Just wondering how often people are being asked their last or current salary? I heard it is a trend to not have to hear that question from the prospective employers. It has been my position that they know what the salary range is, so reveal it like they do the skills needed.
16 replies (most recent on top)
@xrm+1bEG3waP your car analogy doesn't work. For example, you are selling your car for $49,000. You may accept less, but you're not willing to tell the range. That makes sense. What is wrong with the analogy is that you are providing the cost up front. In the case here, you are not providing what you want for the care, and your analogy says, "come check out the car, kick the tires, even take it for a test drive, but no, I'm not telling you what I want for it". the guy offers you $500 dollars after he's seen the car. It's a waste of everyone's time. If the guy sees the price up front, he knows what the expectation is. Same applies. If I know what the range is, I can either reject it straight away or proceed, knowing that I may have to take a pay cut. It doesn't mean you have to accept their first offer. They may tell you the range is $140k - $150k. That may be at the bottom of your range. After you go through the interview, you may decide to take it based on the job and other benefits, or you could also tell them the job has more requirements that justify a bump. I've done both. However, if they don't tell you the range (or you don't share your range), and they come back at $80k at offer time, that's a huge waste of time (typically at least three interviews, one typically a panel of employees/consultants).
Since I have a job and am being contacted by recruiters, I have no problem sharing My current, with the caveat that it's not what I would move for. About 80 percent of the time, their range is too low and we both save time.
My last few interviews, The HR recruiters were upfront and let me know the range for the role, and I like it that way. If its in my range we can proceed, If not i let them know so we dont waste each others time.
Different folks; Different strokes. ME? I want to know the salary range for the position in the phone screening if they cold call me. If they won't give it, then we have nothing more to discuss. It shouldn't matter what I make now, but I don't mind telling them something in the middle of the range I'd accept, if they persist. :)
If it's not a cold call and instead if a position I'm looking for on my own, I prefer to see it in the listing. My first round of searching is excluding all postings that don't include salary. If I start looking at listings that don't include it, then it will need to be discussed in the first call I get, if there is one.
I just don't see wasting my time nor the recruiters' time. If I'm already making 40% more than they'd ever pay, I want to know that immediately so we both can move on.
I got pretty good at hedging on the question of salary expectations. I was always asked in the screener. Always. So I had a range in mind going in but tried to avoid giving it. I always acknowledged why it’s helpful for them to know, but would be most comfortable holding off discussing money until I understood the role better. (I avoided saying I don’t care about money cos I don’t think anyone believes that.) Asked for a range from them, since they must have one. Sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn’t.
Just don’t let it throw or frustrate you. It’s part of the process. You know you’ll be asked so no reason not to be prepared if they are insistent. And don’t get snarky like some folks here suggest (“give me a list of all your employees’ salaries”.) recruiter is just doing their job. A recruiter is not the whole company. Once you have the job you’ll rarely cross paths again.
CA Labor Code (AB 168)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB168
SECTION 1. Section 432.3 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
- 3. (a) An employer shall not rely on the salary history information of an applicant for employment as a factor in determining whether to offer employment to an applicant or what salary to offer an applicant.
(b) An employer shall not, orally or in writing, personally or through an agent, seek salary history information, including compensation and benefits, about an applicant for employment.
@1fgn some states have a law against this, but it is perfectly legal (and a normal occurrence) in plenty of states.
Depends on the state
My apologies it is not unethical it is against the law.
It's unethical for a potential employer to ask you, your current or previous salary.
If you are not sure how to answer the question before the screening or interview research the appropriate market rate and provide that as your response.
$10 / hour
You never tell them your last salary or prior salary history you can give them a range within for example $10,000 to $15,000 of what you're looking for. If they force to reveal salary history ask them if they can provide you with a spreadsheet of all their employees salaries in return.
Hard question. I try to skate around range but can't. I never am asked what I was earning and they can't peess you to reveal it. However, I have tried not to give a salary requirement but am always pressed to. I like to give a broad range.
UNTIL you have an OFFER, you have NOTHING to negotiate. Nothing. So before you start talking money, make them want you first and get to the offer stage where they want you and then you have negotiating leverage. So if you give them a range, you're potentially screwing yourself in letting them know the lowest amount you'll work for and leaving money on the table. Any honest, decent headhunter will give you this same advice, do not give out ranges or your current comp. I'm willing to work for a lot less than what I'm earning now, but I'm not about to tell anyone my floor.
If I sell my car and list it for $49,000 (in a hot used car market), I don't list "will take less, down to $39,000." Do you think someone is gonna come an offer you list price if you do that? HE-L NO! You let the buyer make the first offer and then you 1) reject and counter or 2) you tell them to go find a nice car from someone else and have a nice day. I sold a nice motorcycle this way, and I got list price out of it because it was worth it, and I got cash.
The employers have the upper hand already, don't give them more by giving them numbers! Nine times out of ten, when I simply say "I'm not concerned about money at all, I'm focused on fit and opportunity, the hiring manager comes back and gives the salary range or ballpark to me and then I say "yeah, that would work" or "no, it's too low, I'm not interested." It just happened yesterday for a role, I said that then she says, "our budget is about $135k with a 25% bonus, would that work? And I said, yes that's great. This is a job market where lot of employers need good people, you don't have to play their games!
I understand what the previous poster is saying, but if you continue an interview believing you can get xx dollars, and they are only going to pay x dollars, it's a waste of everyone's time. I typically say that I expect it to be market valued based on education and experience, typically between xxxx and xxxxx. I also clarify and let them know salary is only one part of the equation, and to base it on salary alone would not be fair. I want to see their other benefits, stock options, PTO, etc.
Never do that, especially if it is an external employer. If it is internal, the WF recruiter already can look up you lr salary. If you reveal your salary for an external role, and it is higher than what they want to pay, you will price yourself too high. If you give a range, you just revealed your bottom a d may get lowballed. Just say "I am not concerned about money, and I know when I do a good job you will take care of me. Then put it on them to state their range!