What are the steps to ensure the salary you want?

Most of IT companies ask you to get latest 3 months salary slip which is enough for them to judge how much hike should they give you. Staffing firms as of now do not ask for salary slips while attending interview however I am pretty straight forward with my current salary & expected salary. If you are not seriously looking for job & just doing window shopping then you can take a chance of quoting your expectation even if it is too too high but yes it does have negative impact also that company might not consider in future if you don't want that to happen then be diplomatic.

Being a HR I am pretty sure that many job seekers go through a pressure situation when they face the inevitable question like "What's your salary expectation?" "What salary range are you looking for?" "What do you get paid currently?" etc.

Whichever way you may trick yourself out of the question, never give out a first idea about the salary or don't set the figures at the first place. You might not make it to the next stage if you place a high digit. Too low, and an employer will either think you're not qualified or desperate. So, if it's an application form better avoid the question with the diplomatic answer 'not applicable'. If you're forced to say how much you make during the interview process, try giving your "total compensation," which many large employers will break out for you on the company's internal HR website. If you are still pressured to specify an exact figure, try giving out a range, which if low should be the least you can be happy with and which if high will make you really happy.

"pay" follows "position". My experience observing candidates for many years tells me that those who have been "growth" oriented even at the cost of accepting lower pay, end up getting paid handsomely once they grow up the ladder. On the contrary, candidates who focus on higher compensation and have jumped companies at the same level make comparatively far lesser over time. So, till you reach the "top", try not trading your experience for pay. You'll lose more eventually, the opportunity cost. My 2 cents..

For deciding the package your skill set plays a most important criteria. If those skill sets are preferred & not available to the Client, it does not matter in getting your nose through to look for more befitting package. Remember, the Client should really desire to have your skills. We can also use various Salary survey report available on-line conducted by various recruiters.