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disclosing salary info to interviewers

pontifex

pontifex

Lifer
Last night I filled out an application for a job and it asked for salary info from my previous jobs.

I left it blank because it appears that this is what burned me on another position and I don't see how the fuck is has any bearing on me being qualified for the job.

Today I get an email asking me to fill out the previous salary info and resubmit the application.

I was thinking about replying and asking if it was necessary because I don't feel it has any bearing on my qualifications for the job.

Would that be dumb or should I just fill out the info and hope it doesn't bite me in the ass?
 
If they made a point to actually email you and ask for it you damn well better send it if you want the job...
 
pontifex said:
Last night I filled out an application for a job and it asked for salary info from my previous jobs.

I left it blank because it appears that this is what burned me on another position and I don't see how the fuck is has any bearing on me being qualified for the job.

Today I get an email asking me to fill out the previous salary info and resubmit the application.

I was thinking about replying and asking if it was necessary because I don't feel it has any bearing on my qualifications for the job.

Would that be dumb or should I just fill out the info and hope it doesn't bite me in the ass?
Click to expand...

Nothing to do about qualifications. It has to do with filtering out people who want to be paid more than what they want to offer.

Contrary to belief, companies do have budgets and do not have the "oh we will pay what the employee wants" ability.
 
Gibson486 said:
Nothing to do about qualifications. It has to do with filtering out people who want to be paid more than what they want to offer.

Contrary to belief, companies do have budgets and do not have the "oh we will pay what the employee wants" ability.
Click to expand...

The salary range is listed in the ad. the problem i have is that all of my previous salary's have been lower than that. I'm not asking for more than what they are offering in the range listed.

I was recently offered a job for $60k and then the company found out what I was being paid now and is now lowballing me at $40k and probably going to go lower. so you can see where i am coming from with this.
 
pontifex said:
The salary range is listed in the ad. the problem i have is that all of my previous salary's have been lower than that. I'm not asking for more than what they are offering in the range listed.

I was recently offered a job for $60k and then the company found out what I was being paid now and is now lowballing me at $40k and probably going to go lower. so you can see where i am coming from with this.
Click to expand...

Did you get health benefits or other benefits? If so add those all up and put that number in the salary slot.
 
Give them all of them but the last one and tell them your last job had you sign a non-disclosure agreement that restricts you from giving pay information to a third party. They may not buy it, but that's the only way I can see you not telling them and still getting the job.
 
The application states on the most recent job, that they would need proof of the salary if hired, so I can't lie on the form.

i'll just fill it out and watch myself get lowballed again.
 
if you at all can avoid putting it in there, do so. my friend told me that a long time ago when asked in an interview for that informaiton, to simply put it is irrelevant.

after i was out of school for 2 years i started looking for another job, and i found one that was in the range i was looking for which was about 10k more than i was currently making. so i went and talked to them and interviewed. needless to say all went well and they did ask me my current salary and i told them what i was making yearly, after bonuses.

they then asked me to fax them a pay stub and i did so.

a few days later i received an offer from them via phone, and it was significantly lower than i had expected and the amount they listed in the job offer. it was literally exactly what i was currently making at my current job at the time.

i then called them to say thanks for the offer but it was not what they were initially offering and was below, and the guy told me it was because of a discrepency from what i told them i was currently making vs what my pay stub panned out to be. i told them that the salary i told them initially was after bonuses and we had not gotten any this year yet.

so basically disclosing the information f'ed up my potential salary at that place. needless to say i told him why would i leave my current job if i'm going to be making the same exact thing, especially when aprt of my reason to want to leave was because i felt underpaid. i did not accept the offer.

when i was searching for jobs before i landed this new one, i did notice that question came up a lot from the HR people. needless to say, it is 100% irrelevant, and even though my friend told me to never disclose it, i still always caved when asked the question.
 
pontifex said:
The application states on the most recent job, that they would need proof of the salary if hired, so I can't lie on the form.

i'll just fill it out and watch myself get lowballed again.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily true. It all of course depends on the size of the company. Remember, it's a negotiation: if you were making X, and you get offered X+10 (which you still think is low) you can easily say that the minimum you'll accept is X+20.
 
They base your starting salary on your previous salary.
They generally give you 10% increase for changing companies.

Companies want to feel like they are getting a good deal as well.
 
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edro said:
They base your starting salary on your previous salary.
They generally give you 10% increase for changing companies.

Companies want to feel like they are getting a good deal as well.
Click to expand...

yea i agree with this, but if a company has the job listed as paying at a starting salary of $60k, and they then inverview and drag you through all the process, then make you an offer of $40k, just because your previous job was $30k, that is a huge waste of time and is basically a bait and switch.

it wasn't that drastic of a pay difference with what happened to me, but it was the same principle. had i known they were going to offer me LOWER than what was listed in the job description, i would not have pursued it and wasted everyones time.

it seems this is what pontiflex is worried about, and has already happened once.
 
It's a filter. If you don't answer it, you get filtered because they're automatically going to assume you ask too much or at the high end of their range by default. You're lucky they took the time to email you back requesting the info, as that means they probably liked your resume enough to warrant consideration.

Simply put, you have a small shot to come back at them stating your current salary is irrelevant to the position and that you want to be considered on fair market value of your skill set. They may buy it, they may walk away. If you put your current salary down and it's significantly lower than what you're expecting out of them, you'll get lowballed. If it's higher than what they're willing to offer, then you're going to get filtered. If your current salary is approximately the same, they'll possibly consider it, but weigh the risk that you'll say "Meh, not enough, I'll keep my current position, thanks" and possibly filter you that way.

As far as asking for proof of current salary, I'd tell them to suck themselves. It's none of their business. The only time I would say it would matter from a standpoint of truth/honesty is if it's a job that requires an extensive background check and/or security clearance. To be honest, if it's the latter, I'd take a salary hit just to get it, because once you do get it it's your ticket to employment freedom (for the most part).
 
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Don't play a game, tell them straight up what it will take for you to work for them.
If they low ball you, laugh and tell them you can't afford to work for them at that rate.
 
It's a bit of an unethical question to ask. Probably not a job you want anyway. I was always told never to negotiate pay until you got the job. Mind you, I haven't a clue how hiring works these today. Seems to change on a daily basis.
 
This what I would do OP. I would put it down. If the interested company comes at you with an offer, I would take that to your current employer and demand at least that much. If they won't match, then go to the other company. Immediately start looking for your next job though.
 
djmartins said:
Don't play a game, tell them straight up what it will take for you to work for them.
If they low ball you, laugh and tell them you can't afford to work for them at that rate.
Click to expand...
Considering they know how much you're making with your current employer, they'll just laugh in your face.
 
pontifex said:
Last night I filled out an application for a job and it asked for salary info from my previous jobs.

I left it blank because it appears that this is what burned me on another position and I don't see how the fuck is has any bearing on me being qualified for the job.

Today I get an email asking me to fill out the previous salary info and resubmit the application.

I was thinking about replying and asking if it was necessary because I don't feel it has any bearing on my qualifications for the job.

Would that be dumb or should I just fill out the info and hope it doesn't bite me in the ass?
Click to expand...

Always put "Negotiable" or something like that rather than leaving it blank.

My philosophy regarding providing salary history is that it is none of their business and is irrelevant. A couple of times in the distant past, I did provide it but I won't any longer. I think I was even asked one time and I said something to the effect "Sure, if you share your salary history with me first." 🙂

At most companies, a job falls into certain salary bands and they can generally only hire within that band, period. They are just trying to collect your salary information to lowball you.
 
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purbeast0 said:
yea i agree with this, but if a company has the job listed as paying at a starting salary of $60k, and they then inverview and drag you through all the process, then make you an offer of $40k, just because your previous job was $30k, that is a huge waste of time and is basically a bait and switch.

it wasn't that drastic of a pay difference with what happened to me, but it was the same principle. had i known they were going to offer me LOWER than what was listed in the job description, i would not have pursued it and wasted everyones time.

it seems this is what pontiflex is worried about, and has already happened once.
Click to expand...
I totally agree and have been through the same scenario.
I am just talking from experience and the possible thoughts of the HR department.
 
Gibson486 said:
Nothing to do about qualifications. It has to do with filtering out people who want to be paid more than what they want to offer.

Contrary to belief, companies do have budgets and do not have the "oh we will pay what the employee wants" ability.
Click to expand...

Bingo. The company knows the range they're hiring in and should just ask you what your desired range is or should just post the range they're hiring in. They have no business reviewing your entire salary history and just want it to try to be cheap with any offer.
 
Screw them, don't disclose it. If you have to, then add 10K to what you're making. If they want proof, tell them to suck it. Any company that wants you to work for them will not make you jump through hoops and worry about whether they're getting a "good deal" on you.
 
pontifex said:
The salary range is listed in the ad. the problem i have is that all of my previous salary's have been lower than that. I'm not asking for more than what they are offering in the range listed.

I was recently offered a job for $60k and then the company found out what I was being paid now and is now lowballing me at $40k and probably going to go lower. so you can see where i am coming from with this.
Click to expand...

If the range is listed in the ad, just reply and state that you're looking for a position in the same range. For example, if the ad said "Range is $40K to $50K," reply with either "I'm looking in the $40K to $50K range" or "I'm looking to start at $45K."

They don't need a pay stub for any reason at all. If they need to verify employment, they can call your current HR department.
 
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blanghorst said:
Always put "Negotiable" or something like that rather than leaving it blank.

My philosophy regarding providing salary history is that it is none of their business and is irrelevant. A couple of times in the distant past, I did provide it but I won't any longer. I think I was even asked one time and I said something to the effect "Sure, if you share your salary history with me first." 🙂

At most companies, a job falls into certain salary bands and they can generally only hire within that band, period. They are just trying to collect your salary information to low ball you.
Click to expand...

Putting "Negotiable" for a salary history is as bad as leaving it blank. It shows your reading comprehension sucks. Simply put, there are some companies that require salary history as part of their application/recruiting process. It usually doesn't go beyond that, but pontifex is saying they require proof of salary as well. This would be rather unethical of the company, but they are using it as a filter. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
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