This was the most puzzling and disturbing phone screening I've ever participated in. Immediately after giving background on myself, and without discussing ANY details about the various tasks and responsibilities of the potential position, I was asked by the HR phone screener what my expected salary range is. I explained that I felt uncomfortable discussing specific salary requirements prior to an offer being made, without having any information about the Sr. Consultant/Advisor position role, and without any details of UL's standard commission structure related to the sales portion of this role. She bluntly dismissed my concerns and demanded a numerical figure. I relented, and offered a very general range ("X" figures) as what would meet my most basic needs to continue the interview. That apparently wasn't enough for her, and she rudely ended the conversation after rambling on about how much it would cost to continue the interview process or make further arrangements for flights to meet hiring managers, etc.
If this is how UL wishes their HR department to represent themselves to potential employees, I can't imagine ever considering working there. This isn't my first phone screen interview. The screener was NOT even a hiring manager. Usually these initial conversations are used to establish a candidate's basic qualifications and to see whether a person has the potential to be a culture fit. I've never been put on the spot in such a demeaning fashion before. I found it incredibly offensive, and a huge waste of my time.
To me, it seems to lack any amount of decency or reason why a company would want potential candidates to be asked their monetary requirements before there's even an in-depth discussion of the job. That's just putting the cart before the horse. I don't know if this is UL's official hiring policy, or if this particular staff member needs further training on her own duties - but I'll certainly have a whole new view of UL going forward. I hope others don't suffer the same fate.