4 ms·

I always like to think of what the reaction would be if you asked in reverse and use that as a guide e.g. what's the salary history for the company employees c

I always like to think of what the reaction would be if you asked in reverse and use that as a guide e.g. what's the salary history for the company employees currently in the role you're applying for? Pretty sure you wouldn't get an answer so why should you feel bad for not answering? I hate these back-and-forths too where both sides know the game being played but have to be coy about it for no good reason. I'd prefer to just say you're not prepared to share that information and if they pushed be upfront that everyone knows in salary negotiation you shouldn't share this and it's irrelevant if you happened to be underpaid before.

chris11 6y ago
California now requires that companies reveal the salary range if asked.
- black_puppydog 6y ago
  This is pretty great! I always thought that individuals, being, well... individuals, have a systemic disadvantage in these situations and that that should change. Good on CA for trying this, let's hope it works out. :)
  - dfxm12 6y ago
    Yeah, if any of my friends in my field or colleagues ask me what I'm making, I have no problems telling them to help with this system disadvantage. We should normalize being OK with telling our colleagues what we make. Our HR dept. might tell us it is private, but that's only to help the employer keep the information edge in negotiations.
    - black_puppydog 6y ago
      > Our HR dept. might tell us it is private And a hefty fine for doing just that was the best I could come up with. Glad someone else had a better idea that works in a less confrontational way. When I ask a prospective employer for a range and they don't simply answer frankly, I know to walk away before landing myself in a toxic environment. Of course, that assumes the privilege of being able to walk away...
    - biztos 6y ago
      It has been my experience that people from some countries share compensation info with their peers from the same country, and people from some other countries don’t share it at all. And some are in the middle: tell friends, don’t tell coworkers. Seems like the first set of countries should have a negotiating advantage. Not sure if it does but it ought to. So, I think that norm already exists, but not among all groups.
- eli 6y ago
  And it's illegal in California to seek a candidate's salary history or use it to determine their pay.
  - wlesieutre 6y ago
    Connecticut as well, at least for asking you or getting your salary history from a 3rd party. Not sure that our law addresses using it to determine pay if you volunteer the info yourself.
- cushychicken 6y ago
  I wonder if that's true in MA as well. I know they passed a similar ban on asking salary history.
- neuronexmachina 6y ago
  Do you have a source for that? I'd actually never heard this before and my google-fu is poor today.
  - 6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
    > Assembly Bill 168 prohibits California employers from asking about an applicant’s prior salary. If an applicant asks, employers are also required to provide a pay range for the job. [0] Google-fu tip: I just submitted that user's full comment to google, and this was the top result. It works frequently. The bill's relevant text [1]: > (c) An employer, upon reasonable request, shall provide the pay scale for a position to an applicant applying for employment. [0] https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/labor/discrimination/salary-history/#:~:text=Assembly%20Bill%20168%20prohibits%20California,gender%20wage%20gap%20in%20California https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/labor/discrimination/salary-his.... [1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB168 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtm...
- SaberTail 6y ago
  Good luck getting an answer, though. "The job posting actually covers a number of internal positions with different salary ranges" is usually what I hear when I try asking.
  - sjg007 6y ago
    I guess respond with "Ok, can you email all of the specific positions and ranges?"
chowned 6y ago
It's because nobody in the industry wants to acknowledge that there's a power imbalance. You really might need a job, but guess what? Your interviewer already has one.
- rzzzt 6y ago
  Perhaps the interviewer could invert a binary tree on the whiteboard, once you are done with your brain teaser?
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > You really might need a job, but guess what? Your interviewer already has one. Supposedly, or at least so I keep hearing, there is a talent shortage (justifying things like H-1B). If that's the case, the power imbalance between employer and potential employee ought to run the other direction (the interviewer is irrelevant, as they are merely an agent of the employer.)
  - jtsiskin 6y ago
    Yes, in the tech industry there is a power imbalance - but in the favor of the employee!
WrtCdEvrydy 6y ago
> what's the salary history for the company employees currently in the role you're applying for? This would probably cause someone's head to explode.
tstrimple 6y ago
I actually asked for and received the salary midpoint for a promotion I was offered before deciding to accept. HR, in most cases, should be willing to share salary ranges for positions.

chris11 6y ago

California now requires that companies reveal the salary range if asked.

black_puppydog 6y ago
This is pretty great! I always thought that individuals, being, well... individuals, have a systemic disadvantage in these situations and that that should change. Good on CA for trying this, let's hope it works out. :)
- dfxm12 6y ago
  Yeah, if any of my friends in my field or colleagues ask me what I'm making, I have no problems telling them to help with this system disadvantage. We should normalize being OK with telling our colleagues what we make. Our HR dept. might tell us it is private, but that's only to help the employer keep the information edge in negotiations.
  - black_puppydog 6y ago
    > Our HR dept. might tell us it is private And a hefty fine for doing just that was the best I could come up with. Glad someone else had a better idea that works in a less confrontational way. When I ask a prospective employer for a range and they don't simply answer frankly, I know to walk away before landing myself in a toxic environment. Of course, that assumes the privilege of being able to walk away...
  - biztos 6y ago
    It has been my experience that people from some countries share compensation info with their peers from the same country, and people from some other countries don’t share it at all. And some are in the middle: tell friends, don’t tell coworkers. Seems like the first set of countries should have a negotiating advantage. Not sure if it does but it ought to. So, I think that norm already exists, but not among all groups.
eli 6y ago
And it's illegal in California to seek a candidate's salary history or use it to determine their pay.
- wlesieutre 6y ago
  Connecticut as well, at least for asking you or getting your salary history from a 3rd party. Not sure that our law addresses using it to determine pay if you volunteer the info yourself.
cushychicken 6y ago
I wonder if that's true in MA as well. I know they passed a similar ban on asking salary history.
neuronexmachina 6y ago
Do you have a source for that? I'd actually never heard this before and my google-fu is poor today.
- 6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
  > Assembly Bill 168 prohibits California employers from asking about an applicant’s prior salary. If an applicant asks, employers are also required to provide a pay range for the job. [0] Google-fu tip: I just submitted that user's full comment to google, and this was the top result. It works frequently. The bill's relevant text [1]: > (c) An employer, upon reasonable request, shall provide the pay scale for a position to an applicant applying for employment. [0] https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/labor/discrimination/salary-history/#:~:text=Assembly%20Bill%20168%20prohibits%20California,gender%20wage%20gap%20in%20California https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/labor/discrimination/salary-his.... [1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB168 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtm...
SaberTail 6y ago
Good luck getting an answer, though. "The job posting actually covers a number of internal positions with different salary ranges" is usually what I hear when I try asking.
- sjg007 6y ago
  I guess respond with "Ok, can you email all of the specific positions and ranges?"

chowned 6y ago

It's because nobody in the industry wants to acknowledge that there's a power imbalance. You really might need a job, but guess what? Your interviewer already has one.

rzzzt 6y ago
Perhaps the interviewer could invert a binary tree on the whiteboard, once you are done with your brain teaser?
dragonwriter 6y ago
> You really might need a job, but guess what? Your interviewer already has one. Supposedly, or at least so I keep hearing, there is a talent shortage (justifying things like H-1B). If that's the case, the power imbalance between employer and potential employee ought to run the other direction (the interviewer is irrelevant, as they are merely an agent of the employer.)
- jtsiskin 6y ago
  Yes, in the tech industry there is a power imbalance - but in the favor of the employee!

WrtCdEvrydy 6y ago

> what's the salary history for the company employees currently in the role you're applying for? This would probably cause someone's head to explode.

tstrimple 6y ago

I actually asked for and received the salary midpoint for a promotion I was offered before deciding to accept. HR, in most cases, should be willing to share salary ranges for positions.