I regret giving salary details

[djones123]

I have been offered a new job after going through the lengthy five stage interview process.

In the start of the whole process i told them about my expectations twice and after the second interview HR asked me to fill up the short form about the current address , job role ,salary and benefits as she lost my pre screening details.

Under salary details, i gave them the figures based on recent job offers (even few offers were higher than what i mentioned on the form but they were above the clients budget) which i now regret as they made me an offer based on those figures on form.

Can i tell them that those figures are based on my recent job offers? or should i just declined the offer because i am already embarrassed by this situation and i think i shouldn't have provided any salary details on the form at all in the first place.

[Mr Gearchange]

Are they offering you too much or too little? A stupid question perhaps but it isn't clear from your post.

If you feel the they are offering too much keep your mouth shut and carry on.
If you feel that they are offering too little then reject the offer and try and negotiate a better package.

[Trabi601]

Is the offer what you want, regardless of how economical with the truth you were when you filled in the form? - or are you in a position where you feel they've made a low offer?

If the former, forget about it and accept! - I reckon almost everyone is a little flexible when asked for their current salary!

[thepeoplespal]

Its mid year and who knows how much salary sacrifice you have which wont show up in a P45 or a P60- child care vouchers, pension, car, gym, health care & then there is bonuses payable at the end of the year etc.etc.

[AyBee]

Sounds like the OP wrote down what the job offers were and so they beat those, rather than what his current salary is, and now he's worried that when they do the reference check of his current work, they'll find out they offered him way over what he currently earns? Is that correct?

[joshleb]

But how would they find out his existing salary?

His current work place won't tell them surely?!?

[bigandclever]

joshleb said:

But how would they find out his existing salary?

When he gives his new employer the appropriate bit of his P45 from his old employer.

[ChasW]

I would not worry about it. Who's going to be bothered to cross check. If challenged say you misunderstood the question as salary expectations.

[hornetrider]

Either #newrole is worth salary x or it isn't. What does it matter what his previous salary was?

[dingg]

Mr Gearchange said:

Are they offering you too much or too little? A stupid question perhaps but it isn't clear from your post.

If you feel the they are offering too much keep your mouth shut and carry on.
If you feel that they are offering too little then reject the offer and try and negotiate a better package.

this 100%

[djones123]

AyBee said:

Sounds like the OP wrote down what the job offers were and so they beat those, rather than what his current salary is, and now he's worried that when they do the reference check of his current work, they'll find out they offered him way over what he currently earns? Is that correct?

yes. I knew what was their budget. I have had two offers so far in last 5 weeks and one of them was way too above the client budget. I am not good at negotiating salary, they offered me the top end and did mention that based on your current salary we are offering you x amount.

I like the job and package is good, at the moment i work full time from home and with flexible hours. The new job is about 80 mins (return journey) drive away from home.

They do reference check through third part screening agency.

I really like to tell them that look i got this wrong and figures on form are based on my recent job offer. They will probably withdraw the offer.

Edited by djones123 on Tuesday 1st November 10:32

[paul789]

if I were interested in permie roles, there's no way I'd play that game. It really amuses me that previous salary is used as a benchmark for salary with the new employer.

It's a commercial negotiation between two parties. The terms of a previous arrangement with another party are irrelevant. It's pure HR box ticking and bullying.

Of course from the employers perspective, anything you can do to limit your largest cost is fair game.

[Landlord]

djones123 said:

yes. I knew what was their budget.

They do reference check through third part screening agency.

Most people move jobs for pay rises. They've offered you what they're prepared to pay. You've no obligation to move for the same money. If they query what you put on the form then say you misunderstood and put your salary expectation/what you understood to be market rate rather than what you currently earn blah, blah, blah.

I've had people at the pub who say they earn x and want y and when it comes to receiving their P45 upon commencement with us we can see that they were lying about x but, whatever, we offered what we were prepared to pay and that's fine. If they said they currently earn more than we were prepared to pay we'd simply say we can't match or beat it, this is the offer take it or leave it. Of course, if they said they earn multiples of x then we'd question their integrity but a few percent above x is neither here nor there.

I suspect you'll do more damage by fessing up before hand than waiting until they "find out"... at least then you can use the "I misunderstood" line. Playing your hand early means you knew what you were doing.

Edit: Just seen that ChasW said the same thing already.

[xjay1337]

I hate salary details.

I interviewed at a company last towards the end of last year

Lovely company, great guys.
I told them I wanted X amount as I was already on X and they had to match or beat it.

They offered me X-£5k

I told them no.

They've since chased me up twice about it and I said unless you can do something with the salary I won't be interested.

Not only that but they have a mandatory company car scheme so I would lose £250 a month in tax as well. No thanks.

Regarding OP's situation I would just blag it to be fair, it's negotions after all and who doesn't add £5k onto their current salary when being interviewed at a possible new company...

[AyBee]

As others have said, fessing up now will be the worst thing you could do. At the end of the day, what you currently earn should be no basis of what you should earn at your next job, it's a different company and different role. They're happy paying you what they offered (otherwise they wouldn't have offered it), just move, enjoy the salary hike and keep your head down when you get there If they question you, just say you thought they were asking for your salary expectation. They think you're the best man for the job, they offered you a number that they thought would get you to move, end of

[Shaoxter]

I've lied about my current salary when going for interviews, I doubt you'll have the offer pulled so keep quiet is my advice. I've also inflated offers I've received elsewhere to get my current employer to match the figure, again they never checked.

Also if you have another offer "way above" the one you have now, why don't you take that?

[anonymous-user]

100% keep your trap shut and buy yourself a celebratory pint if you get the job.

[iphonedyou]

Keep quiet!

And stop worrying. Goodness!

[p1stonhead]

They will know soon enough when they see your P60 so what will be will be.

I wouldnt mention it personally. If anyone asks just say 'oh I thought you asked about salary expectations as previous salary was irrelevant'.

[Mr Gearchange]

Nobody who hired you will look at your P60 anyway - it only goes to payroll.

I know this as I've constantly told employers my salary was much much higher than it actually was and nobody has ever called me out on it.

You are worth what they are willing to pay.