What’s the downside of naming a number first? I’m not saying give your current compensation, but typically I’ve always thought the point of not giving a number was so you don’t set the bar too low - why not just give a reasonable but relatively high number?
You may leave money on the table
What if you know the maximum they can offer you (since they’re limited by bands)?
There is no maximum a company can offer you, there is a maximum they are *willing* to offer you. Many things are more negotiable that people will lead you to believe.