Salary not being revealed

[aspiring]

Had a first round initial interview which was positive. After this, I was quickly invited for final stage.

I asked what the salary was. I got told there is no set figure/range and it depends on current salary, experience and standard across industry.

During the interview, I was asked what my current salary was. For me the salary for this role needs to be atleast 40k above what I am currently on for my current role which is obviously a huge uplift but this new role has far greater responsibility than my current role.
I don't really want to go for final interview and then get a low offer.

Not sure how to tell them or do I go to final stage?

 

[aspiring]

So they're asking you for your salary, but refusing to reveal theirs? Seems legit.

I'd avoid their question like they have dismissed yours and go armed with what you are looking for (after doing your research of course).

Exactly this. They asked my salary in current role. I followed up after interview when invited to final interview asking about salary and got the generic response.

It is a lot of work for final round stage so feel like I should email or ring them and politely say if you cant say salary I can't move forward???

 

[aspiring]

Their answer is the polite version of "as little as we can get away with". They will have a budget for the role but not revealing it is them wanting to keep the upper hand when it comes to haggling an offer. I have to say you made a mistake taking a first interview without establishing what you're looking for matches what's in their range. What @EvilRob just said would seem to be the only route forward you have - especially if the final round involves you having to do a lot of preparation work.

I was hoping they would tell me at first stage? Was not expecting generic reply...

 

[aspiring]

Do people think it is worth going to final round or going back to them now and asking about salary?

 

[aspiring]

Thanks for everyones input.

In the first interview, they asked me what salary I am on. However, they didn't ask any other information such as bonus etc.

I feel like I should go back and say without some kind of salary bracket no point going any further?

 

[aspiring]

I would carry on but tell them that your current salary is irrelevant. If it's on a form, put N/A.

They asked me my salary verbally and I told them...

 

[aspiring]

Companies won’t always tell you the salary pre final interview, and as a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t bring it up before then.

Prove/evidence your worth and capability and then have the discussion.

But surely they will have some threshold they can tell me?

 

[aspiring]

How much do you want this job? Are you finding a lot of interesting jobs to apply for? Are you getting lots of interviews? Do you have a lot of interviewing experience and success in interviewing?

If you're not too bothered about this job, are finding other jobs to apply for, are already getting a lot of positive responses from jobs you're interested in, and feel relaxed and comfortable in interviews then you may as well play hard ball over this. Otherwise, going to an interview is an afternoon of your life, not a unreasonable amount to risk on a potentially good job. And if the salary stuff can't be sorted, well, you got a bit of interview practice that will help you with your next job.

The question of why this happens was asked on a Stack Exchange a little while back, and I thought got a decent answer.

Finding it easy to get interviews and subsequent offers to be honest.

This role is slightly different to other roles I have gone for in terms of more workload and more level of responsbility.

Your right it is an afternoon but equally it is a lot of prep I suppose?

 

[aspiring]

Hey @aspiring, what did you decide to do in the end? How did it work out?

They have sent me interview details and it is quite full on.

I am thinking of not wasting my time and pulling out?

 

[aspiring]

In that case, you may as well clearly state your salary requirements before attending and see if they balk.

I know someone who works at the place and having explained what I was looking for salary wise, they said there is no chance of such an uplift

 

[aspiring]

"Deer X, before engaging in the interview process further, could I have confirmation of the salary for the role please?"

A response with anything other than the salary or a good range indicator, would mean I would either blank them in response just out of spite of their annoying incompetence, or would terminate all dealings. When I say a good range...if a job stated 50-100k, that's immediate red flags obviously. Where as 50-70 is better. 60-70 is ideal for example, as you can clearly see what you might earn.
If they came back still beating around the bush...

"Unfortunately because you have not confirmed the pay for the job, I cannot continue with any interview processes. Regards."

That's if you don't want to burn bridges in case someone opens their eyes and changes tune.

If you don't care;

"Unfortunately since you have not mentioned the pay for the job, I cannot mention how many hours I can work. Are you still interested?"

Or

"I don't work for free."

Etc

Some of these idiots should really be called out.

it is just so frustrating, they have obviously asked me salary I am on to low ball me. The interview for final stage is intense and requires a lot of work.

 

[aspiring]

You said in the OP that you’re wanting a salary at least £40k above where you are now.

Are you that underpaid currently or is the role a significant step up? Just trying to see this from the company’s POV.

This role is massive step up and would have direct line reports vs 0 in current role alongside other responsibilities.

This is why current salary should not come into it considering my current role is totally different.

Also once your at a company it is difficult to get significant wage increases.

 

[aspiring]

You told them what your current salary is? If so then yes, quite possibly they will, especially if what you actually want is a big uplift from where you are currently.

Best to try and avoid answering that question and give them a desired range if pushed, really they ought to then at least acknowledge if the desired range is in the same ballpark so you both don't waste each other's time.

If it's only one round left and isn't going to take all day I'd still be inclined to go for it (both for the practice and to see if you actually do get an offer), might as well get the confidence boost of having an offer made, if they're unwilling to offer as much as you're looking for though then you don't need to feel guilty turning them down as this is something they had the opportunity to address much earlier in the process and didn't.

Also, you don't need to turn them down right away, you can do things like tell them you want to think about the offer over the weekend etc.. then come back and push for more money... then see what they say etc.. It could be interesting to see how much they're prepared to budge from their initial offer (not necessarily because you're going to take it, if they're still too far away from what you want but it gives you a feel for how much hiring managers leave to the side in case they need to negotiate).

Ultimately if they can't offer you enough then that's their problem. You get better practice at interviews, you don't reveal current comp at the next one etc..

would it not be awkward to not answer a question if asked current salary though? what could you say to avoid at a f2f interview

 

[aspiring]

Depends on the company surely? I doubled my salary within 6 years at my last employer.

If it’s obviously a big step up from where you are now I’d go to the final interview and see what happens. Worst case scenario you get some interview practise at that level. Best case you get an offer that meets your expectations.

If you get an offer that doesn’t you can go back to them saying it isn’t enough and see what happens.

From their POV it makes sense to offer you less than they would someone with experience at that level already. If it’s a big step up for you maybe you don’t have the experiences/skills to command that kind of salary yet?

Could you be overestimating your own value? Is the role otherwise not worth the move?

I guess this is challenge. From my point of view the role and the amount of extra hours needed would require the huge uplift.

From their point of view they will see it differently.

I don't think extra stress is worth it without big uplift considering net each month isn't that different between big gross figures

 

[aspiring]

Hang time makes excellent points.

I was asked my current salary before I could ask a salary range. Therefore, I followed up afterwards and got the vague answer that there is no particular range and salary would be dictated on experience, current salary etc.

Why base it on current salary if I am doing a totally different role. The two roles have many differences.

 

[aspiring]

And so they don't need to know his current salary then.



No, don't do this, lying about current salary instead of just avoiding the question is very bad if they actually do any sort of background check and it can be grounds for being fired.



If they asked you for your current salary and you give a figure then you immediately start backtracking you're going to look pretty silly and the obvious follow-up question from the recruiter is to just ask again, OK so what is your salary and what was your bonus last year?

Those are specific questions, if you lie you can be sacked for it or lose the job offer, if you don't want to reveal those things then don't go down the route of starting to give information about your current compensation in the first place.

I think you can inflate a little but should not inflate too much for the reasons you have mentioned.

Having said this apples vs pears comparison in using current salary to predict salary for a totally different role.

I

 

[aspiring]

Still unsure if to pull out

 

[aspiring]

Don't then, especially if it's just one round left. What do you lose if you attend? Half a day of work?

Well a day of work but it is more the awkwardness of having to reject if a low pay offer is (more than likely) is made

 

[aspiring]

From the other side, giving salary ranges is problematic for the employee because it will limit options and hides the fact that the salary is negotiable and dependent on the candidate.

2 recent hires were given salaries outside our original banding. In the first case we just couldn't find anyone at a suitable experience level that would be worth the 150-190k USD, but there were dome lore junior engineers that had a lot of potential so one got a much lower offer and will making fast progression as they prove their abilities and gain experience. The exact opposite happened more recently where we had a budget capped at 140k but there was only 1 strong candidate and they had a counter offer but we quickly upped our offer to 180k. If we told the candidate the max salary was 140k they might not have even interviewed .

But then any candidate demanding explicit salary information at the strat of the interview process would likely be rejected anyway as that is simply not the kind of person we would on our team

it is not transparent to be ambigious from outset though

 

[aspiring]

It's like the world of business is oblivious to the capitalist environment they live within. Whether they put on a act or not, all the candidates applying are motivated by money, it's now just a question of, do you want someone who continues to plays games or gets straight to business?

But basing potential salary of current salary does not make sense as separate jobs?