Companies asking for current salary before offer (credit score, average, job interview)

[tamitrail]

I guess you must be talking about a certain job level that can get away with that. In upper level positions, salary, benefits, bonus, etc. is most certainly discussed. Being evasive will not acquire the position.

I think indeed it does benefit the candidate because if your salary is so far off the mark, why would you want to interview for the job in the first place.

[DDevil]

I was once asked how much I make (which I knew was way less than what this new company would pay me) and I told them the truth.

They asked me if i would work for them if they paid me the same, and I said yes (because I had already left my old job and moved from that city so no point going back) but finally they paid me according to their standard rate for that position. (i know what the rate was because i had friends in similar roles working there)

So I ended up telling the truth and getting a good pay.

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by tamitrail

I guess you must be talking about a certain job level that can get away with that. In upper level positions, salary, benefits, bonus, etc. is most certainly discussed. Being evasive will not acquire the position.

I think indeed it does benefit the candidate because if your salary is so far off the mark, why would you want to interview for the job in the first place.

I am a degreed professional, with professional certification (yeah, the letters behind my name) and I have been in my career field for 20 plus years. I am talking about six figure job levels, that's my level. And - at my level they tell ME what salary they will hire me at during the time of writing up the employment contract, not during the interview process. Then I negotiate from there. You do know about negotiating your salary don't you? My thinking is totally opposite from you, at a lower level you are more likely to be required to give your salary.

Anyways my suggestion is for any level - giving them your salary is a mistake and I have yet to read one single hiring advice that does not agree with that. The argument that it saves you time by not considering an interview is not relevant, since most times this question comes up during the interview anyways, so you are already wasting your time. In that regards it gives the employer the power to consider if you are wasting time or not, not the other way around. It also does not in many instances consider the benefits of the hiring or previous company, or the work conditions, and makes the initial hiring screening based on only one criterium (salary) rather than intangible benefits.

[tamitrail]

I disagree. If you are asked directly what your current salary is and you don't answer, you seem evasive and sneaky. Yes, I am talking about six figure job levels. Just because you give it does not mean there is no room for negotiation.

I did not say at a lower level you would not be required to give it, I said you could get away with being evasive or avoiding the question.

[black_fx_35]

Originally Posted by Dd714

I am a degreed professional, with professional certification (yeah, the letters behind my name) and I have been in my career field for 20 plus years. I am talking about six figure job levels, that's my level. And - at my level they tell ME what salary they will hire me at during the time of writing up the employment contract, not during the interview process. Then I negotiate from there. You do know about negotiating your salary don't you? My thinking is totally opposite from you, at a lower level you are more likely to be required to give your salary.

Anyways my suggestion is for any level - giving them your salary is a mistake and I have yet to read one single hiring advice that does not agree with that. The argument that it saves you time by not considering an interview is not relevant, since most times this question comes up during the interview anyways, so you are already wasting your time. In that regards it gives the employer the power to consider if you are wasting time or not, not the other way around. It also does not in many instances consider the benefits of the hiring or previous company, or the work conditions, and makes the initial hiring screening based on only one criterium (salary) rather than intangible benefits.

Disagree with you 100%. You are a degreed professional, six figure earner. I am a Corporate Recruiter, who hires guys like you. I hire Sr. Executives for a Fortune 500 organization. We are talking about candidates who interview with 6-10 people, multi state and many times fly to another country to interview. They get screened by an Organizational Psychologist for 3 - 5 hours. Basically, they meet with everyone but the board. I manage the recruitment process from start to finish. Those are my credentials.

"Do everything you can, diplomatically, to frustrate the interviewers questions in this area." Are you kidding me? Fortunately or unfortunately, I am the ticket to moving forward in the process. You frustrate me, and you no longer are considered for the position. Seems pretty simple. The professionals who I deal with understand their worth. They know what their skillset brings on the open market. Total compensation packages can be 3 or 4 times higher than their salary, with stock options, grants and bonuses. Not to mention the cost of a full relocation program. If you want to mickey mouse with me around a simple salary discussion; its probably not worth having additional discussions. If you are going to dance around my questions, you are probably going to dance around the questions that our VP's are going to ask you when they interview you. That's not a risk I am willing to take.

The principle remains for any level, not just C Suite.

[jamesandveybe]

Originally Posted by sikes0000

I say lie in most cases If you currently make 38k and want to make 46K don't tell a possible employer you make 38. He will most certainly offer you 42. Lie and get youself that 20% pay increase.
.02 from a professional job hopper Do not try this a home Oh, never lie on your resume. Thats a no-no even I wouldn't break

While I cannot deny that MOST people lie on their resume based upon how desperate they are (and these times are getting more desperate), I would never recommend someone lie.

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by black_fx_35

Disagree with you 100%. .... I hire Sr. Executives for a Fortune 500 organization.

"Do everything you can, diplomatically, to frustrate the interviewers questions in this area." Are you kidding me? Fortunately or unfortunately, I am the ticket to moving forward in the process. You frustrate me, and you no longer are considered for the position.

Of course you disagree, you and I are on different sides of the table. This is an exagerated statement, but for all intents and purposes - you are the enemy, you have a confict of interest in advising anyone on job seeking strategies!

And don't forget it goes both ways. My skills are in demand and very specialized. If you interview me and frustrate me (or try any of this "I'm the interviewer and have all the power" crap) and you won't be getting a skilled employee on your payroll. But at my level I usually bypass the HR recruiters anyways. It's like "her girl, take my application, run along now and let me talk to someone important", and any percieved power they think they have will be overriden by the hiring manager for the department when they review my resume. But that's all irrelevant - I am happily employeed and well rewarded for what I do.

[jamesandveybe]

Originally Posted by black_fx_35

If you are going to dance around my questions, you are probably going to dance around the questions that our VP's are going to ask you when they interview you.

I have yet to meet an honest head-hunter. Politically-correct, yes. Butt-kissing, yes. Hard-working, no. Worthwhile, hell no. I stopped looking. My CEO found me after I saw his job on Craigslist. Instead of them paying 20% to some agency, I got a 20% signing bonus. Paid off the boat.

Executive-level interviews are like blue-collar interviews for Boeing or Microsoft, very tough and grinding to see if your worth meets your resume. I am one of the team here who grants those interviews. I cannot tell you how many times people lie on their resume only to be found out while sitting and sweating in the hot seat. The only thing more fascinating than the size of their embarassment when called on the carpet are the lies they make up on-the-fly to cover up their lies on the resume.

One woman got axed from the list after she claimed to work for a firm in a position requiring integrity and confidentiality to several Executives. Well as it turns out, she had sent in a resume the previous year for a different job, but her job title had changed. On the previous resume, she listed her former position as personal assistant. On the current resume, her job title was Executive Secretary. We called to verify employment to find out the employer was an escort agency, and her job title was... an escort! Needless to say, she broke down crying in front of the team, begged for the job and left without it. We did not axe her for being a prostitute. Whores abound and often flourish in corporate America. We axed her because she lied. Just be honest people... what is so hard about that simple requirement?

In all truth, I enjoy grilling liars. It's a cruel, but justified, thrill in my job duties. I look forward to it. Hey, at least I admit it.

Be honest.

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by jamesandveybe

I have yet to meet an honest head-hunter. Politically-correct, yes. Butt-kissing, yes. Hard-working, no. Worthwhile, hell no. I stopped looking.

I'm not sure Blk-Fx-35 is a headhunter (3rd party recruiter, that is). If she is then her responses are very very strange. Almost like she is doing us a favor by considering us for a job to submit to her applicant. That's not the type of headhunter I would deal with. I wouldn't mind giving a headhunter my salary because I know it's in their best interest to get me the best salary they can from a potential employee. If I knew the headhunter was exchanging this salary with the employer just to get me hired, then, well, this headhunter will no longer be working in her field. I will make sure she is profesionally blackballed and her next job will be as a greeter in Walmart.

I've dealt with a few headhunters in my career, 4 or 5. Only one was not a waste of time and actually got me my current job - good salary and a sign on bonus. She made her commisssion from the employee, we were both happy. The rest were totally worthless.

[black_fx_35]

Originally Posted by Dd714

I'm not sure Blk-Fx-35 is a headhunter (3rd party recruiter, that is). If she is then her responses are very very strange. Almost like she is doing us a favor by considering us for a job to submit to her applicant. That's not the type of headhunter I would deal with. I wouldn't mind giving a headhunter my salary because I know it's in their best interest to get me the best salary they can from a potential employee. If I knew the headhunter was exchanging this salary with the employer just to get me hired, then, well, this headhunter will no longer be working in her field. I will make sure she is profesionally blackballed and her next job will be as a greeter in Walmart.

I've dealt with a few headhunters in my career, 4 or 5. Only one was not a waste of time and actually got me my current job - good salary and a sign on bonus. She made her commisssion from the employee, we were both happy. The rest were totally worthless.

I am not a head hunter. I am a Corporate Recruiter. I manage the recruitment process for Executive positions at my organization.