Do you lie when asked what your current salary is in an interview?

Scam · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:10

What Caged said. A good employer shouldn't need to know what you're currently earning. They'll have a range of what they're willing to pay depending on the candidate. Just dodge the question and tell them what you're looking for.

Derek W · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:15

The figures in my example are only indicative. Even if there was a few thousand difference e.g above and below a tax threshold (higher earners) or at the top end rather than the bottom end of a salary bracket (council workers) things can be checked out so why risk not getting a job by being dishonest? I've only moved job once and they asked what i was on, offered me a few k more and said they'd re-evaluate things after 3 months and take it from there......10 years later I'm still there and on a better wage.

EDIT

I wouldn't really see the point in moving job for the same wage youre on currently.

panthro · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:16

I've never lied. It had the potential to blow up in your face and lose you the job you want. Is it worth it? No, especially when your new company will see your P45 and know that's you're a liar.

Akagi · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:17

Housey said:
Wrong approach. You want to earn more and live closer, right approach.

If for arguments sake I valued my time at £10 an hour, thats a saving of £6525 per year, but because the original figure doesn't include fuel costs, I need to account for £1200 in fuel usage.

So £28,000 - £6500 + £1200 = £22,700.

So a salary of about £23,000 would seem about right, however to have the same take-home as before (disregarding the extra hours) it would need to be £29,200, which unfortunately is not really a realistic wage for this kind of position...

Derek W said:
I wouldn't really see the point in moving job for the same wage youre on currently.

The move wouldn't be for the money, it would be to get out of a disorganised, stressful and failing MSP who have a habit of screwing around the staff and do not care about customer satisfaction, only profit and as a result are constantly shooting themselves in the foot and losing contracts - and to move into a more relaxed, close knit team, working on in-house systems and projects, with the potential of international business trips and the like, with a clear route of progression. Its a move for my sanity and happiness.

I think I'll say that I'm looking for around £25K, which is approaching the top end of the pay guide for this sort of role, and see what happens. If I feel the need, I could do overtime as well, and still be on less hours than before.

Tunney · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:19

I always go through a recruiter and tell them the truth (base salary and total package). Perhaps they'll lie to get me the salary I want, perhaps they won't. Ignorance is bliss.

Scrutinize · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:27

No need to give it out.

Simply say, I am not able (or prepared) to disclose that but it is at the current market rate and if you were to offer me the role, I would hope your offer will be in line with my experience and value I will bring to your company.

That way, if they want you they will offer you something decent. If they undervalue you or they low ball then you will very quickly see what they will be like to work for. You can always then go back seeking more.

It's a great test.

The key to a successful negotiation on salary/pay rises/job is to hold all the cards, even if your ace if to walk away or find a new job.

Akagi · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:30

If you want £24,000, would you:

- ~~Say "I'm looking for at least £24,000"~~
- Say "I'm looking for around £27,000" in the hope that their offer falls close to the amount you want
- Say firmly a figure only slightly above what you are happy to settle for
or
- Play hard ball and wait for them to make you an offer, and then haggle up if it is too low?

If they make you an offer which is a pleasant surprise, do you settle for it, or do you try and get a bit more..?

I hate it when they don't tell you from the outset what the pay scale is...

Caged · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:35

If you say what your minimum acceptable amount is then don't be shocked when that's the offer

Akagi · 17 Oct 2016 at 23:08

OK struck that option off, you have a point.

Ev0 · 17 Oct 2016 at 23:30

Caged said:
If you say what your minimum acceptable amount is then don't be shocked when that's the offer

Weirdly I had an employer offer more than I'd said I wanted when they asked me, wasn't complaining about that

bayo000 · 17 Oct 2016 at 23:36

Only ever got asked once in an interview about salary and I did rounded it up to nearest 10k. Salary negotiation only starts once they confirm firm interest.

Caged · 17 Oct 2016 at 23:40

Ev0 said:
Weirdly I had an employer offer more than I'd said I wanted when they asked me, wasn't complaining about that

Did it have rivers of chocolate and bright orange assistants that were shorter than average, and sang a lot?

dowie · 18 Oct 2016 at 00:39

dalehitchy1 said:
Do you lie when asked what your current salary is in an interview?

sometimes, well not about the amount (you can get yourself into trouble with that*), but about the reason I can't reveal it to them. Basically you probably want to avoid revealing it when you're looking to get a large increase. - you want to avoid naming a figure to which lots of hiring managers will just add a percentage to when they could budget for more.

'Sorry but that actually breaches the NDA I've signed but if you'd like to give me the range for the role then I can tell you whether I'd be interested'

(this conversation usually occurs on the phone with a recruiter who has called me rather than during an interview)

unfortunately sometimes they're awkward, client requires salary history for all candidates or he can't put you forward... in which case, if he's not budging, you can go for it but give a justification for wanting a significant increase and be prepared to turn them down if they just offer you a standard %

In other instances you might want to reveal it, you may have learned that you're already at the top of the range for this role

*this depends on your industry but if they're thorough with background checks then they might try to find out, also payroll do need to know how much tax to deduct too etc...

Rifte · 18 Oct 2016 at 05:08

I used to ballpark my salary in the interview allowing some element of movement (i.e "I am on around £xxx. Most savvy interviewers know that interviewees BS their salary during interview in my opinion. The reason? They did the same for their role.It's just part of the game of the interview. They will have some idea of what your current role pays, they will also have a banding for the role you are applying for.

I used to have a number in mind on what I wanted for the job, this did not take potential perks into account either. With this number I used to play hardball and to be fair throughout the years I was fortunate in the sense that EVERY potential employer ended up offering me what I wanted.

In respect of an organization finding out if you lied? Possible but unlikely. Unless you work in finance, payroll or HR it's unlikely that your boss will ever see your P45. When you send it in some data entry clerk will enter it onto their payroll system and generate your tax code. He or she will have no idea what you said in interview. Hell they probably didn't even know you existed until your P45 hit their intray.

Saying this though about 5 years ago with my last employer in the UK, there was an issue with one of my colleagues. He was generally considered to be **** at his job. My boss couldn't understand how he got the job. He asked HR to pull his file and it turns out this guy had lied about his qualifications and background. He was dismissed. I wonder how he moved on from that with his next job explaining that reference.

Gornall · 18 Oct 2016 at 09:06

Pretty sure it can be asked for as part of a reference can't it? Job title and current salary.

Wouldn't be off to the best start if you lied at the start.

Rids · 18 Oct 2016 at 09:51

I have never been asked, nor would I ever disclose my current salary when interviewing for a new job. I simply state a salary expectation that is about 10% over what I'd be willing to do the role for.

Mr-White · 18 Oct 2016 at 10:15

Every time when I've been asked and every time I've got a double pay rise

Freefaller · 18 Oct 2016 at 12:26

dalehitchy1 said:
Do you lie when asked what your current salary is in an interview?

No but I may give what my package is worth (though I don't think it's ever been asked), but importantly I tell them what I am expecting. I also have a breakdown from HR as to what my package is worth so I have evidence should they need it.

So say my basic salary was 50k, but my travel concessions, bonus, healthcare, pension, company car or whatever, adds 15k, I say my package is worth 65k.

It's generally worked for me over the last 15 or so years.

Diddums · 18 Oct 2016 at 12:44

Of course. I always add a decent chunk on top of my current earnings and it's earned me a phat payrise every time.

Pudney · 18 Oct 2016 at 12:55

Freefaller said:
No but I may give what my package is worth (though I don't think it's ever been asked), but importantly I tell them what I am expecting. I also have a breakdown from HR as to what my package is worth so I have evidence should they need it.

So say my basic salary was 50k, but my travel concessions, bonus, healthcare, pension, company car or whatever, adds 15k, I say my package is worth 65k.

It's generally worked for me over the last 15 or so years.

This is what I do as well. The entire benefits package has value to you not just the salary element.