Asking someone their salary - social question (girlfriend, sister, college)
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It's never okay to ask! I have friends I've known for 20 years and I still don't know what they make and they don't know what I make either. Salary is one of those uncomfortable subjects in human relationships and we don't talk about uncomfortable (and controversial) subjects.
If someone asks me, I'll say awkwardly, "Uhh, not a lot" and hope they don't press me any further.
While back we had a get together at our place. One of the people brought their older son, he was probably 22 or 23 at the time. He starts asking us how much we paid for our condo, how much money I made, what I did for a living.
Jeez, I felt I was being grilled by Senator McCarthy.... I can't remember what I said, I think I just gave out polite redirect type of answers, but I remember thinking how rude it was.
He was an embarrassing screw up and I know our friend was slightly embarrassed by how he turned out. Maybe that was his problem, he was just a jerk in general because I don't recall anyone else asking me those kinds of questions.
No, it's not polite to ask those kinds of questions.
Typically I don't think it is OK to ask about that. I did have a situation come up recently where I felt like it WAS OK - the person I was talking to was interested in a position at my company that I had brought up to her first and she wanted to know what the pay was like.
I think that's okay. The friend wasn't asking specifically YOUR salary, and you can give a typical range without indicating where you fall.
The reason I'm not posting this on the work board is because I am asking this question from a social perspective. In social situations, when has it ever been okay to ask someone how much money they make? I was always taught that was impolite to ask, especially if you don't know someone very well. I've been appalled at meeting people for the first time, and they ask how much I make or my husband makes at his job. Why do people do this? If they are curious about the salary for a certain occupation, they could get a general idea by doing a google search for salaries in their local area for that particular occupation.
I don't think that question has ever been okay to ask. How shocking that someone would ask you that...but then it seems these days that anything goes in terms of how people speak to each other...
That is a crude thing to do. I hope you answered either "it's really none of your business" or "why would you ask something like that...we don't even know you."
I'll say "we're not allowed to discuss our salaries with anyone" .
The reason I'm not posting this on the work board is because I am asking this question from a social perspective. In social situations, when has it ever been okay to ask someone how much money they make? I was always taught that was impolite to ask, especially if you don't know someone very well. I've been appalled at meeting people for the first time, and they ask how much I make or my husband makes at his job. Why do people do this? If they are curious about the salary for a certain occupation, they could get a general idea by doing a google search for salaries in their local area for that particular occupation.
I'd never ask someone about their income because I'd consider it none of my business.
I answer that question on a need-to know basis. And most people don't need to know. If they want to find out how much a certain profession pays, they can always research it on Salary.com.
NONE OF ANYONE'S BUSINESS. However, I have been asked and all I say is 6 figures. I don't have a problem saying that, but they don't need to know exact!
"Over six figures" is what I say.
Then I mention that two of the figures are after the decimal point.
"over six figures" is what i say.
Then i mention that two of the figures are after the decimal point.
nice!
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