggest looking on sites like this to help anchor your TC, while also using any data you have on your current comp. C) Again, not sure on this one. I've got a lot of recruiter friends and usually if you're outside the range by a significant amount (like 15%+), is when you might be at risk to lose the offer. So don't aim too high, but don't sell yourself short either. It's a tough balance, but you can also always ask your recruiter for additional details and they may provide it. Saying like "Hey I saw the job posting has a base salary range of this, what is the rough range of equity and other compensation components?"