job interviews - details of existing salary
Discussion
When discussing potential jobs with recruiters & prospective companies, they tend to ask for specific details of current package & base salary. Personally I don't like this as the job is essentially worth what the market forces dictate - be it higher or lower. What's the general concensus on how to gracefully side step that one?
As someone on the other side of the process it's something I want an answer to so if someone isn't willing to tell they won't get the job.
The reason for asking isn't necessarily so we can give them a low offer, it's more complex than that. If someone is interviewing for a job at £30k and they are currently on £35k I want to know because I'll want to know why they are looking at a pay cut. If they are earning a lot less it doesn't mean I'm going to offer less although it does mean I know I have scope to do that if the candidate doesn't really have the experience but could grow into the job.
So it's information I may want to know and if you want the job you are going to tell me!
The reason for asking isn't necessarily so we can give them a low offer, it's more complex than that. If someone is interviewing for a job at £30k and they are currently on £35k I want to know because I'll want to know why they are looking at a pay cut. If they are earning a lot less it doesn't mean I'm going to offer less although it does mean I know I have scope to do that if the candidate doesn't really have the experience but could grow into the job.
So it's information I may want to know and if you want the job you are going to tell me!
I don't see the need to disclose current earnings in most circumstances as isn't really anyone else's business, and it may go against you for obvious reasons if there's a significant disparity (in either direction) with the salary range on offer. If pushed I'd just be suitably vague like "current package value is in the region of x-thousand (rounded to nearest five or ten thousand [or million if you're a 'real' PH-er] 
).
I can understand why in certain types of role, like sales, previous earnings may need to be shown to demonstrate achievement but for fixed salaried roles it's surely irrelevent.
It's the same contracting... "what rate do you want?"... "x / day"... "what are you on?"... "about that".
).I can understand why in certain types of role, like sales, previous earnings may need to be shown to demonstrate achievement but for fixed salaried roles it's surely irrelevent.
It's the same contracting... "what rate do you want?"... "x / day"... "what are you on?"... "about that".
Edited by theboss on Thursday 10th June 20:19
I recently applied for an internal job and just had to attach my CV.
As it was an internal job (albeit in a totally different role) I was able to sidestep the exact figures as we have just 6 salary bands across the whole company (circa 10k UK employees) but it showed that I started at Level 6, currently at Level 5, now applying for L4 job.
It possibly doesn't tell them that much, as the bands are so wide, but it'll give them an idea (since my salary sits in the middle of the band if they make that assumption it would be ok).
If I was applying for an external job I would give my current salary on my CV.
As it was an internal job (albeit in a totally different role) I was able to sidestep the exact figures as we have just 6 salary bands across the whole company (circa 10k UK employees) but it showed that I started at Level 6, currently at Level 5, now applying for L4 job.
It possibly doesn't tell them that much, as the bands are so wide, but it'll give them an idea (since my salary sits in the middle of the band if they make that assumption it would be ok).
If I was applying for an external job I would give my current salary on my CV.
The question really annoys me actually. Mainly because the answer is often totally useless. What's the point in finding out what someone is currently paid if they specifically want to move jobs because of their salary? If you want to know why someone is leaving their job, why not ask them that? And if you want to know whether someone will accept a salary you think they are worth, why not a) publish the salary range for the job and/or b) make them an offer?
shirt said:
I had an interview earlier for a contract position. on the copies of my cv they had, the hourly rate was 25% more than what the agency told me it would be.
does an agency really take that big a cut? should I raise this with either the client or the agency?
Yes - agencies really do take that big a cut! It can vary from 15% to 30%. At least you know there is some scope to haggle with the agency for a higher rate, as long as YOU are not dispensable.does an agency really take that big a cut? should I raise this with either the client or the agency?
siscar said:
The reason for asking isn't necessarily so we can give them a low offer, it's more complex than that. If someone is interviewing for a job at £30k and they are currently on £35k I want to know because I'll want to know why they are looking at a pay cut. If they are earning a lot less it doesn't mean I'm going to offer less although it does mean I know I have scope to do that if the candidate doesn't really have the experience but could grow into the job.
Spot on, in my opinion.limpsfield said:
siscar said:
The reason for asking isn't necessarily so we can give them a low offer, it's more complex than that. If someone is interviewing for a job at £30k and they are currently on £35k I want to know because I'll want to know why they are looking at a pay cut. If they are earning a lot less it doesn't mean I'm going to offer less although it does mean I know I have scope to do that if the candidate doesn't really have the experience but could grow into the job.
Spot on, in my opinion.Agrilla said:
Yep - since I wrote that I've had a crash course in recruitment practices and if I apply for any external jobs I categorically will NOT be putting my salary details on my CV!
Talk about schoolboy error!
Although I would never do it...what is the reason for this? Seems it is bad for a reaction like that?Talk about schoolboy error!
Marty Funkhouser said:
limpsfield said:
siscar said:
The reason for asking isn't necessarily so we can give them a low offer, it's more complex than that. If someone is interviewing for a job at £30k and they are currently on £35k I want to know because I'll want to know why they are looking at a pay cut. If they are earning a lot less it doesn't mean I'm going to offer less although it does mean I know I have scope to do that if the candidate doesn't really have the experience but could grow into the job.
Spot on, in my opinion.If you have people on individual salaries you get a lot of problems, firstly you find that someone on a lower salary is a woman or black or has something that could be described as a disability and you are then inadvertedly in danger of being on a discrimination charge. But also if people are doing the same job, or similar, they should be being paid the same and if they find out they are not you can have problems.
So we pay what the role demands, we wont save a few thousand by trying to get someone cheap.
Being evasive during an interview is probably not going to help.
Openness and honesty are the best policy.
I recently interviewed someone who was perfectly suited to both the role and the company except for one thing - I didn't quite believe two of his answers. He didn't get a second interview.
Don
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Openness and honesty are the best policy.
I recently interviewed someone who was perfectly suited to both the role and the company except for one thing - I didn't quite believe two of his answers. He didn't get a second interview.
Don
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siscar said:
In a really small company that might be the case. But in my company (we have 75 employees) we have salary grades, so if we were recruiting a project manager, for example, they will be paid the same as the other project managers. OK, if they are inexperienced they may be on less with a formal plan to develop them to the full salary but that's the only exception.
If you have people on individual salaries you get a lot of problems, firstly you find that someone on a lower salary is a woman or black or has something that could be described as a disability and you are then inadvertedly in danger of being on a discrimination charge. But also if people are doing the same job, or similar, they should be being paid the same and if they find out they are not you can have problems.
So we pay what the role demands, we wont save a few thousand by trying to get someone cheap.
I have mostly worked for medium to large companies (100s or 1,000s of employees) and while they have all had salary bands they are pretty meaningless. Everyone is paid whatever they can negotiate on being hired.If you have people on individual salaries you get a lot of problems, firstly you find that someone on a lower salary is a woman or black or has something that could be described as a disability and you are then inadvertedly in danger of being on a discrimination charge. But also if people are doing the same job, or similar, they should be being paid the same and if they find out they are not you can have problems.
So we pay what the role demands, we wont save a few thousand by trying to get someone cheap.
As for current salary - when I am interviewing for a job I always ask to let that bit wait until both sides are happy that there is some potential there (i.e. I could see myself offering them value and they can see me offering them value) - once that has been achieved then we can talk dirty.
Otherwise there is no point.For companies where they will not proceed without the details I simply thank them for the opportunity and take my leave - if they are that focused on just the money then I'm not really interested in working for them.
I do the same when I am recruiting - convince me you are useful and then we can talk money.
Richard
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