Got an interview on Friday for another company in my industry. The role would be a step up from my current position and would involve managing a team of four among other increased responsibilities…so I would be expecting an increase whatever else happens.

Along with my CV, Covering letter etc., I have been asked for details of my current salary. My last 3 jobs have been within the same company, so I’ve never had the opportunity to, shall we say…’massage’ the current figures – it’s always been known what I’m currently on, so the increases have been at a minimum.

I don’t want to lie, but also don’t want to miss an opportunity to bump up my earnings if I can or undervalue myself. I’ve read conflicting things – many say that moving companies is the way to earn more and one should always add a little if asked – but surely they will know from my P45 anyway?

I was going to lump all my benefits into one figure and keep it quite vague and go from there….

Any HR gurus on here got any advice? Thanks?

I may have accidentally misunderstood the question to be total rewards package rather than salary.

Northwind – Member
I may have accidentally misunderstood the question to be total rewards package rather than salary.

That’s the way to do it!

Remember not to price yourself out of a possible job!

Some companies ask for payslips as part of the acceptance process. Just saying.

It’s only in the last few years I’ve seen this happening to be honest. Prior to this no mention was even made of current salary. This is what this job pays, here’s what we think you are worth. We don’t really care what you’re on now.

Can’t you just tell them the truth about your current salary, then if you get made an offer tell them the truth about what you think of it?

Has simplicity in its favour, at least. If it’s a reasonably senior position then there’s going to be a lot of factors to weigh up on top of salary, so keeping things straight seems the best approach IMHO.

I just moved and they did check my previous salary with my old employer (very quickly). My new contract was covered in “we may withdraw the offer if your info isn’t correct” type patter as well. Big corporation to massive corporation right enough.

Blimey have never seen this before or even heard of it. I’d be upfront because at least that way you have the truth on your side !

This makes me really mad. None of their business is it. I now refuse to reveal my salary, they dont tell me theirs do they. They use all kinds of bull to justify it, but infact its merely a mechanism to minimise what they have to offer you (“we need to know so we know how much to offer you……you are negotiating against yourself like that).

You tell them what you are looking for – because thats normal negotiation isnt it. Its because us english are so squeemish about talking money and esp. salary.

The pros of lying don’t outweigh the cons….

The only time I managed to get a “decent” payrise, rather than one that is a percent or two below CPI/RPI was when I moved company, so it is a bit of shame that it now seems you are constrained by what you earn now.

If you are successful in the interview then take it from there and see how far you can push them!

Wow – I love this place. Thanks for all your speedy replies.

Northwind – I suppose that’s right really. My bonus (not big!)and company car allowance are all funds that I rely on each month to pay the bills, so that lump sum figure is important. Equally, say the new job did not, for instance, include a pension contribution, then that is something I would have to factor in to paying out of my own pocket.

Brycey – It seems honesty is the best policy as it’s a big corporation to big corporation move too, so they may well check.

Garry & Druidh – Good points too!

I think I’ll be upfront and argue my case as to what I feel I’m worth to them – but it really annoys me. I immediately feel like I’m being put on the back foot and shouldn’t really have to reveal my earnings to them without a job offer on the table! Does saying ‘I’d rather discuss that should the need arise’, or something similar, come across as a confident answer, or just evasive?

*Goes off to do sums*

tell the truth, but explain that you would not expect your current/ previous salary to be an indication of what the role you are applying for should be paid – suggest that you expect to be paid at a fair market rate for the position which should take into consideration: the industry, the demand for such positions and the scarcity of suitable talent to fill the position.
you should also be able to find out the range of pay that you can expect to receive for the role/ grade. if it comes to salary negotiation, suggest where in that range you think you should be paid based on your experience/ performance at that level of position.

They should pay you what they feel you are worth to the company.

However, most big companies now benchmark each other’s pay scales against their own and then align to the average and make the average even more average! i.e. any variability in pay, both up and down, dissappears, poof!

They will be assuming you are expecting more than you are on. It would be unusual to go from £25 to £50k in one move though (and if you are that good you won’t need to worry about it). Your current salary might help them understand “how senior” your current position is – since job titles can be rather vague these days.

I’ve never worried about the salary people were on until I was likely to offer them a job – except to ensure that our expectations were on the same page. if you are currently on 50k and I’m advertising a 25k job there is no point on either of us discussing it.

I’ve now been asked twice when giving references to confirm the employees current salary. The first time was fine, the second time got a “Oh, are you sure?” “Yes.” “Have you maybe missed out some bonus or overtime?” “No.” I believe she had told them what she thought she should be paid rather than what we paid her. It caused some difficult discussions for her, but they did still take her in the end, I don’t know what salary she got though. It could have been rather awkward all round if they had rejected her for lying.

^^ Are you allowed to discolse someones current pay though, I would have expected that to be private between employer/employee?

lets be clear my previous emplyer once threatened me with dismissal for discussing my contract with my colleagues.. we were the same same grade but our salries differed by 20%
so i would state that you are bound by confidentiality not to discuss it at work and out of respect would not discuss it with a potential competeor

with regard to a reference containing salary details i certainly would not answer that.. who gave you permission to divulge the terms and conditions of an employees contract of employment.. refs should be bland statements of fact confirmation of and duration of employment and nothing else..

^^ Are you allowed to discolse someones current pay though, I would have expected that to be private between employer/employee?

When I’ve been asked I have always confirmed with the employee they were happy for me to share that information. If they wouldn’t give the permission though it would probably sound alarm bells at the new employer.

To be frank though – questions like that in a reference dialogue are much easier to deal with (a matter of fact) than some of the vague subjective things I have been asked over the years.

with regard to a reference containing salary details i certainly would not answer that.. who gave you permission to divulge the terms and conditions of an employees contract of employment.. refs should be bland statements of fact confirmation of and duration of employment and nothing else..

As I said above I’ve always gone back to the employee to seek permission for anything which I have considered to be “personal details” but quite frankly if you give out my name as a referee then you are inviting me to answer whatever questions your future employer asks! Its clear to me that most employers are rubbish at getting references, however there are some who are very good, and I’ve learned those techniques for my own use.

The key ones being:

1. Telephone the person don’t just ask for a letter or form. its much harder for people to avoid a question on the phone.

2. Ask if they would employ this person again. Its quite surprising how you can have 10 minutes of how great they are and then significant hesitancy at this question.

3. Get them to describe the persons role at the company. People are quite good at bluffing in interviews that they are “in charge” of something or “manage this” or “supervise stuff”, but when you speak to the referee they were mearly a small cog in the machine.

If you can only give me bland statements about the employee then I will assume you are either trying to “hide” something (i.e. not say they are a lazy work-shy troublemaker) OR that in fact you aren’t really the most appropriate person to be talking to, and I’ll be wondering why the candidate hasn’t picked someone more appropriate to talk to me.

Now lots of people tell me that nobody gives out real references anymore – but I’ve not found it difficult to get them for the last 10 yrs or so, and about 20 people (so 40 refs) – including a couple who didn’t get the job as a result!

I don’t think I’d want to work for you poly
you sound like you’re suspicious of everyone

should you pro-rata your salary? e.g. if going for a job that requires 40hrs a week work compared to the 35 you currently work – would you up the salary you disclosed in order to keep the ‘hour rate’ the same?

Tell them your current salary but also state the salary you expect to get given the additional responsibilities of the new position.

I definitely would. Otherwise you’d end up working the equivalent of about 6 weeks unpaid per year if you didn’t.

Unfortunately I find these kind of questions by a company, particularly before an interview, indicative of a company searching for the cheapest option rather than the best option.

Claim that your contract has a confidentiality clause in it which prevents you from revealing your current level of remuneration.

I’ve disclosed my salary in initial discussions; in fact, I can’t remember ever not doing that.

I tend to include the whole package, then round it up a bit… never had any trouble doing that.

Dave

Surely you should know what the industry rates are for your current and prospective position and thus can be honest about your current salary. They will find out the truth eventually anyhow when you hand them your tax information so why start with a new employer with a ‘stretching of the truth’.

That or they are creating a new position and want to gauge the market rate.

Or, if 20 applicants all give a figure that is roughly the same but the 21st gives a figure 50% higher, what is the market rate and who is telling porkies? And would anyone employ that person (unless they really are 50% better than the other 20).

poly – exactly what I do.

When the boot’s on the other foot, I ensure that the person giving the reference agrees up front what they will and will not say. Helps if you’ve not made an enemy of your previous boss!

Disclosing salary before you’ve even been to an interview is a bit like showing your hand at poker before you’ve even placed a bet.

At some point, what you’re expectations are will have to be broached, and very likely broached before you are at formal offer. But by that time, you should be in a better position to disclose your current package in the context of your likely value to the potential employer.

If you set your price right at the start, without knowing just how valuable or otherwise you might be to the company, then it’s materially harder to negotiate up.

Look at like this. Them asking you what your current salary is, is like you asking them what’s the most you’d pay someone to do this job. Whatever they are advertising the salary to be isn’t necessarily what they will end up paying someone.

As for a) disclosing what someone earns to a third party, I’m horrified that this information would be disclosed by your employer. Is it really legal for them to do that? and b) stating that it’s pointless entertaining someone for a role that is half their current salary, well that’s also a nonsense. There are any number of reasons why someone might want to take a job that ends up paying less.

My dream job would have paid me £50k less than I had earned the previous year. I would have accepted it without hesitation had they offered it to me.

Surely this is a fishing expedition?

Whenever I’ve been approached about a job or ended up at interview after making my own enquiries, it’s generally at the later stages that money is discussed.

I’ve been asked “what are you on just now/what are your expectations?” and then I’m made an offer.

Quite a good indication of whether someone wants you is if you say “were you make me an offer I would be prepared to accept £x” and then they come back with an offer above that amount.

I was poached by a rival firm about 12 months ago, but they were concerned about salary because I had been practising in England and was now back in Scotland (significant difference in some firms), we needed to make sure we were on the same page before wasting either of our time. I just gave then a figure I was prepared to accept (which was much lower than my existing salary), they were grateful for the clarity and transparency, then made me an offer 10% higher than the figure i had given them. Still didn’t take the job though.

It’s a dark art all this salary stuff. Either they want you and have the budget to pay you enough, or they will try to get you for cheaper if they think YOU really want the job, or your value is pretty apparent anyway and it’s quite easy to put a figure on it (e.g. similar market value across the sector etc).

OP,
You have no obligation to disclose this to them. You are perfectly within your rights to answer:
Confidential information – market rates
And ask them what is the intended salary range for the post.
It is then up to them to decide whether to reveal this to you.
Enough people have said it above, but it is most important that you do not lie. You will, in nearly all cases, invalidate your contract.

but quite frankly if you give out my name as a referee then you are inviting me to answer whatever questions your future employer asks!

On a sepperate note, this is wrong. As with interviews, certain questions are illegal. You should be very wary of selecting someone as referee who is not aware of this.

I did ‘suggest’ that I was on more than I really was when I moved to my current job. I felt crappy about it at the time and regretted it. I still got offered a decent amount above what I had ‘suggested’ I was on though and later discovered that my previous company had just been really underpaying me. I got a further pay bump 6 months after joining and have had a number since. Turns out the guys who recruited me thought they got a bargain anyway.

So on reflection I’d not be dishonest about it as it could come round and bite you in the butt (I still feel I got lucky with it all), be honest about what you are on and/or what you want whichever you feel comfortable with.

Geetee – b) stating that it’s pointless entertaining someone for a role that is half their current salary, well that’s also a nonsense. There are any number of reasons why someone might want to take a job that ends up paying less.

that’s absolutely fine, so long as the “interviewee” is aware (s)he is never going to get their current salary matched for this position. Precisely when it seems relevant to ask upfront what the salary expectations are.

loum – On a sepperate note, this is wrong. As with interviews, certain questions are illegal. You should be very wary of selecting someone as referee who is not aware of this.

Actually illegal, in that you are going to cite a law, with specific sections which are breached or just the usual made up internet law. Don’t confuse bad practice with illegal, and don’t confuse the potential employer probably shouldn’t ask the referee with the referee probably shouldn’t answer.

I added £5k to my old salary when I was asked the question. In the end it is easier to negotiate from a higher starting point when salary expectations were raised after 2 interviews. However take the piss and you will price yourself out of the job.

Got asked in an interview yesterday why I wanted the job. I told them because I didn’t win the lottery on Saturday and I had bills to pay. They rang two hours later and aksed when could I start!
Bit of a relief. Had to give up on the domestic decorating game. I presume all jobs are being undercut by people signing on as the price people are expecting you to work for is ridiculous.
I also get to go riding tomorrow as I know I can affoerd to keep putting fuel in the van. Yippeee.

I would only disclose my current salary/benefits package in so much as to ensure that it was worthwhile having a face to face discussion and that there was a reasonable chance that the employer could and would be willing to meet my salary / remuneration expectations. Ie just shy of £x, where x is most certainly rounded up

But, I am typically asked what I am looking for rather than how much am I earning currently. In my view what I currently earn is irrelevant. What I ask for it what it would take for me to move to the new company.

I wonder whether there is a sort of seniority /salary threshold where the conversation moves from what you earn plus £x to we will pay what it takes and wait as long as needed to get the right person.

One of the acid tests for me is whether a prospective employer “walks” when I disclose my current notice period.

congrats, Marin.