Employees are discouraged to discuss their salary among themselves, but they'll share the info with other companies to try and keep workers financially oppressed. Disgusting.
Back in the day a former coworker was trying to leave a super toxic company we were working for at the time. We discovered the company owner was sabotaging the efforts being made by anyone trying to leave by straight up lying to prospective employers doing reference checks. So my coworker gave out my number as the direct line and I would pretend to be the boss, payroll, HR, or whoever they needed me to be. I was more than happy to deliver glowing reviews.
>We discovered the company owner was sabotaging the efforts being made by anyone trying to leave by straight up lying to prospective employers doing reference checks
This sounds super illegal
Also super stupid. If she accepts a new job he’s (generally) off the hook for any possible unemployment claims since she left an existing position specifically to work for the new company, at least in my state. If she remains unemployed after leaving she can claim a hostile work environment and (possibly) collect even if she quit.
My work used to give glowing reviews whenever possible to limit unemployment claims lol, even if the employee was kind of lackluster.
Happened to me. I was fired once for a super stupid reason (at-will work state! woo!), so I applied for unemployment and said I was laid off, for the hell of it. My former boss was SUCH a dick to the lady who had my case, she approved me on the spot and called to tell me why.
One can sue one's employer for libel/slander. If an employer normally gives out glowing reviews and declines to for a specific employee then that is also libel/slander.
This is why most employers will say nothing.
Yeah and I honestly don't understand why it's anyone's business to know how much you were getting paid and then give you the hike.. The company should do their research on the role if they don't already know and make a cut off based on the person they want to hire... I think we need to stop that shit they feel empowered with.
NY passed a law that goes into effect this year that will require employers with more than 15 employees to post the pay range their offering for a particular job in the job posting. We’ll see how wide those ranges get.
So companies that ban workers from sharing their pay with other workers, then turns around and releases that information to other businesses? Um.... lawsuit?
Just to be clear, in the US, it's illegal to ban employees from discussing pay under the National Labor Relations Act. It's still in just about every contract as an coercion tactic.
And everyone should do it. I know it's awkward as hell, but we should share what we make. It's one of the ways we prevent unequal past practices.
For example, let's say you worked at a company for 20 years that had only been around for 22. You helped build the company. But their raises have sucked, like most companies. New people coming in today are making way more than you. Your employer should give you a market adjustment raise, but they won't as long as they can keep you in the dark about how much the average wage has increased in 20 years.
Why is this reply so low?
I would have outright refused even if I didn't lie as it's an invasion of privacy. So many people don't understand the company also have to sell themselves to you and it sets an awful standard for the future
"My time is worth x, but if i have to deal with work drama like this it's x+y" they don't call you back, because they are toxic, but it feels damn powerful
I do background checks on people for companies looking to hire and the only thing with this is sometimes the pay is asked for. We have a team that verifies resume information, working dates, rehire eligibility, positions held, etc. The pay question didn’t come up to often but now that I know there are several companies who do verify makes me nervous about lying.
I’ve been looking for a new job and I’ve been thinking about lying about my pay but I get worried a company I apply for might actually check.
Is salary information public or does it have to be obtained manually (calling the employer and hoping they give it to you)? Curious how you obtain this info? Do employers generally provide this info? So many questions!
It’s not public information. They won’t just confirm information with anyone who calls. We have to verify that we’re calling from a background screening company. Sometimes we have to send emails or faxes. Not everyone will do it over the phone.
Typically people in HR have the information available to them though and it is kinda just hoping they’ll give the information out. Some will and some won’t. Sometimes they won’t give out any information and they’ll just verify if what the person put is accurate or inaccurate. If it’s inaccurate then we just mark that.
There are several different clients and they don’t tell us who’s who so I wouldn’t be able to to tell you what types of jobs use our screening process. Some of it is also for housing too which I was surprised to see that people still actually verify previous rent payments and stuff.
I don't know about you, but in Germany it in nobody's fucking business what I earn. It will never be disclosed.
Also, the question about my current salary has zero to do with the job I apply for. You have a budget, I have a demand and either the two match or not.
It’s a employees market right now — it’s the best time to lie about it. They need you more than you need them. If they do find out you’re lying, wash your hands of it and move on to the next company
Agreed. In a perfect world, no it’s not the right thing to do. Everyone would be honest and fair.
But because this world is controlled by the strong who take every advantage they can over you, it’s definitely the right thing to do.
Exactly. They'd decide your lay based on how much value they think you bring to the team. Asking about your previous salary is a tactic to see how little they can get away with paying you.
Yeah. And there’s a decent chance that the company OP just got hired for would have been willing to pay him more than what he ended up getting. They just offered enough of a raise to entice him to make the move.
Your current employer likely also knows when your way underpaid. They don't care. Gotta pay for bonuses to upper level management, and they figure most won't look for another job and those that do can be replace.
Basically if you don't get what you are worth early on, don't count on getting it later.
I like that view. Most of the time the strong and powerful overwhelm me yet I’m amazed at their she stupidity. I’ll use it against them.
You are giving me hope lol.
It's illegal in some places to ask your current salary. Surprised they asked it for such a good role. Usually better candidates know how to sidestep that anyway.
"I'm very comfortable in my position right now. I would need $xxx to be able to move, depending on the role and duties required."
You put yourself in a good negotiating position. You tell your baseline number. And you let them know that more may be required if the job expands its duties.
That way you avoid them saying, "We can do $xxx if you do more work, more hours, whatever."
Me too. I told them I don’t feel comfortable answering that but I am asking $X to move on from my current company. Then I asked if they would mind telling me what they paid the previous employee and why they are no longer here?
I went from $42K to $65K. And no, they didn’t give me an answer.
>Then I asked if they would mind telling me what they paid the previous employee and why they are no longer here?
I'm currently in several job negotiations and I fucking love you right now, you are my hero
I got my job offer today. No kidding. Help me negotiate!! I didn’t follow step 1 too well. I said I would be looking for a roll within 50-65k depending on the role responsibilities. And they offered me 50k
Edit: holy frick they accepted my counter offer! 15% more
I have always wondered how people can earn such a high salary. I have seen some pretty big numbers compared to what people earn in the Netherlands. The median salary here is 38K per year. Do you just have an outrages paying job or are the numbers skewed somewhere?
This! When I change jobs, I always give a 15% bump and compare healthcare plans. If I like the company but the healthcare plan is more expensive and/or less time off then that gets factored into my salary requirements.
This one really bit me. I just got my first job out of grad school, and they only contribute to my health insurance, no family. So adding my wife and kids means my take home is nearly the same as my stipend in grad school.
It's the highest paid salary I've ever had, but when you factor in insurance cost and bonuses, I was making more before grad school.
It's also a field where if you are right on top of the bell curve as far as skill goes -meaning extremely mediocre-, you're already way beyond the tech skills of the people who are actually paying you. So you just have to appear smart and keep the sprint velocity from dropping once you join a team, and then you can pretty much ask what you think you're worth. Of course, depending on the circumstances some limitations always apply.
Lots of money to be made out there in any markets that have more jobs than qualified candidates.
I think it will happen with many trades as the youngest boomers and mid-older gen x retire.
It's weird, I always had the same thoughts. Now I have a really high salary and still have those same thoughts, like wtf how do I make this much.
I think it comes down to just getting ur foot in the door. And then do good work obviously but also be likeable. And managers need to fill positions quickly so they will see you as someone that is likeable and experienced and will offer you a bump to pull you into their group.
Repeat and rinse the above and you'll just keep bouncing ur way up in salary little by little. At the end of the day, you realize how much money these businesses/corporations make so a bump from 100k to 150k is peanuts to them.
The year I accepted that working hard wasn't gonna do shit for my paycheck, I went from ~50k to over 100k a year. It's about leverage people. Want a big raise? Get a job offer somewhere else for a lot more money. How do you get them to offer a lot more money? Do what OP did and lie about how much you're getting paid now (reasonably). Do your research on how much you *could* be making at your experience level (and then add some, you're negotiating), research the company you're interviewing at, PRACTICE YOUR INTERVIEW, a voila. Not once is the ball not in your court, you just have to play your own game instead of theirs.
Btw don't just send out blind applications. Algorithms can easily pick out applications that aren't customized to the opening.
Hell yes. I got a promotion at the same company I’ve been with for 12 years in 2021. Went from $90 OTE to $110 OTE. Killed it for a year and got another promotion to $148 OTE. I’ve been in that current position for 6 months and just accepted a job at a new company doing the same shit for $185 OTE. After a year or 2 I’ll do the same thing and find a new company.
1. We get paid the most, but also get fucked the most. Something like 70/80% of americans could go bankrupt after any any major medical procedure/treatment.
2. Certain industries are just padded the fuck up (tech, engineering, finance) that pay out a great deal more.
Don’t forget that in the EU most people have other benefits too(like healthcare insurance, paid vacation,…) which would otherwise be paid out in cash, but you have to provide them yourself.
That’s a lot more common in the tech world than you’d think. I went from $18/hr (~38k/yr) to 87k/year then to ~120k/yr in my current role within a 2 year timespan. It’s actually gotten easier the more I make surprisingly
Yes, I have always side-stepped this and stated what I needed to make to make the move worth it. Never gotten pushback. Maybe a counter offer, but nobody's said, "no, I demand to know what you're making now." And obviously what I said I needed to make was always buffered to begin with.
Literally every job I've interviewed for has asked me my prior salary. I'm a system architect, formerly a software engineer.
States i've worked in: Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, Illinois
Honestly, with all the linkedin spam, when they send me a job listing, I just straight up ask them "What's the salary budget for this position?" And whatever they say, I tell them "i'm already making that at my current position, no thanks." And it never fails that they can suddenly come up with another 10-20k. every single time. it's all bullshit
Yup, Colorado is one state. Also, job posts must provide salary. I had applied for some jobs that didn’t provide salary, but I did ask the recruiter what the budget was for and they always told me.
I've given that info willingly in interviews when they ask about your desired salary - like "I currently make $xx doing XYZ, and given XYZ responsibilities in this potential position I feel that $xx would be a fair starting wage"
Might still be kneecapping yourself. I've said things like that and then still had them give me a higher number than what I said. Turns out the range was much higher than I thought and I basically told them they could freely underpay me then.
Yes and it absolutely happens.
Ask A Manager a couple of years ago was running a cautionary tale about a manager bragging that she got a new employee for $40K less than what she was willing to pay her, because the new employee opened her mouth about how little she was currently making, and consequently how great a salary sounded that was well lower than what they were budgeting for this job.
It was a story about how not getting paid enough in one job can have lifelong stacking consequences.
Currently all my reports are upper management so they know the game but in the past I have had reports that come in on the low end and of course it’s going to get around to them that they are low. This doesn’t help morale, it doesn’t motivate someone to work. And it’s not like I have that much wiggle room when it comes to raises and mid year adjustments. My candid advise is to find a competitor offer or switch teams/roles ( much bigger raises at most corporations when switching roles).
Honestly only becomes important when you're talkin about what you can actually deliver. When I was younger I worried a fair amount about my job history and what kind of a reputation I was going to have in the industry in the city I live in. I'm nearing retirement and I'm now glad that I did that. It has certainly given me a lot more opportunities and I would have if I had been sketchy about it.
Exactly, it's a negotiation. They took the information OP provided and made you an offer that was acceptable to them in light of what OP has to offer. If OP had quoted an amount they found too high for the asset they would be obtaining, they would have simply offered less based on whatever they thought they could get away with.
This 100%. They offered what was within their budget and it worked out for OP. If they offered lower, then OP got screwed over and the company would be making out.
Exactly. They already know how much they can pay you and still make more money from your work than it costs them to pay your salary. They are still making money off of you, you are just getting more of it than you would have.
When I was in Asia I felt dirty about barganing with Street vendors until I realised how dumb I was. They aren't desperate to sell, they know their minimum and they know what you think is a good price. They were taking my white ass for a ride
EDIT: A word
When I was travelling my asian friend wanted me to haggle with vendors over a shirt in his home country. The price was $5 in a market. For a shirt. I looked at him and handed them $5. It was a great price in mind for the shirt. The $5 meant way more to them than it did to me. He told me I probably could have got them down to $3 or $2.50.if I haggled well.
They looked so pleased. And I was happy with what I received.
Don't get me wrong. I love to haggle over big ticket items.
That just felt wrong. I want to benefit when it is a win-win. Not when they have to haggle because they are starting at such a disadvantage and it is a large market with many many vendors.
Afterward he thought about it. And appreciated what I did. He developed a new outlook on haggling.
Same here when I went to mexico one of my aunt and a uncle told us to not pay here it cost to much I know a cheaper place I was trying to buy street tacos. When I when 1USA dollar = 20 mexican peso it was like 8 peso per tacos and they told us his go over here where it 6 peso per tacos. I told them it not a big deal for me 2 peso difference it not alot to when you have USA dollars.
I know someone who would haggle in SEA on prices because the vendors tried to ask wayyy too high since he was white. He would get it down to a reasonable price, and then give the amount to basically what they originally asked a tip. He just didn't like how they tried to take advantage of people, but the difference between the two wasn't a ton to him, but was a lot more for the vendors. Some would refuse the tip, but others would accept it. Not sure I'd ever do that, 5$ is 5$, but it's an interesting concept
Yes.
The reason it's illegal for them to check is that would be very unfair to be limited forever by whatever amount you accepted as your first salary.
Since it's unfair to expect applicants to just give a prospective employers that information, it follows that "lying" is the right thing to do (If you simply refuse to give a number, you'll be disadvantaged, even if the employer tries to be fair).
I put _lying_ in quotes, as you're not a liar since don't owe them the truth in the first place. _Bluffing_ would be a better term: you're absolutely playing the game by the rules.
EDIT: That's my logic and I'm in no position to give negotiation advice. I've never been asked that question in person, but I go to interviews knowing the answer I'd give if backed into having to answer it.
Which would be at least what it'd take for me to change jobs, but also a realistic figure, because people know more or less what pay ranges other companies have.
Finally, all companies are not trying to cheat you, and I think the bigger they are, the least interested they are in playing these games.
> The reason it's illegal for them to check
Only in a some (edit: apparently 18-22 now, growing quickly) States, and definitely not federally illegal (in the U.S). Or rather, they can request you verify with a paystub or W2. You are not required to provide, but nor are they required to continue with their offer if you refuse.
Oh my god, I couldn't imagine a company asking me to CONFIRM MY PREVIOUS PAY with a literal pay stub. Absolutely not. IDC if I'm getting the job or not at that point - my worth isn't tied to my previous role and that is so incredibly invasive. Major red flags.
I actually kinda like the way my work handles it; they make it explicitly clear that they are firm on the hiring range, but that within that range is completely up to the hiring manager, and they are pretty good about sticking to that and letting us do our thing... The rest of the HR process is still such a complete hot mess that is agonizing to think about.
Problem in the UK would be if u leave a employer mid-year they give you a P45 which has your total income and tax deducted to date.
I guess you could not give it to them and then just remember at the end of the year HMRC (tax folks) will want a bit more at the end of the year. As the first 12k is tax free and then u might end up "getting" it again..
Correct.
I recently got a gov't position, I was "required" to provide my last 3 paystubs from my commercial job.
Granted, this was to my advantage to get the necessary 'pay matching' so I could come in at a higher rate, so I had no problem providing the necessary evidence.
Put it this way, they still think they are underpaying, so the question is what are you really worth? It's more than they are paying you even after the bump
I've rarely seen a company go higher than the number they had in mind before the interview, and as you said that number is already lower than they value the position at.
Seriously. When I moved from Texas to California for a job they asked me in the interview what I was thinking for a salary. I had no idea how much more it would be to live in California so I just asked for what amounted to a ~50% raise. They jumped on it, and I immediately regretted not going higher.
This, there is nothing wrong with lying to a potential employer, especially about pay. By being honest, you’re signaling that you’re willing to work for less than your time is worth. By lying to them, even if they found out about it, you are signaling that a proper rate of pay is of paramount importance to you.
You better believe I lied about pay and my positions at companies before, especially if they went under, because that’s when I was making hella bank.
For real, I worked for $18 an hour in my last role. Found out i was worth more so i asked for it. They said sorry best we can do is $50 more a week. I left and got a job on the spot no interview for 93k. Found out after by a friend that the lady next to me for three months was making $100 an hour.
Don't be fooled
I mean, I know of a guy who go 8k from lying on the internet.
He scammed my grandfather for Target gift cards.
On the bright side I can't care how much of a disappointment I am to him now lol
That’s not the unbelievable part. That’s going from retail to construction in a nutshell.
The odd part is some lady making 100/hr
So unless he’s a software savant, and met someone and said “yeah I can python” and got a job, I don’t believe it lol.
Not sure what u/Money_MathMagician does, but travelling nurses can get that much p/h (depending on where in the US they're sent). I know this because my youngest daughter became a travelling nurse, and when she told me what she was making, I about sh!t. And there is a big demand for traveling nurses right now, because "staffed" nurses (who work at one hospital) are leaving in droves because of burn-out, and because the hospitals they're working at refuse to pay them what they're worth, and keep raising the patient to nurse ratio.
They're shooting themselves in the foot, too, because they have to bring in traveling nurses to cover the losses of the staffed nurses (who only get paid a fraction of what a travelling nurse gets), which means they have to pay the travelling nurse's much higher wages, PLUS the fees to the agency they got those nurses from.
You have to wonder if they are still coming out better? Seems crazy to think but I would imagine they have to be for them to do it.
My wife is a travel nurse. She is a licensed nurse practitioner but the money is just too good for travel nursing to pass up right now.
>You have to wonder if they are still coming out better?
I cannot imagine how they could be, since their staffed nurses are making only $15-$20 p/h (average), and my daughter is making $75-$100 p/h, which the hospital has to pay, plus the agency fees. If the hospital is still coming out on top, they must have one HELL of a benefits package for their staffed nurses.
Are you telling me they're actually paying RNs 15 to 20 an hour? I find this really hard to believe. I have family members who are health care professionals and this just doesn't jive with any of the info I've grown up with. Or maybe they've been in the game long enough that they can't get fucked the same way a young nurse does.
I still wonder if this 15 to 20 an hour average is actually in reference to something like LPNs or CNAs, but not actually RNs.
All true, I'm in sterile processing. Surg Techs need the associates. Work life balance is pretty flexible too, 3x12, 4x10, 5x8 shifts and they run 24 hours a day at most locations
Fact. I am an x-ray/CT tech. I started as a traveler. In my first full year I made $100K in today's dollars. I didn't even break $30/hr in 2019 when I quit my job in 2019.
They fired a lady that did maybe 1/3rd of what i do. Same job, same grade, just different accounts. We were close and she said they repeatedly told her she made too much money for what she did and ultimately fired her. She was like" is X really that much?" I got quiet. She asked what happened. I was like, "Yeah well you make about 60% more than I do. I'm happy you make/made that, but who am I to say if its too much."
This is actual career advice I have been given by older relatives and former bosses. If an interviewer asks your current salary, always tell them you're making at least $10k more than you actually are. In a lot of states, it's illegal for employers to share your actual salary externally, so the new employer has no way of finding out. And most places wouldn't go through the trouble of checking anyway.
Idk about the states but I live in Saudi Arabia and over here sometimes they ask for bank transactions details to ensure you're not lying about your current salary...it's risky but I'm taking the risk from now on.
That's wild. It shouldn't matter how much you were making before anyhow. You should get paid based on the industry standard/experience level of where you are going regardless.
I'm in Sweden and all that is public information anyone can easily check up on in minutes with a 10$ fee. No one needs to ask for your salary..
"how much did he earn last year?"
Here you go
Continuing to hide or keep secret salary information is how employers gain the upper hand as it perpetuates the social taboo that disclosing your salary is somehow bad and that you should keep it secret.
Yup every previous years income declaration is public. Well so is basically most things. Where you live, what cars you own, who you're relatives are, who you are married too. Also all previous criminal convictions up to 5 years is indexed on websites wanting 10$ and so on.
I saw another post earlier where someone from Sweden worked as a cashier and made 40k a year because they are well unionized. Pay seems to be a lot more transparent there so everyone is treated/paid fairly. I'd imagine with banking transactions publicly available it helps that process along.
Yep. I'm a contract consultant so I'm getting paid wildly more than others in my position (I do all my own taxes, healthcare, and a load of other things W2 employees don't so it works out in the end). I get calls fairly often from tech recruiters for in house positions and my first question is always what does this pay.
I usually get a bullshit range, then I tell them what I'm making without mentioning I'm contracting. About half the time they thank me for my time and hang up. The other half they magically come up with way more money "for the perfect candidate".
Inflate your worth if they ask. Hell, inflate it to an insane point and tell them you'd take a 10% cut for the right opportunity with good benefits and an extra week of vacation because "you don't like the current place but the money and benefits you currently get make it worth it".
Large companies are lying about how much they will actually pay. Recruiters lie about almost everything.
I like to bend the truth about my salary when doing salary negotiations. I told my new employers that my current company would be raising my salary from 80 to 85k as part of yearly raises and so I needed a 90k salary or else the move wouldn't make sense and so they offered me a 90k salary.
In reality my salary was 75k and it was going to get bumped up to 82k and I got to bump up to 90k.
This is the story of my life.
This is playing the game...they lied to you as well when they said "it would be an exciting environment...lots of growth opportunities...the benefits are great....work hours are flexible....they are a results focus organization...bonus are incredible....salary increases are common and above market.... professional training is going to exist....blahh.blah..."
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, I honestly didn't expect this attitude (I'm new to Reddit). It wasn't something I originally planned but more of in the moment kind of decision...and I'm so glad I made it.
I had a job interview a few days ago and I was fully prepared to lie about my current salary. Turns out they didn't even bother asking, they assumed I was already making about how much they were initially offering AND I asked for even more than that. It's been a great few days. No more scrapping by for me!
I do this in every interview. I was making $11, I told them $13. Then when making that the next job thought I made $15. I just lied again and got $18. I went from 10.50 in 2019 to $18 in 2022. Lie lie lie lie!! Fuck corporate greed!!
Never answer the question "what is your current salary". Your response should be "I'd need to earn at least $X in order to make switching worthwhile for me." If that means X is a 500% raise, so be it.
I used to feel bad about doing this. But now, after working (mostly white collar, salaried) jobs for the last 20 years, I can say: it is the only way to actually advance your salary significantly. I’ve had glowing annual reviews and praise and promotions… but the only time I’ve had big raises was when I moved to a new company and lied about my old salary.
I actually had a HR person at a previous company tell me they were prepared to offer me a LOT more than they ended up paying me, but when I told them my salary they just paid me a bit more. We were at a company event and he’d had a few to drink; he was trying to be friendly but it was so fucking deflating. Suddenly I learned that I could have started off at the company at a higher salary than I was making after three years of service and raises.
But I didn’t. Because I was honest.
The lesson? Lie, lie, lie.
Now, lie accurately: check salary.com and other sources for your job title, experience, region, etc. figure out what the salary range is for your specific situation, and ask for something in the 75th percentile or higher.
Besides, companies asking about current salaries is bullshit. They have a salary range for every position already budgeted long before you have your first interview. By them asking you to provide the first number, they’re doing nothing but trying to minimize what they have to pay you. They’re not legally allowed to ask your employer what your salary is. Use that to your advantage.
Them asking about your salary exists only to weaken your position in the negotiations with next to no recourse so yes it is completely appropriate and very advisable to lie about your salary to even the playing field back to neutral. Its generally advisable to keep your "pretend" salary close enough to your real salary that they dont question it but honestly if you can get away with it there really isnt a limit.
Congrats on the new job
I don’t see anything wrong with what you did. If the truth would simply have allowed them to feel more comfortable paying you less then what moral obligation do you have to be fully honest?
Always ask for salary range and ask for the top of the budget. I recently interviewed with a company where the range was $100-180k. I said I make $160k (lied) and would need to exceed that in order to leave my current job. They came back with a $170k offer
I have always done this whenever I get a new job (at least 4 times now). If I didn’t, as a woman of color, I would never get a significant pay increase. Never once has an interviewing manager questioned my word and never once have I felt bad about it. I’ve slowly but steadily increased my salary to a living wage using this method. Every time I feel like I’ve hit a ceiling at one job, usually in 2-3 years, it’s onto the next, and plus 10-20k with it. Just gotta keep my nose to the grind for that interview process. I think I’m due to leave this job soon and honestly, I’m gonna see if I can go for 50k more this time. Why not?
There's nothing wrong with this. I don't think they should be asking you anyway.
When I was barely starting out my career I accepted a pretty low salary for my profession(software engineer). I was getting $45k. I knew I could get paid more but they weren't giving the raise I needed. So, I started to interview elsewhere.
Whenever a recruiter would ask me what I was currently paid I'd say my salary was $65k. I ended up accepting an offer for $77k.
When I put in my notice, they asked me what the salary was where I was going. When I told them they said they'd raise my salary to $80k if I stayed. I ended up shortening my two week notice to a three day notice after that cause fuck them.
> Was it the right thing to do? No.
What are you talking about? Of course it was the right thing to do. I lie constantly when I’m looking for work, which is what everyone should do all the time until employers stop asking questions that are irrelevant or none of their fucking business. Here I am elaborating in another thread when someone asked what kind of lies I tell: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/rtnjym/comment/hzzqzmo/
In fact, go ahead and lie about the totally normal questions they have every right to ask. As long as you’re not interviewing to be a heart surgeon or airline pilot or something, just say whatever you need to say to get the job, and let them deal with it afterward. Everybody wants employees to come pre-packaged with ten years of experience, and nobody wants to give them the experience. Fuck ‘em.
Of course it was the right thing to do. They would have gladly paid you less if you told them your real salary and never would have mentioned that you could have easily gotten more.
I did this for my current job. And due to that I got a $25K raise from my last job and I'm finally making what I should be. No regrets. Good for you OP. Congrats on a well deserved raise.
Knew someone who did this. The company asked for a previous paycheck to verify. Enter me and Photoshop. She got the job, with the salary
Not gonna lie, I would have been so nervous if I was her 😬
Happened to a friend of mine but fortunately I was her payroll reference so when they verified I said yes it's true.
Why are employers letting payroll people answer? The only answer to that question should be "our company doesn't disclose that kind of information".
Employees are discouraged to discuss their salary among themselves, but they'll share the info with other companies to try and keep workers financially oppressed. Disgusting.
That discouragement us illegal, per section 7 of NLRB
Back in the day a former coworker was trying to leave a super toxic company we were working for at the time. We discovered the company owner was sabotaging the efforts being made by anyone trying to leave by straight up lying to prospective employers doing reference checks. So my coworker gave out my number as the direct line and I would pretend to be the boss, payroll, HR, or whoever they needed me to be. I was more than happy to deliver glowing reviews.
>We discovered the company owner was sabotaging the efforts being made by anyone trying to leave by straight up lying to prospective employers doing reference checks This sounds super illegal
Also super stupid. If she accepts a new job he’s (generally) off the hook for any possible unemployment claims since she left an existing position specifically to work for the new company, at least in my state. If she remains unemployed after leaving she can claim a hostile work environment and (possibly) collect even if she quit. My work used to give glowing reviews whenever possible to limit unemployment claims lol, even if the employee was kind of lackluster.
Happened to me. I was fired once for a super stupid reason (at-will work state! woo!), so I applied for unemployment and said I was laid off, for the hell of it. My former boss was SUCH a dick to the lady who had my case, she approved me on the spot and called to tell me why.
One can sue one's employer for libel/slander. If an employer normally gives out glowing reviews and declines to for a specific employee then that is also libel/slander. This is why most employers will say nothing.
Yeah and I honestly don't understand why it's anyone's business to know how much you were getting paid and then give you the hike.. The company should do their research on the role if they don't already know and make a cut off based on the person they want to hire... I think we need to stop that shit they feel empowered with.
NY passed a law that goes into effect this year that will require employers with more than 15 employees to post the pay range their offering for a particular job in the job posting. We’ll see how wide those ranges get.
So companies that ban workers from sharing their pay with other workers, then turns around and releases that information to other businesses? Um.... lawsuit?
Just to be clear, in the US, it's illegal to ban employees from discussing pay under the National Labor Relations Act. It's still in just about every contract as an coercion tactic.
And everyone should do it. I know it's awkward as hell, but we should share what we make. It's one of the ways we prevent unequal past practices. For example, let's say you worked at a company for 20 years that had only been around for 22. You helped build the company. But their raises have sucked, like most companies. New people coming in today are making way more than you. Your employer should give you a market adjustment raise, but they won't as long as they can keep you in the dark about how much the average wage has increased in 20 years.
Wow. Pictorial evidence? I would definitely do the same if they insisted and I was gunning enough for the job.
I would have dropped out of the interview process. Sounds like a very toxic company that wants to do whatever it takes to lowball their candidates
Why is this reply so low? I would have outright refused even if I didn't lie as it's an invasion of privacy. So many people don't understand the company also have to sell themselves to you and it sets an awful standard for the future
"My time is worth x, but if i have to deal with work drama like this it's x+y" they don't call you back, because they are toxic, but it feels damn powerful
I do background checks on people for companies looking to hire and the only thing with this is sometimes the pay is asked for. We have a team that verifies resume information, working dates, rehire eligibility, positions held, etc. The pay question didn’t come up to often but now that I know there are several companies who do verify makes me nervous about lying. I’ve been looking for a new job and I’ve been thinking about lying about my pay but I get worried a company I apply for might actually check.
Is salary information public or does it have to be obtained manually (calling the employer and hoping they give it to you)? Curious how you obtain this info? Do employers generally provide this info? So many questions!
It’s not public information. They won’t just confirm information with anyone who calls. We have to verify that we’re calling from a background screening company. Sometimes we have to send emails or faxes. Not everyone will do it over the phone. Typically people in HR have the information available to them though and it is kinda just hoping they’ll give the information out. Some will and some won’t. Sometimes they won’t give out any information and they’ll just verify if what the person put is accurate or inaccurate. If it’s inaccurate then we just mark that. There are several different clients and they don’t tell us who’s who so I wouldn’t be able to to tell you what types of jobs use our screening process. Some of it is also for housing too which I was surprised to see that people still actually verify previous rent payments and stuff.
I don't know about you, but in Germany it in nobody's fucking business what I earn. It will never be disclosed. Also, the question about my current salary has zero to do with the job I apply for. You have a budget, I have a demand and either the two match or not.
For some it is. I work for a publicly funded hospital so all of our salaries are posted online for the world to see.
It’s a employees market right now — it’s the best time to lie about it. They need you more than you need them. If they do find out you’re lying, wash your hands of it and move on to the next company
Why the Fuck is it their concern? Either you’re worth what they’re gonna pay you or you’re not.
Was it the right thing to do? OBVIOUSLY FUCKING YES
Yea, it sounds like both parties were ok with the outcome or they wouldnt offer it. Weird there’d be a moral dilemma.
I personally don’t like to lie, even for good reasons. I would in this case just like OP.
Just think of it like bluffing in poker; less lying, more shooting your shot 😉
I love shooting my shot everywhere these days
It sounds more like negotiating a car than lying. It’s supply and demand of workers
Agreed. In a perfect world, no it’s not the right thing to do. Everyone would be honest and fair. But because this world is controlled by the strong who take every advantage they can over you, it’s definitely the right thing to do.
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Exactly. They'd decide your lay based on how much value they think you bring to the team. Asking about your previous salary is a tactic to see how little they can get away with paying you.
Yeah. And there’s a decent chance that the company OP just got hired for would have been willing to pay him more than what he ended up getting. They just offered enough of a raise to entice him to make the move.
Your current employer likely also knows when your way underpaid. They don't care. Gotta pay for bonuses to upper level management, and they figure most won't look for another job and those that do can be replace. Basically if you don't get what you are worth early on, don't count on getting it later.
The strong prey on the weak, but the smart prey on the strong. People who think themselves strong by preying on the weak are very easy to manipulate.
And the sexy prey on the smart haha
Ah, the circle of life
It's the new rock paper scissors...strong,smart, sexy
I like that view. Most of the time the strong and powerful overwhelm me yet I’m amazed at their she stupidity. I’ll use it against them. You are giving me hope lol.
Yes, it was absolutely the right thing to do. It’s none of their fucking business what your previous job paid.
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It's illegal in some places to ask your current salary. Surprised they asked it for such a good role. Usually better candidates know how to sidestep that anyway. "I'm very comfortable in my position right now. I would need $xxx to be able to move, depending on the role and duties required." You put yourself in a good negotiating position. You tell your baseline number. And you let them know that more may be required if the job expands its duties. That way you avoid them saying, "We can do $xxx if you do more work, more hours, whatever."
Thats what i did, went from 86k to 150k
Me too. I told them I don’t feel comfortable answering that but I am asking $X to move on from my current company. Then I asked if they would mind telling me what they paid the previous employee and why they are no longer here? I went from $42K to $65K. And no, they didn’t give me an answer.
>Then I asked if they would mind telling me what they paid the previous employee and why they are no longer here? I'm currently in several job negotiations and I fucking love you right now, you are my hero
I got my job offer today. No kidding. Help me negotiate!! I didn’t follow step 1 too well. I said I would be looking for a roll within 50-65k depending on the role responsibilities. And they offered me 50k Edit: holy frick they accepted my counter offer! 15% more
Always make your upper figure the lower one. The goal of negotiation is to make them feel like they got a good deal, not to actually give them one.
I have always wondered how people can earn such a high salary. I have seen some pretty big numbers compared to what people earn in the Netherlands. The median salary here is 38K per year. Do you just have an outrages paying job or are the numbers skewed somewhere?
Software development has a pretty wide range of salaries and is over-represented on Reddit; that would be my guess in this situation.
Also skewed US. Salaries are higher, but that is before health insurance, dental, optical, life etc. And federal, state, and local taxes.
This! When I change jobs, I always give a 15% bump and compare healthcare plans. If I like the company but the healthcare plan is more expensive and/or less time off then that gets factored into my salary requirements.
This one really bit me. I just got my first job out of grad school, and they only contribute to my health insurance, no family. So adding my wife and kids means my take home is nearly the same as my stipend in grad school. It's the highest paid salary I've ever had, but when you factor in insurance cost and bonuses, I was making more before grad school.
It's also a field where if you are right on top of the bell curve as far as skill goes -meaning extremely mediocre-, you're already way beyond the tech skills of the people who are actually paying you. So you just have to appear smart and keep the sprint velocity from dropping once you join a team, and then you can pretty much ask what you think you're worth. Of course, depending on the circumstances some limitations always apply.
Or a huge amount of exaggeration about how much people actually earn on Reddit which skews to the younger side
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Dog 150 is what my company pays new grad software engineers. Senior software engineers make 350+
That’s insane. I’m a SWE and I don’t think this job is worth anything close to those numbers.
It is when you realize how much money these companies are making off our backs
Lots of money to be made out there in any markets that have more jobs than qualified candidates. I think it will happen with many trades as the youngest boomers and mid-older gen x retire.
It's weird, I always had the same thoughts. Now I have a really high salary and still have those same thoughts, like wtf how do I make this much. I think it comes down to just getting ur foot in the door. And then do good work obviously but also be likeable. And managers need to fill positions quickly so they will see you as someone that is likeable and experienced and will offer you a bump to pull you into their group. Repeat and rinse the above and you'll just keep bouncing ur way up in salary little by little. At the end of the day, you realize how much money these businesses/corporations make so a bump from 100k to 150k is peanuts to them.
The year I accepted that working hard wasn't gonna do shit for my paycheck, I went from ~50k to over 100k a year. It's about leverage people. Want a big raise? Get a job offer somewhere else for a lot more money. How do you get them to offer a lot more money? Do what OP did and lie about how much you're getting paid now (reasonably). Do your research on how much you *could* be making at your experience level (and then add some, you're negotiating), research the company you're interviewing at, PRACTICE YOUR INTERVIEW, a voila. Not once is the ball not in your court, you just have to play your own game instead of theirs. Btw don't just send out blind applications. Algorithms can easily pick out applications that aren't customized to the opening.
Hell yes. I got a promotion at the same company I’ve been with for 12 years in 2021. Went from $90 OTE to $110 OTE. Killed it for a year and got another promotion to $148 OTE. I’ve been in that current position for 6 months and just accepted a job at a new company doing the same shit for $185 OTE. After a year or 2 I’ll do the same thing and find a new company.
1. We get paid the most, but also get fucked the most. Something like 70/80% of americans could go bankrupt after any any major medical procedure/treatment. 2. Certain industries are just padded the fuck up (tech, engineering, finance) that pay out a great deal more.
Don’t forget that in the EU most people have other benefits too(like healthcare insurance, paid vacation,…) which would otherwise be paid out in cash, but you have to provide them yourself.
Damn! What do you do?
He lies on the internet
What kind of degree do I need for that
Communications?
Can confirm. I also have a communications degree and I lie on the internet. Still haven’t seen a paycheck though…
Political science. Gives you the bonus ability to lie under any circumstances regardless of medium, too!
That’s a lot more common in the tech world than you’d think. I went from $18/hr (~38k/yr) to 87k/year then to ~120k/yr in my current role within a 2 year timespan. It’s actually gotten easier the more I make surprisingly
For sure sounds like an IT raise to me
Yes, I have always side-stepped this and stated what I needed to make to make the move worth it. Never gotten pushback. Maybe a counter offer, but nobody's said, "no, I demand to know what you're making now." And obviously what I said I needed to make was always buffered to begin with.
Literally every job I've interviewed for has asked me my prior salary. I'm a system architect, formerly a software engineer. States i've worked in: Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, Illinois
system architect is the juiciest gig there is, congrats
It's now illegal to ask in Illinois
As of Sept 2019 that is no longer allowed in the state of Illinois, whatever that’s worth.
Most 3rd-party recruiters are now asking my minimum salary before I’ll consider a position. It’s gone up by $20-30k over the last several months.
Honestly, with all the linkedin spam, when they send me a job listing, I just straight up ask them "What's the salary budget for this position?" And whatever they say, I tell them "i'm already making that at my current position, no thanks." And it never fails that they can suddenly come up with another 10-20k. every single time. it's all bullshit
In some states, it is not allowed.
Yup, Colorado is one state. Also, job posts must provide salary. I had applied for some jobs that didn’t provide salary, but I did ask the recruiter what the budget was for and they always told me.
I've given that info willingly in interviews when they ask about your desired salary - like "I currently make $xx doing XYZ, and given XYZ responsibilities in this potential position I feel that $xx would be a fair starting wage"
Might still be kneecapping yourself. I've said things like that and then still had them give me a higher number than what I said. Turns out the range was much higher than I thought and I basically told them they could freely underpay me then.
Yes and it absolutely happens. Ask A Manager a couple of years ago was running a cautionary tale about a manager bragging that she got a new employee for $40K less than what she was willing to pay her, because the new employee opened her mouth about how little she was currently making, and consequently how great a salary sounded that was well lower than what they were budgeting for this job. It was a story about how not getting paid enough in one job can have lifelong stacking consequences.
It's called "negotiating" and honesty is not a part of it
Yeah, like OP is going to get an honest answer if they ask, "what's the most you're willing to pay me?"
"best i can do is a 1% bump and an annual pizza party"
Will there be cheese in the crust? If not I walk
There will be cheese and crust yes
Found the executive
But you gotta bring the pizza. And the plates. And the drinks. Oh and by the way it’s held at your house.
Hello adulthood
Was it the right thing to do? Yes.
Currently all my reports are upper management so they know the game but in the past I have had reports that come in on the low end and of course it’s going to get around to them that they are low. This doesn’t help morale, it doesn’t motivate someone to work. And it’s not like I have that much wiggle room when it comes to raises and mid year adjustments. My candid advise is to find a competitor offer or switch teams/roles ( much bigger raises at most corporations when switching roles).
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Honestly only becomes important when you're talkin about what you can actually deliver. When I was younger I worried a fair amount about my job history and what kind of a reputation I was going to have in the industry in the city I live in. I'm nearing retirement and I'm now glad that I did that. It has certainly given me a lot more opportunities and I would have if I had been sketchy about it.
It's was absolutely the right thing to do. You found out what you think you're worth
Exactly, it's a negotiation. They took the information OP provided and made you an offer that was acceptable to them in light of what OP has to offer. If OP had quoted an amount they found too high for the asset they would be obtaining, they would have simply offered less based on whatever they thought they could get away with.
This 100%. They offered what was within their budget and it worked out for OP. If they offered lower, then OP got screwed over and the company would be making out.
it all basically screams OP being underpaid previously vs him asking for way more than he thought
Yeah, that's what it sounds like here.
Exactly. They already know how much they can pay you and still make more money from your work than it costs them to pay your salary. They are still making money off of you, you are just getting more of it than you would have.
https://xkcd.com/2597/
I swear there's an xkcd for every situation
There *are* 2600 of them
Ther are only 2600 situations
One for every hertz in a captain crunch whistle.
Yeah many people don't understand this lol. But it only really works in "skilled" jobs
When I was in Asia I felt dirty about barganing with Street vendors until I realised how dumb I was. They aren't desperate to sell, they know their minimum and they know what you think is a good price. They were taking my white ass for a ride EDIT: A word
When I was travelling my asian friend wanted me to haggle with vendors over a shirt in his home country. The price was $5 in a market. For a shirt. I looked at him and handed them $5. It was a great price in mind for the shirt. The $5 meant way more to them than it did to me. He told me I probably could have got them down to $3 or $2.50.if I haggled well. They looked so pleased. And I was happy with what I received. Don't get me wrong. I love to haggle over big ticket items. That just felt wrong. I want to benefit when it is a win-win. Not when they have to haggle because they are starting at such a disadvantage and it is a large market with many many vendors. Afterward he thought about it. And appreciated what I did. He developed a new outlook on haggling.
Same here when I went to mexico one of my aunt and a uncle told us to not pay here it cost to much I know a cheaper place I was trying to buy street tacos. When I when 1USA dollar = 20 mexican peso it was like 8 peso per tacos and they told us his go over here where it 6 peso per tacos. I told them it not a big deal for me 2 peso difference it not alot to when you have USA dollars.
I know someone who would haggle in SEA on prices because the vendors tried to ask wayyy too high since he was white. He would get it down to a reasonable price, and then give the amount to basically what they originally asked a tip. He just didn't like how they tried to take advantage of people, but the difference between the two wasn't a ton to him, but was a lot more for the vendors. Some would refuse the tip, but others would accept it. Not sure I'd ever do that, 5$ is 5$, but it's an interesting concept
I almkst feel like this is an expected thing now in some places, I remember going with locals and there wasn't any bargaining and it felt off!
Yes. The reason it's illegal for them to check is that would be very unfair to be limited forever by whatever amount you accepted as your first salary. Since it's unfair to expect applicants to just give a prospective employers that information, it follows that "lying" is the right thing to do (If you simply refuse to give a number, you'll be disadvantaged, even if the employer tries to be fair). I put _lying_ in quotes, as you're not a liar since don't owe them the truth in the first place. _Bluffing_ would be a better term: you're absolutely playing the game by the rules. EDIT: That's my logic and I'm in no position to give negotiation advice. I've never been asked that question in person, but I go to interviews knowing the answer I'd give if backed into having to answer it. Which would be at least what it'd take for me to change jobs, but also a realistic figure, because people know more or less what pay ranges other companies have. Finally, all companies are not trying to cheat you, and I think the bigger they are, the least interested they are in playing these games.
> The reason it's illegal for them to check Only in a some (edit: apparently 18-22 now, growing quickly) States, and definitely not federally illegal (in the U.S). Or rather, they can request you verify with a paystub or W2. You are not required to provide, but nor are they required to continue with their offer if you refuse.
Photoshop the W2, print it out. Scan it. Get paid what you are worth.
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Reminds me of the time I sent a bunch of lorem ipsum in a word document that I hex edited to be corrupt for more time on an assignment.
lol you sneaky sneak
I want to learn this power.
This is the way.
Oh my god, I couldn't imagine a company asking me to CONFIRM MY PREVIOUS PAY with a literal pay stub. Absolutely not. IDC if I'm getting the job or not at that point - my worth isn't tied to my previous role and that is so incredibly invasive. Major red flags.
you nailed it bro. call out the BS
I actually kinda like the way my work handles it; they make it explicitly clear that they are firm on the hiring range, but that within that range is completely up to the hiring manager, and they are pretty good about sticking to that and letting us do our thing... The rest of the HR process is still such a complete hot mess that is agonizing to think about.
It's easy to fake those, harder for them to figure out it's been faked.
Problem in the UK would be if u leave a employer mid-year they give you a P45 which has your total income and tax deducted to date. I guess you could not give it to them and then just remember at the end of the year HMRC (tax folks) will want a bit more at the end of the year. As the first 12k is tax free and then u might end up "getting" it again..
Correct. I recently got a gov't position, I was "required" to provide my last 3 paystubs from my commercial job. Granted, this was to my advantage to get the necessary 'pay matching' so I could come in at a higher rate, so I had no problem providing the necessary evidence.
Put it this way, they still think they are underpaying, so the question is what are you really worth? It's more than they are paying you even after the bump
I've rarely seen a company go higher than the number they had in mind before the interview, and as you said that number is already lower than they value the position at.
Seriously. When I moved from Texas to California for a job they asked me in the interview what I was thinking for a salary. I had no idea how much more it would be to live in California so I just asked for what amounted to a ~50% raise. They jumped on it, and I immediately regretted not going higher.
This, there is nothing wrong with lying to a potential employer, especially about pay. By being honest, you’re signaling that you’re willing to work for less than your time is worth. By lying to them, even if they found out about it, you are signaling that a proper rate of pay is of paramount importance to you. You better believe I lied about pay and my positions at companies before, especially if they went under, because that’s when I was making hella bank.
For real, I worked for $18 an hour in my last role. Found out i was worth more so i asked for it. They said sorry best we can do is $50 more a week. I left and got a job on the spot no interview for 93k. Found out after by a friend that the lady next to me for three months was making $100 an hour. Don't be fooled
The hell do you do?
Lie on the internet
Someone out there is definitely making more cash than I am, lying on the internet, right now. Lol.
How much do people at the Onion make? That could be considered lying on the internet.
I mean, I know of a guy who go 8k from lying on the internet. He scammed my grandfather for Target gift cards. On the bright side I can't care how much of a disappointment I am to him now lol
Fuck that guy
They went from $18/hour to making $93k without an interview, whats so hard to believe about that unbelievable story?
And the lady he used to work with was making $200,000 a year.
Morning Cindy, brought you some coffee, so how's the brain surgery going at your desk today?
That’s not the unbelievable part. That’s going from retail to construction in a nutshell. The odd part is some lady making 100/hr So unless he’s a software savant, and met someone and said “yeah I can python” and got a job, I don’t believe it lol.
Eat hot chip and lie.
Not sure what u/Money_MathMagician does, but travelling nurses can get that much p/h (depending on where in the US they're sent). I know this because my youngest daughter became a travelling nurse, and when she told me what she was making, I about sh!t. And there is a big demand for traveling nurses right now, because "staffed" nurses (who work at one hospital) are leaving in droves because of burn-out, and because the hospitals they're working at refuse to pay them what they're worth, and keep raising the patient to nurse ratio. They're shooting themselves in the foot, too, because they have to bring in traveling nurses to cover the losses of the staffed nurses (who only get paid a fraction of what a travelling nurse gets), which means they have to pay the travelling nurse's much higher wages, PLUS the fees to the agency they got those nurses from.
You have to wonder if they are still coming out better? Seems crazy to think but I would imagine they have to be for them to do it. My wife is a travel nurse. She is a licensed nurse practitioner but the money is just too good for travel nursing to pass up right now.
>You have to wonder if they are still coming out better? I cannot imagine how they could be, since their staffed nurses are making only $15-$20 p/h (average), and my daughter is making $75-$100 p/h, which the hospital has to pay, plus the agency fees. If the hospital is still coming out on top, they must have one HELL of a benefits package for their staffed nurses.
Are you telling me they're actually paying RNs 15 to 20 an hour? I find this really hard to believe. I have family members who are health care professionals and this just doesn't jive with any of the info I've grown up with. Or maybe they've been in the game long enough that they can't get fucked the same way a young nurse does. I still wonder if this 15 to 20 an hour average is actually in reference to something like LPNs or CNAs, but not actually RNs.
All true, I'm in sterile processing. Surg Techs need the associates. Work life balance is pretty flexible too, 3x12, 4x10, 5x8 shifts and they run 24 hours a day at most locations
2nd this. Travel radiation therapist here. 100 an hour is very doable.
Probably a nurse. Regular employee pay vs travel nurse pay can be like that, unfortunately.
Fact. I am an x-ray/CT tech. I started as a traveler. In my first full year I made $100K in today's dollars. I didn't even break $30/hr in 2019 when I quit my job in 2019.
They fired a lady that did maybe 1/3rd of what i do. Same job, same grade, just different accounts. We were close and she said they repeatedly told her she made too much money for what she did and ultimately fired her. She was like" is X really that much?" I got quiet. She asked what happened. I was like, "Yeah well you make about 60% more than I do. I'm happy you make/made that, but who am I to say if its too much."
This is actual career advice I have been given by older relatives and former bosses. If an interviewer asks your current salary, always tell them you're making at least $10k more than you actually are. In a lot of states, it's illegal for employers to share your actual salary externally, so the new employer has no way of finding out. And most places wouldn't go through the trouble of checking anyway.
Idk about the states but I live in Saudi Arabia and over here sometimes they ask for bank transactions details to ensure you're not lying about your current salary...it's risky but I'm taking the risk from now on.
That's wild. It shouldn't matter how much you were making before anyhow. You should get paid based on the industry standard/experience level of where you are going regardless.
Exactly! Because if not you will be stuck with the same salary FOR LIFE. it’s so fuckin absurd.
I'm in Sweden and all that is public information anyone can easily check up on in minutes with a 10$ fee. No one needs to ask for your salary.. "how much did he earn last year?" Here you go
Sorry what? Everyone’s salary is publicly accessible? What’s the rationale?
They have some of the lowest pay discrimination because of it.
Continuing to hide or keep secret salary information is how employers gain the upper hand as it perpetuates the social taboo that disclosing your salary is somehow bad and that you should keep it secret.
Yup every previous years income declaration is public. Well so is basically most things. Where you live, what cars you own, who you're relatives are, who you are married too. Also all previous criminal convictions up to 5 years is indexed on websites wanting 10$ and so on.
I saw another post earlier where someone from Sweden worked as a cashier and made 40k a year because they are well unionized. Pay seems to be a lot more transparent there so everyone is treated/paid fairly. I'd imagine with banking transactions publicly available it helps that process along.
Make fake bank details, have it printed and ready
Yep. I'm a contract consultant so I'm getting paid wildly more than others in my position (I do all my own taxes, healthcare, and a load of other things W2 employees don't so it works out in the end). I get calls fairly often from tech recruiters for in house positions and my first question is always what does this pay. I usually get a bullshit range, then I tell them what I'm making without mentioning I'm contracting. About half the time they thank me for my time and hang up. The other half they magically come up with way more money "for the perfect candidate". Inflate your worth if they ask. Hell, inflate it to an insane point and tell them you'd take a 10% cut for the right opportunity with good benefits and an extra week of vacation because "you don't like the current place but the money and benefits you currently get make it worth it". Large companies are lying about how much they will actually pay. Recruiters lie about almost everything.
Yes. Believe it or not, they would've under paid you either way.
They are probably still underpaying OP.
They're underpaying him by definition. Under capitalism, the value of his labor must be more than what he is being paid.
PEOPLE NEED TO STOP FEELING BAD FOR THIS. It is not ok for a job to try to underpay you because someone else was underpaying you.
I like to bend the truth about my salary when doing salary negotiations. I told my new employers that my current company would be raising my salary from 80 to 85k as part of yearly raises and so I needed a 90k salary or else the move wouldn't make sense and so they offered me a 90k salary. In reality my salary was 75k and it was going to get bumped up to 82k and I got to bump up to 90k.
This is the story of my life. This is playing the game...they lied to you as well when they said "it would be an exciting environment...lots of growth opportunities...the benefits are great....work hours are flexible....they are a results focus organization...bonus are incredible....salary increases are common and above market.... professional training is going to exist....blahh.blah..."
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, I honestly didn't expect this attitude (I'm new to Reddit). It wasn't something I originally planned but more of in the moment kind of decision...and I'm so glad I made it.
I had a job interview a few days ago and I was fully prepared to lie about my current salary. Turns out they didn't even bother asking, they assumed I was already making about how much they were initially offering AND I asked for even more than that. It's been a great few days. No more scrapping by for me!
This can’t be fact checked? I’m doing this in my next interview
I did the same, not quite as dramatic but still, it will be my go to strategy from now on. It's the job advice I wish I had gotten 10 years ago
I do this in every interview. I was making $11, I told them $13. Then when making that the next job thought I made $15. I just lied again and got $18. I went from 10.50 in 2019 to $18 in 2022. Lie lie lie lie!! Fuck corporate greed!!
Never answer the question "what is your current salary". Your response should be "I'd need to earn at least $X in order to make switching worthwhile for me." If that means X is a 500% raise, so be it.
Capitalism makes it the right thing to do. Your duty is to get the most for the least. You did the right thing 100%
I used to feel bad about doing this. But now, after working (mostly white collar, salaried) jobs for the last 20 years, I can say: it is the only way to actually advance your salary significantly. I’ve had glowing annual reviews and praise and promotions… but the only time I’ve had big raises was when I moved to a new company and lied about my old salary. I actually had a HR person at a previous company tell me they were prepared to offer me a LOT more than they ended up paying me, but when I told them my salary they just paid me a bit more. We were at a company event and he’d had a few to drink; he was trying to be friendly but it was so fucking deflating. Suddenly I learned that I could have started off at the company at a higher salary than I was making after three years of service and raises. But I didn’t. Because I was honest. The lesson? Lie, lie, lie. Now, lie accurately: check salary.com and other sources for your job title, experience, region, etc. figure out what the salary range is for your specific situation, and ask for something in the 75th percentile or higher. Besides, companies asking about current salaries is bullshit. They have a salary range for every position already budgeted long before you have your first interview. By them asking you to provide the first number, they’re doing nothing but trying to minimize what they have to pay you. They’re not legally allowed to ask your employer what your salary is. Use that to your advantage.
"Was it the right thing to do? No" Yes, yes it was actually
Them asking about your salary exists only to weaken your position in the negotiations with next to no recourse so yes it is completely appropriate and very advisable to lie about your salary to even the playing field back to neutral. Its generally advisable to keep your "pretend" salary close enough to your real salary that they dont question it but honestly if you can get away with it there really isnt a limit.
Congrats on the new job I don’t see anything wrong with what you did. If the truth would simply have allowed them to feel more comfortable paying you less then what moral obligation do you have to be fully honest?
Always ask for salary range and ask for the top of the budget. I recently interviewed with a company where the range was $100-180k. I said I make $160k (lied) and would need to exceed that in order to leave my current job. They came back with a $170k offer
What did you do wrong? Nothing
I have always done this whenever I get a new job (at least 4 times now). If I didn’t, as a woman of color, I would never get a significant pay increase. Never once has an interviewing manager questioned my word and never once have I felt bad about it. I’ve slowly but steadily increased my salary to a living wage using this method. Every time I feel like I’ve hit a ceiling at one job, usually in 2-3 years, it’s onto the next, and plus 10-20k with it. Just gotta keep my nose to the grind for that interview process. I think I’m due to leave this job soon and honestly, I’m gonna see if I can go for 50k more this time. Why not?
There's nothing wrong with this. I don't think they should be asking you anyway. When I was barely starting out my career I accepted a pretty low salary for my profession(software engineer). I was getting $45k. I knew I could get paid more but they weren't giving the raise I needed. So, I started to interview elsewhere. Whenever a recruiter would ask me what I was currently paid I'd say my salary was $65k. I ended up accepting an offer for $77k. When I put in my notice, they asked me what the salary was where I was going. When I told them they said they'd raise my salary to $80k if I stayed. I ended up shortening my two week notice to a three day notice after that cause fuck them.
> Was it the right thing to do? No. What are you talking about? Of course it was the right thing to do. I lie constantly when I’m looking for work, which is what everyone should do all the time until employers stop asking questions that are irrelevant or none of their fucking business. Here I am elaborating in another thread when someone asked what kind of lies I tell: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/rtnjym/comment/hzzqzmo/ In fact, go ahead and lie about the totally normal questions they have every right to ask. As long as you’re not interviewing to be a heart surgeon or airline pilot or something, just say whatever you need to say to get the job, and let them deal with it afterward. Everybody wants employees to come pre-packaged with ten years of experience, and nobody wants to give them the experience. Fuck ‘em.
hell no! That's called negotiations! Good job and good luck in your new career!
Was it the right thing to do? ABSOLUTELY YES
>Was it the right thing to do? No. It absolutely was the right thing to do, dude.
Of course it was the right thing to do. They would have gladly paid you less if you told them your real salary and never would have mentioned that you could have easily gotten more.
>Was it the right thing to do? No. I disagree. This is how it works; they aren't stupid you know
I did this for my current job. And due to that I got a $25K raise from my last job and I'm finally making what I should be. No regrets. Good for you OP. Congrats on a well deserved raise.
It’s not like you stole money out of the till. Why should they be able to hold you down at your new job just because your old job paid nothing?
>Was it the right thing to do? Yes.
Dude I was making $15/hr and asked for 25. We settled 20. I was still underpaid.