How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
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Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#2Say "My contract prevents me from disclosing my compensation package" (probably true), "and I treat my commitments seriously."
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#3My experience is quite bad with such companies. There are some huge ones, who are mostly remote, and the first question is "how much do you want to get". I answer, then there is no negotiation, and I usually want just too much (which usually is what I was making at that time). They don't also want to talk with me about any different figures, there is no counter offer, nothing. This is really sad, seems like they don't care because they have an endless pool of talents to hire.
But then it seems like that's not true, as the companies are posting the same job ad for the next months (or even years), and cannot find anyone for that position. And people from those companies cry that they cannot find programmers. And forums keep filling with comments about their stupid recruitment process.
It seems to me that the companies which want to talk, and negotiate the salaries are winning, and can find people.
For the question about my current salary, I answer that my contract doesn't allow me to tell that. If they insist, I ask them if, after getting me hired, they would like me to tell my future employers how much they pay me. That usually ends these questions.
However I don't have any good reason not to answer about my salary expectations, but it seems like I usually want too much :)
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#4Like the OP says, you should avoid revealing your salary. If and when the time comes for that, you can give a wide variety of numbers for "my compensation is $X". That X can include some or all of your benefit package. They are not going to drill down to the details. If they do, and for some reason you have to reveal that, you can feel comfortable that you have told the truth.
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#5And what if you lie? Also, I think it depends on what country you're in. For instance in UK most recruiters are 3rd party companies operating only as middlemen and their compensation from the employer company is directly proportional to your offered yearly salary (usually something like 15%), so they are interested in getting you the highest possible salary within reason.
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#6There's no reason to answer that question. Instead, talk about your expectations: say that your understanding is the role involves X, Y, and Z, and you have experience in related areas A, B, C, and accordingly you'd be looking to get $x for this role. Then, transfer it all back to them: "Does that fit with your range for the position?"
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#7And what if you lie? Also, I think it depends on what country you're in. For instance in UK most recruiters are 3rd party companies operating only as middlemen and their compensation from the employer company is directly proportional to your offered yearly salary (usually something like 15%), so they are interested in getting you the highest possible salary within reason.
Lying (about anything) seems like a poor way to start a relationship between you and your employer.
Of course, negotiation is expected and you shouldn't lay all your cards on the table, but outright lying might poison the relationship.
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#8Just lie and say something competitively high, because negotations will always lowball and haggle it down from there. Previous salaries are NEVER verified for simple reasons, its beyond offensive for the references as well as the interviewing company to ask about compensation which is a private business affair.
Why is responding to asshole questions in a pragmatic manner so hard to avenge for hanging by the doornail autists?
This is the same crowd of introverted nerds that whitenight and go for the valor M'lady type antics. Theres no honor in getting the shit end of a bargain.
Do you tell the officer who pulls you over "Am i being detained?" And pull that blatantly antagonistic yet legal shpeil? You just end up getting yourself in a worse situation even if the law is on your side. Because cops dont usually follow the law for who they deem as assholes. They make things hard.
Theres no moral highground here. Lest you want to sit in a jail cell for the night because its your word against theres.
Lie. 200k year. Done. Lowball negotation down to 150. Happy? No harm done. Because its bullshit. A lie is no more bad than a deceitful and dagger cloaked question designed to make sociay awkard nerd fucks anchor their salary at peanuts because they lack market knowledge.and their own self worth.
The high ground loses against nefarious actors. "I wont discuss this because of X Y Z. is just a replica of the cop situation. You most likely wont get the job because youll be seen as a technically abrasive smug person.
It is what it is...
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#9And what if you lie? Also, I think it depends on what country you're in. For instance in UK most recruiters are 3rd party companies operating only as middlemen and their compensation from the employer company is directly proportional to your offered yearly salary (usually something like 15%), so they are interested in getting you the highest possible salary within reason.
"so they are interested in getting you the highest possible salary within reason."
They care far more about closing the sale and moving on to the next one. Also their relationship with employers is far more valuable to them than their relationship to any individual so if anything they will side with their customer (i.e. who is paying them) which is the employer not the employee.
Re: How to answer the “What’s your current salary?” job interview question
#10There's no reason to answer that question. Instead, talk about your expectations: say that your understanding is the role involves X, Y, and Z, and you have experience in related areas A, B, C, and accordingly you'd be looking to get $x for this role. Then, transfer it all back to them: "Does that fit with your range for the position?"
One point raised on the article is that they will have a better idea of market and salary range than you will (or they should!). So if you give them your desired salary it might be out of their range (too high or too low). Also, especially at the beginning of the hiring process, you don't know everything about the company, so how can you have a valid desired salary?
Also, your value to them as a possible employee increases as you go through the interview process, so why would you limit yourself up front (I have done this before and it ended up in a offer that I didn't take).