9 ms·

Have a google for: "can i lie to a employer about past salary" - it really really messes with people - people feel super uncertain about how to approach this si

• tarr11 9y ago
  That's not how (good) sales works.
  • aswanson 9y ago
    Tell us how good sales works.
    • tarr11 9y ago
      Sales people doing relationship/long-term sales can build trust with customers. If you are purely transactional about it (and willing to say anything to get maximum salary) then it may work, but it also may backfire. If your hiring manager is the one you are lying to, they will also be responsible for your raises, promotions and bonuses. It's a long term relationship, one which can last beyond the current company you are at. It's a small world in technology, and beyond hard skills, your reputation is all you've really got.
      • aswanson 9y ago
        Thanks for the quality response.
  • devmunchies 9y ago
    haha. yeah ok. My company has sales guys closing 6 to 8 figure deals every quarter and they "stretch the truth" all the time. Its part of sales. Thats why I only did sales for 2 years... the pay is the best but its an emotional roller coaster.
    • matwood 9y ago
      > My company has sales guys closing 6 to 8 figure deals every quarter and they "stretch the truth" all the time. Best term I heard for that was 'overhang the market'. Sales people promising features that are only sort of on the roadmap at some point in the future :)
• jhasse 9y ago
  In Geemany you are allowed to lie to any question the employer doesn't have the right to ask (e.g. Are you pregnant?)
  • davidiach 9y ago
    Did not know that. Is asking for past salary in that category as well? I've been asked about past salary many times.
    • jhasse 9y ago
      I think it depends if it's relevant (see https://www.verdi.de/service/fragen-antworten/++co++61c52da6-a6f9-11e0-74d6-00093d114afd https://www.verdi.de/service/fragen-antworten/++co++61c52da6... for example). I guess a court would judge on a case by case basis.
• zimzam 9y ago
  Unfortunately there are employers in NYC who do call previous employers to verify salary. Remember that most white-collar employees are in much less demand than developers and have to deal with far more employer bullshit.
  • richrichardsson 9y ago
    How can it be legal for an employer to disclose a specific employees salary to a third party?
    • pixl97 9y ago
      Is there any express reason it is illegal?
    • baddox 9y ago
      It would be odd if that were illegal. There are some well-known "radical transparency" startups that publicly post all employees' salaries.
    • heywire 9y ago
      This has me thinking, if that is legal, what is to stop any old random person who wants to know what you make from calling your employer posing as a recruiter/hiring manager looking for current salary?
  • emh68 9y ago
    Before you're hired? If I found out that a prospective employer was calling my current employer, I would decline to continue interviewing and tell them exactly why.
  • ska 9y ago
    I've had prospective employers call for reference/jobs description check and ask this question. It's really easy to not answer, or to answer "market rates".
• jnwatson 9y ago
  Interesting. An additional argument for lying is that you're probably already lying in other parts of the interview. Why do you want to work here? (money, and the desire to pay the bills and feed my children) Where do you see yourself in 5 years? (probably not at this company) What is your biggest weakness? (not like I would actually tell a stranger a real answer)
  • throwaway9475 9y ago
    100% this. It's all a game, except prospective employees are guilted into thinking they're the only ones lying (or that doing it is wrong). It works the other way too: Candidate: "What do you dislike the most about working here?" Interviewer: (My asshole boss...) "The office is a little noisy sometimes." Companies are under no obligation to be truthful.
  • gregmac 9y ago
    If these are honestly your answers to these questions and you in fact give lies as answers, you sound like exactly the type of person I absolutely hate working with and actively try to weed out during interviewing. To anyone reading this new to the industry, there are absolutely legitimate ways to answer these questions without lying. > Why do you want to work here? (money, and the desire to pay the bills and feed my children) That is a given for nearly any job. If it's your only reason you want to take this particular job, it tells me you have zero passion for your work. The people I know who are like this are what I'd describe as "9-5" employees, don't learn anything outside of work, and basically do the bare minimum at everything. I want to work with someone that's at least somewhat excited about the job they're going to be doing, and bring some energy, new ideas and actually care about doing a good job. It's the difference between a day labourer and a craftsman. > Where do you see yourself in 5 years? (probably not at this company) So? That's fine. Is anyone hiring with the expectation or even desire their employees stay for 5 years? There are many good ways to answer this, but it's definitely not "doing the same thing as today, with the same technology stack, tools and level of knowledge". > What is your biggest weakness? (not like I would actually tell a stranger a real answer) This is kind of a crappy interview question, but there are decent ways to answer it [1]. They are not asking for your deep, personal failings, but for your weaknesses as they apply to the job at hand. [1] https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/66620/which-own-weaknesses-are-ok-to-state-during-job-interview-if-demanded-to-say-s https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/66620/which-ow...
• teknologist 9y ago
  Except in countries where it's required to hand over past salary information (pay slips and tax receipts) to HR at your new employer. Then it's clear you've been telling a lie.
• krenden9 9y ago
  I totally lie any time a recruiter asks for my current/past salary. How much I lie depends on what I think I should be getting for the role, and how likely it is that they can and will confirm the numbers I gave. At my most recent past job, I was working for some guys at a small startup for next to nothing in salary (~$40k). I had a 10% stake in equity, but it was worth nothing, since the company was in debt. When I left I told the CEO and CTO "Can you say I made $160k salary?" Response - "Sure!" Next job was a $120k salary raise, + bonus, and I was able to work in RSUs. At my current company, if I plan to leave, I'll fib by adding in my bonus % into base salary. I can't get away with much since I'm at a large corporation now. If they check and find a discrepancy I can blame it on a simple error. With fibs, you can get a decent bump. But if you have complicit conspirators, then the sky's the limit. Something I would not suggest is giving the number of a friend who will pose as HR/a past employer. This is pretty risky if you aren't attentive to detail.
  • mi100hael 9y ago
    There is 0 chance any past employer is going to divulge compensation details of a former employee to some random jackass recruiter that comes calling.
    • krenden9 9y ago
      That depends. Larger corporations tend to avoid asking things other than "Did John Doe work here as title Z from date X to date Y?" However, many smaller companies aren't legally savvy and will divulge too much information, if the other side asks questions they probably shouldn't be.
      • _jal 9y ago
        This. I've mainly worked for small companies, and have had two situations where way more than was appropriate (or, you know, legal) divulged. Neither caused me problems, but I made a point of getting back to @last_employers to point out that the next person they do that to might actually sue them.
    • 9y ago
• komali2 9y ago
  Most of us on here are trained and work in disciplines that allow us the luxury of saying to every potential employer "nah, I don't give my number, sorry," and simply moving on to the next one out of a thousand potential opportunities. This, I think, is going to be very good for the classes of people that don't have that luxury.
• eanzenberg 9y ago
  Not sure what the big deal with this is! Whatever the recruiter wants to think, you are offering what it would take to make the move over. It's not like if they offered less that you would just as likely make the move. You are saving both parties times which is positive overall.
• sqeaky 9y ago
  I find it interesting that you find it OK to lie in sales situation. I'll not be doing business with you. Just as I don't with the skeezy used car salesmen you seek to emulate.
• pc86 9y ago
  You don't need to be a shit person to get a good deal (and yes, lying to someone in hopes of getting money generally makes you a shit person, even if that person happens to be a recruiter). If someone asks what your salary is, just say you don't disclose it. Tell them what you want your salary at this job to be. That's all they're trying to figure out, anyway. That question (usually) isn't asked because they actually want to know what you used to make. It's asked because they want to know what number they can offer you that will make it likely you take the job. If you make $80k and are applying for a job where their range is $120-140, saying "I don't disclose previous salary but for this position I won't take anything less than $135" you will very likely get it provided you merit being in the top portion of their range.
• w0rd-driven 9y ago
  The immediate information I found when doing that was that background checks, which almost always happen at least in Georgia, disclose the exact amount. I would rather just be honest and say I've been making below market rate and I'm looking for that to change. I feel asking my current salary is a tell whereas asking my expected compensation treats it more as it should be, a negotiation. Being asked both my current rate and expected doesn't sting as much because I feel they understand the realities of the situation but at the same time I still feel like I don't have as much bargaining power. I know I don't have much on my own merits coming in but even having the illusion helps tremendously for someone like me.