Companies asking for current salary before offer (interviewed, employers, job)

[golasharbat]

I understand companies can verify salary details...how about the bonus figures?
Why do they ask Bonus figures (total comp) and how do they verify these figures? I don't think IRS shares any tax information

Thnx

[sweetheart1311]

I would not lie about my current salary. But then again - I'm an honest person in general, which was one of the main reasons my current employer hired me fresh out of college with no experience (she actually told me that!). So there is no way I'd lie about that. BUT my current employer pays my health insurance premiums (100 %) which adds about $ 3500 to my base salary. So I would include that. And I think I have the right to do so.

I'm moving from Atlanta to LA in a few weeks, and do hope for a much higher salary there (if I'm very very lucky ), but I think considering the difference in the cost of living between the two cities, the employers shouldn't be surprised.

[Coach_B]

I have a question, what about the underemployed? Those of us that graduated college or grad school in this economy & took jobs that only required a high school diploma so we wouldn't be unemployed. Are we salary-screwed for life because we started at such a low number? I think that is ****ty. It says nothing about my value at all.

[kodaka]

Why do they ask Bonus figures (total comp) and how do they verify these figures? I don't think IRS shares any tax information

No, the IRS does not share tax information about private citizens.

Employers ask for total compensation because not every employer has the same bonus plan.

In my industry, for example, most employers pay, in a good year a 5% annual bonus to regular employees. Higher for associates and partners. But there are a handful of employers in my industry that typically give out bonuses that are in the 15% range. Of course, the base salaries they pay are much smaller.

If an employer asked only for base salary and not bonuses, then they wouldn't have necessarily a good idea of how much you were expecting in an offer.

By the way: when you receive an offer, you should also ask what the average bonus was last year for persons in the position in question. As demonstrated above, the answer could vary widely. You don't want to presume you will be getting a higher bonus, and then get a nasty surprise at year's end!

[zz4guy]

Don't tell them what you make. But don't lie either. You should know roughly how much you're worth and be able to put your own estimate out there. So, when they ask say, I'm looking for somewhere in the $60s based on my experience and my fit to your company. Or whatever your salary expectations are. The company you worked at before is irrelevant.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by SuperchargedSS

they cant verify it, so tell them whatever you want!

Oh really?

At my current job, when they schedule new employees for the first day of work, they tell you to bring in your last paystub/pay statement from your old job.

[bande1102]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Oh really?

At my current job, when they schedule new employees for the first day of work, they tell you to bring in your last paystub/pay statement from your old job.

Why would they want that information on the first day of work...AFTER you've apparently been hired?

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by bande1102

Why would they want that information on the first day of work...AFTER you've apparently been hired?

They tell you before the first day of work what they want you to bring, so if you know you've lied, you had better fess up before that, shouldn't you? Therefore the offer is rescinded.

[golasharbat]

After staying in a dilemma for a while I finally penned down true base and bonus number in the pre-employment form from my new to-be-employer and it proved such a right decision.
They verified the data minutely and I got a good offer! So (just from my experience) truth is aways better than any false info....

[sike0000]

I have never had an employer verify my salary, or ask for a pay stub. But I imagine it could happen.

I would never tell a potential employer my current salary unless I was happy getting an offer 10% above that.

If they do check tell them you get bonuses on top of it. Of course, hopefully you get a bonus plan.