5 ms·

I always tell recruiters that my current salary is irrelevant. What's relevant is what I want my compensation to be in my next job, and I give them that number.

I always tell recruiters that my current salary is irrelevant. What's relevant is what I want my compensation to be in my next job, and I give them that number. Same thing when I interview: if the company insists on knowing my current salary (bit of a red flag already), I lie and I tell them what I expect them to pay me if they hire me. In the unlikely scenario they will find that I lied (my current employer should certainly not disclose that information to them), no big deal walking away, they were most likely going to underpay me anyway.

tokenadult 11y ago
(my current employer should certainly not disclose that information to them) I agree with the overall message of your comment. Just for people looking on, I should make clear that most jurisdictions do not have ANY law that would ban a company from disclosing truthful, public information about a former employee, and it would be hard to make a case that disclosing a former employee's salary (which arguably is not "public" information for most business corporations) is in any way illegal. A company may or may disclose that, depending on its own policies. (Most companies don't disclose very much besides dates of employment, but you can't count on that as a matter of law.)
- walshemj 11y ago
  In the USA in the EU I would argue that pay is personal information within the meaning of the DPA (Data Protection Act)
  - dawson 11y ago
    It's not considered PI by the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office)
    - walshemj 11y ago
      Well this is't this place to have that debate :-) Though the current ICO should be fired (over the employment blacklisting issue) which if Ed gets it on the 8th I might try and do something about. Having said that the DPA is prayed in aid by some many organisations when they don't want to do something that your not got to get called on it.
      - dawson 11y ago
        :)
- saywhst 11y ago
  My former company (US based) HR department told me that they will confirm a salary $ number with a yes/no if asked. I told them I did not want this to happen, but they stated it is their policy to confirm.
scarface74 11y ago
I do both. My last time leaving a job I told external recruiters both what I was making and I would not field interviews for less than X+$21,500. Between all of the recruiters I worked with, I had 10 phone interviews with companies and a job offer within 2 weeks. I declined 5 or 6 in person interviews.
- yitchelle 11y ago
  That is the key. You mentioned your threshold to even considering an interview. Setting expectations..
frostmatthew 11y ago
> my current employer should certainly not disclose that information to them The laws on this vary by state[1] and are sometimes broad (e.g. Connecticut allows truthful statement of any facts) but looks like about 20% explicitly allow disclosure of pay. [1] http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter9-6.html http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-r...
- Too 11y ago
  I don't think laws are relevant to this conversation because the conversation will never take place to begin with. Image you get this phone call as a boss: "Hi, we are about to steal one of your employees from you guys, i just want to check if the salary he presented to us is the same as you actually pay him". Because 1. As a job searcher you always use your previous previous job as reference and 2. No potential recruiter would be stupid enough to call up the current employer. I wouldn't be surprised if this actually happen though.
  - eric_h 11y ago
    What's amazing to me is how often I get recruiting emails to my current work email.
    - skorgu 11y ago
      I take a fair amount of pleasure in banning the domains of anyone who tries to recruit me at my company email
  - frostmatthew 11y ago
    > As a job searcher you always use your previous previous job as reference Not every job search is done without the knowledge of the current employer. Just a few examples of when that may not be true: * moving across the country because of a spouse's relocation * contract employee approaching the end of the contract period * full-timer looking to switch to part-time * switching careers * volunteering for an "early retirement" deal at a company that's downsizing * difficult to replace role (e.g. it's not uncommon for CEOs of large companies to announce their intention to leave a year or more out) I do agree that recruiters (or anyone) should never contact your current employer without your permission but it's incorrect to assume all job searches are carried out surreptitiously.

tokenadult 11y ago

(my current employer should certainly not disclose that information to them) I agree with the overall message of your comment. Just for people looking on, I should make clear that most jurisdictions do not have ANY law that would ban a company from disclosing truthful, public information about a former employee, and it would be hard to make a case that disclosing a former employee's salary (which arguably is not "public" information for most business corporations) is in any way illegal. A company may or may disclose that, depending on its own policies. (Most companies don't disclose very much besides dates of employment, but you can't count on that as a matter of law.)

walshemj 11y ago
In the USA in the EU I would argue that pay is personal information within the meaning of the DPA (Data Protection Act)
- dawson 11y ago
  It's not considered PI by the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office)
  - walshemj 11y ago
    Well this is't this place to have that debate :-) Though the current ICO should be fired (over the employment blacklisting issue) which if Ed gets it on the 8th I might try and do something about. Having said that the DPA is prayed in aid by some many organisations when they don't want to do something that your not got to get called on it.
    - dawson 11y ago
      :)
saywhst 11y ago
My former company (US based) HR department told me that they will confirm a salary $ number with a yes/no if asked. I told them I did not want this to happen, but they stated it is their policy to confirm.

scarface74 11y ago

I do both. My last time leaving a job I told external recruiters both what I was making and I would not field interviews for less than X+$21,500. Between all of the recruiters I worked with, I had 10 phone interviews with companies and a job offer within 2 weeks. I declined 5 or 6 in person interviews.

yitchelle 11y ago
That is the key. You mentioned your threshold to even considering an interview. Setting expectations..

frostmatthew 11y ago

> my current employer should certainly not disclose that information to them The laws on this vary by state[1] and are sometimes broad (e.g. Connecticut allows truthful statement of any facts) but looks like about 20% explicitly allow disclosure of pay. [1] http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter9-6.html http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-r...

Too 11y ago
I don't think laws are relevant to this conversation because the conversation will never take place to begin with. Image you get this phone call as a boss: "Hi, we are about to steal one of your employees from you guys, i just want to check if the salary he presented to us is the same as you actually pay him". Because 1. As a job searcher you always use your previous previous job as reference and 2. No potential recruiter would be stupid enough to call up the current employer. I wouldn't be surprised if this actually happen though.
- eric_h 11y ago
  What's amazing to me is how often I get recruiting emails to my current work email.
  - skorgu 11y ago
    I take a fair amount of pleasure in banning the domains of anyone who tries to recruit me at my company email
- frostmatthew 11y ago
  > As a job searcher you always use your previous previous job as reference Not every job search is done without the knowledge of the current employer. Just a few examples of when that may not be true: * moving across the country because of a spouse's relocation * contract employee approaching the end of the contract period * full-timer looking to switch to part-time * switching careers * volunteering for an "early retirement" deal at a company that's downsizing * difficult to replace role (e.g. it's not uncommon for CEOs of large companies to announce their intention to leave a year or more out) I do agree that recruiters (or anyone) should never contact your current employer without your permission but it's incorrect to assume all job searches are carried out surreptitiously.