4 ms·

Asking doesn't hurt anyone. However giving certain answers could. What prevents employees from claiming that this information is "confidential" (polite version

by gesman 10y ago

Asking doesn't hurt anyone. However giving certain answers could. What prevents employees from claiming that this information is "confidential" (polite version of "it's not your business"). Or outright lying about it?

Frondo 10y ago
Most people want to be helpful, friendly and open. It's how we're generally socialized, and that's normally a pretty good thing. Most people might not be comfortable lying about this. Especially if, in the course of a job interview, they're afraid it could count against them, not to disclose that information. The new employer doesn't need to know it, best to make blanket rule that prohibits them from trying to get it.
kerkeslager 10y ago
Asking hurts the people who give bad answers, which is unfair since in many cases those answers are irrelevant to the job being interviewed for. Claiming the information is confidential may hurt your chances of getting the job, or simply get the "we need this information or we can't continue, sorry, it's policy" answer. Lying about it benefits the liars (assuming they lie intelligently). I suspect that offers are frequently based on previous pay, so simply claiming your previous pay was higher would get you a better offer. Is lying really the behavior we want to incentivize?
- pravda 10y ago
  >Is lying really the behavior we want to incentivize? Oh gosh. You make it sound bad that way! It's not 'lying', it is 'strategic disinformation'.
  - EduardoBautista 10y ago
    Honestly I have answered slightly under what I wanted to earn.
    - gesman 10y ago
      Sure. Turn this question to your advantage to "test waters" on the opposite side.
rhizome 10y ago
Lying is not a good way to start off a business relationshiop.
- user5994461 10y ago
  It's not lying, it's doing business.
breser 10y ago
My employer asks this question. I refused to answer when asked in person/phone. As we got further in the hiring process they asked as part of the form they fill in to setup the background check. Again I refused to answer this question. I failed the background check due to this. When we discussed it they said it was necessary so they could verify if I had lied about my salary when I'd given it previously. I pointed out that I had never given this information. HR insisted that I must have since they require it. Round and round we went for a while. Eventually they let it go and hired me anyway. So to answer your question. Companies will typically call up your previous employer and ask if the salary you provided them is correct. Lying on your application form is almost always cause to fire. So if they ever find out you lied you about your previous salary you can be fired on the spot.
- shostack 10y ago
  Did you have an offer letter at that point? Usually verification happens as a final step. My past pay has no bearing on what price I agree to do future work for. If a company absolutely insists I inform them I'm happy to provide this as a final form of verification once we've agreed to move forward and agreed on comp.
- user5994461 10y ago
  > So to answer your question. Companies will typically call up your previous employer and ask if the salary you provided them is correct. Very unlikely. I don't know a single company that would reply to that request. That's sky high in terms of liability. > Lying on your application form is almost always cause to fire. So if they ever find out you lied you about your previous salary you can be fired on the spot. You drank the HR FUD too much. A company doesn't go through all the troubles to hire someone just to get rid of him the next week for some stupid forms that noone cares about.

by gesman 10y ago

Frondo 10y ago

Most people want to be helpful, friendly and open. It's how we're generally socialized, and that's normally a pretty good thing. Most people might not be comfortable lying about this. Especially if, in the course of a job interview, they're afraid it could count against them, not to disclose that information. The new employer doesn't need to know it, best to make blanket rule that prohibits them from trying to get it.

kerkeslager 10y ago

Asking hurts the people who give bad answers, which is unfair since in many cases those answers are irrelevant to the job being interviewed for. Claiming the information is confidential may hurt your chances of getting the job, or simply get the "we need this information or we can't continue, sorry, it's policy" answer. Lying about it benefits the liars (assuming they lie intelligently). I suspect that offers are frequently based on previous pay, so simply claiming your previous pay was higher would get you a better offer. Is lying really the behavior we want to incentivize?

pravda 10y ago
>Is lying really the behavior we want to incentivize? Oh gosh. You make it sound bad that way! It's not 'lying', it is 'strategic disinformation'.
- EduardoBautista 10y ago
  Honestly I have answered slightly under what I wanted to earn.
  - gesman 10y ago
    Sure. Turn this question to your advantage to "test waters" on the opposite side.

rhizome 10y ago

Lying is not a good way to start off a business relationshiop.

user5994461 10y ago
It's not lying, it's doing business.

breser 10y ago

My employer asks this question. I refused to answer when asked in person/phone. As we got further in the hiring process they asked as part of the form they fill in to setup the background check. Again I refused to answer this question. I failed the background check due to this. When we discussed it they said it was necessary so they could verify if I had lied about my salary when I'd given it previously. I pointed out that I had never given this information. HR insisted that I must have since they require it. Round and round we went for a while. Eventually they let it go and hired me anyway. So to answer your question. Companies will typically call up your previous employer and ask if the salary you provided them is correct. Lying on your application form is almost always cause to fire. So if they ever find out you lied you about your previous salary you can be fired on the spot.

shostack 10y ago
Did you have an offer letter at that point? Usually verification happens as a final step. My past pay has no bearing on what price I agree to do future work for. If a company absolutely insists I inform them I'm happy to provide this as a final form of verification once we've agreed to move forward and agreed on comp.
user5994461 10y ago
> So to answer your question. Companies will typically call up your previous employer and ask if the salary you provided them is correct. Very unlikely. I don't know a single company that would reply to that request. That's sky high in terms of liability. > Lying on your application form is almost always cause to fire. So if they ever find out you lied you about your previous salary you can be fired on the spot. You drank the HR FUD too much. A company doesn't go through all the troubles to hire someone just to get rid of him the next week for some stupid forms that noone cares about.