Salary matching - proof?

[DSLiverpool]

We're interviewing for a PR / marketing person and we ask applicants to advise salary expectation however one person has said they earn x which is at the very top end and wants us to match it - trouble is I don't believe them.

What's protocol? Can I ask for proof? Seems odd

[MagicalTrevor]

You’ll see it on their P45. If you think they’re worth the money they want and are prepared to take them at their word then offer the job.
Of course, if their P45 shows otherwise then I’d suggest they were being dishonest.

Then again, if they’d just said “I want £x” then does it really matter what they’re on now?

[Mgd_uk]

Offer them what you think they are worth, and if they decide to go or not at least your happy with your decision.

[silent ninja]

Why do you need proof?

Make your own decision on their worth. Maybe they are worth double their current wage. That's your organisation's job to figure out.

[NordicCrankShaft]

So you advertise a job with a salary at between X and X, the person is asking for what you've advertised the job at and you don't want to pay it. I fail to see what his current employer salary is has got to do with you when you've already set your salary budget for this job. I've always refused to disclose previous salaries for potential new jobs.

[sc0tt]

You sound like the type of firm I wouldnt work for.

[anonymous-user]

It's nothing to do with you what their current salary is.

[Blaster72]

DSLiverpool said:

We're interviewing for a PR / marketing person and we ask applicants to advise salary expectation however one person has said they earn x which is at the very top end and wants us to match it - trouble is I don't believe them.

What's protocol? Can I ask for proof? Seems odd

You don't believe them, don't employ them. It's easy really.

[Frrair]

I used to interview a couple of times a month at certain points and have seen this a few times.

Ask them if that’s the package not salary, if the continue ask how that’s built up - occasionally people continue to misrepresent whole package, pension, car, bonus and salary as just salary and think they are being clever. Ask them if they are sure because if they turned up with their P45 on the first day and it was wrong it would be a bad way to start a new career.

Usually a outbreak of truth appears at this time even with the most hardened blagger.

I also agree with the previous poster - offer them what you think they are worth... but if you are struggling to agree you could offer then a lower figure when they join with a performance related bump after 3 months up for good performance, if they go for it they are usually pretty confident in their abilities. If they shy away it may be telling you something about their perception of their true abilities.

[Barlows]

They don't need to give you their P45 anyway they can just complete a P46. Which is what i do if i don't want my new employer to know my previous salary.

[Blaster72]

Barlows said:

They don't need to give you their P45 anyway they can just complete a P46. Which is what i do if i don't want my new employer to know my previous salary.

P46 isn't used anymore, it's a Starter Checklist now.

Edited by Blaster72 on Thursday 15th February 21:46

[Barlows]

Blaster72 said:

P46 isn't used anymore.

Wasn't aware of that, seems the "Starter checklist" replaces it which is just as anonymous?

[Gecko1978]

I always felt my current salary was not relevant. Basically if I am on say 30k an the new job is 50k I want 50k not 40k etc. End of day if I am not up to it don't give me the job. Fact is getting a pay rise is much harder than just moving jobs. Worst I found was you could be 2 years on the job an a new starter gets more than you as market rate has gone up. So 2 years post graduation at a major UK bank I got less than the new graduate...I left 2 months later an got the salary I wanted.

[Countdown]

silent ninja said:

Why do you need proof?

.

It might help to corroborate other stuff that the person has put on his/her CV. Not everything a person professes to have done in their previous role is true (shock!) and having confirmation of their salary is one way of seeing if they’re telling the truth. I know it’s not infallible, its just one thing which you can tie back to the CV/interview to build a full picture.

For example if somebody says they are a Finance Director and their current salary says £20k then that would give you an indication of the level of FD they were....

[DSLiverpool]

Countdown and Fffrair thanks you understand my position.
The person we want is quite rare, young and by default overly confident and astute. Personally all I see these days are over pampered snowflakes wanting the most cash for the least effort. Checking salary is one metric I can use to weed out the dreamers however in digital marketing by default they should be good at selling themselves (or what you want them to be) and you only realise it’s not right a few months in with everyone’s time being wasted. Trying to avoid that.

[bmwmike]

NordicCrankShaft said:

So you advertise a job with a salary at between X and X, the person is asking for what you've advertised the job at and you don't want to pay it. I fail to see what his current employer salary is has got to do with you when you've already set your salary budget for this job. I've always refused to disclose previous salaries for potential new jobs.

Totally agree!!

Edited by bmwmike on Friday 16th February 15:55

[Countdown]

bmwmike said:

NordicCrankShaft said:

So you advertise a job with a salary at between X and X, the person is asking for what you've advertised the job at and you don't want to pay it. I fail to see what his current employer salary is has got to do with you when you've already set your salary budget for this job. I've always refused to disclose previous salaries for potential new jobs.

Totally agree!!

Edited by bmwmike on Friday 16th February 15:55

If the quality of your other interview answers has been good enough to convince them of your abilities then you can refuse to tell them your salary and still get appointed.

On the other hand if there are two broadly equivalent candidates, one who states that she was on £X grand and proves it (which proves the level she was working at) and the other one stating that she is on £X grand but refusing to confirm it

To put it another way a lot of application forms ask you to disclose your salary. If you have already done that why not prove it, just like you're expected to prove all the other stuff you've put in your application form?

[bmwmike]

Guess I've been lucky but I've never had to complete a form. I'd probably put 10k or something just to get in.

[witko999]

When someone asks "what was your previous salary?" or "what are your salary expectations?" then I generally will avoid the question, because what it really means is "are your salary expectations lower than what we're offering? Because if so then we'll pay you the lower amount".

[anonymous-user]

DSLiverpool said:

We're interviewing for a PR / marketing person and we ask applicants to advise salary expectation however one person has said they earn x which is at the very top end and wants us to match it - trouble is I don't believe them.

What's protocol? Can I ask for proof? Seems odd

Is the role of sufficient value to you at the top end and is the candidate of the calibre to justify the cost?

And to add... if you don't trust them at this early stage, you shouldn't dream of hiring them.