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Original poster

Previous salary on job applications?

39 replies

Nettle5678 · 17/06/2021 20:26

What is the reasoning behind asking this? Will you be looked upon less favourably if you leave it blank?

OP posts:

ancientgran · 17/06/2021 21:29

@SusieSusieSoo

But they will get your p45 when you start your next job unless you choose not to give it to them

They will find out from HMRC.

ancientgran · 17/06/2021 21:33

Your company abused the difference in power and you're mad because you forced potential employees into a corner and they lied to protect their earning power.

That's you being shady not them. It wasn't just one person who did it, it was multiple meaning the process (defined by your company) was broken not any individual person.

Hope you and your company will do some self reflection on that.

If you read my post you will see I am retired so I could care less.

You're a bit defensive, didn't matter what they put the job had a salary and if they were offered the job they were offered the salary.

Again if you read my post I didn't design the form and I don't know why they asked, maybe it was to see if people were honest?

I'm not mad, maybe read the posting guidelines as that sort of abuse isn't allowed.

ancientgran · 17/06/2021 21:35

[quote Nettle5678]@JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon thank you, do you think this has ever worked against you or have you always been able to get a job even with not disclosing?[/quote]
It didn't go against people where I worked, lying about it was more of an issue.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Jobs

TabbyStar · 17/06/2021 21:40

There's this campaign in the charity sector showthesalary.com/why-show-the-salary/ to stop basing salaries on what people currently get for equality reasons.

LateAtTate · 17/06/2021 21:42

@ancientgran

Your company abused the difference in power and you're mad because you forced potential employees into a corner and they lied to protect their earning power.

That's you being shady not them. It wasn't just one person who did it, it was multiple meaning the process (defined by your company) was broken not any individual person.

Hope you and your company will do some self reflection on that.

If you read my post you will see I am retired so I could care less.

You're a bit defensive, didn't matter what they put the job had a salary and if they were offered the job they were offered the salary.

Again if you read my post I didn't design the form and I don't know why they asked, maybe it was to see if people were honest?

I'm not mad, maybe read the posting guidelines as that sort of abuse isn't allowed.

'@ancientgran I don't condone lying but in this situation it's understandable. It's not widely known that you can put undisclosed so what choice do people have if their previous role was very lowly paid?

AdjustableAssholeSettings · 17/06/2021 21:46

I put 0 on my last job application and it was dismissed even more quickly than usual.
It feels very unfair to be asked when it's none of their damn business.

WeAreTheHeroes · 18/06/2021 06:55

I think it's unfair to be asking this of candidates when so many jobs are advertised without a salary, or with "attractive" or "competitive" instead. If you're asking a candidate their current salary you should be advertising the salary you will pay as an employer.

ancientgran · 18/06/2021 11:04

@LateAtTate I don't condone lying but in this situation it's understandable. It's not widely known that you can put undisclosed so what choice do people have if their previous role was very lowly paid?

Maybe finding an employer who will pay you the rate for the job regardless? In a working life of 50 years it is a standard question and I've always told the truth and it hasn't been an issue. Either way it wasn't my decision so not sure why I am getting the flack for it.

LateAtTate · 18/06/2021 11:38

@ancientgran not giving you flack for the form, just that it's a bit unfair to hold it against the candidate.
Also you may have been lucky enough to have been in roles where this isn't an issue. Many aren't.

Bibidy · 18/06/2021 11:40

@Nettle5678

Thanks both! The reason I was thinking of leaving it black is because the job I’m applying for has a salary that is quite a bit higher than my current job. I meet all the criteria and have been interviewed for similar roles so I don’t think I’m aiming too high so to speak. I’m just concerned that if an employer sees my current low salary they may think I’m not worth what they are willing to pay

but definitely don’t want to look as though I’m forgetting to fill in parts of the form

I had this exact situation. When the interviewer asked about it, I said that I was aware I was underpaid in my current role and that my requested salary was in line with market rate for the role I was interviewing for. She was totally fine with it and I actually got the job at my requested salary.

Bibidy · 18/06/2021 11:42

I would also add that this is a real issue as my DP has had several interviews where his existing (very low for his role) salary has been questioned and taken to mean that he's actually in a more junior role than he has said.

You do need to have a good talk track and the one I mentioned above about market rate is totally fair and reasonable.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 18/06/2021 11:59

[quote Nettle5678]@JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon thank you, do you think this has ever worked against you or have you always been able to get a job even with not disclosing?[/quote]
I had one employer be a bit weird about it but I still got the job.

shamalidacdak · 18/06/2021 12:05

Thought this was illegal to ask now

ancientgran · 18/06/2021 18:33

[quote LateAtTate]@ancientgran not giving you flack for the form, just that it's a bit unfair to hold it against the candidate.
Also you may have been lucky enough to have been in roles where this isn't an issue. Many aren't.[/quote]
A previous post was quite nasty so that was more to them but yours was the second post about it. That post was deleted but said I was mad and shady and should reflect on it. So weird, it wasn't my form, just one used in the company.

I think honesty was significant given the work, it wasn't held against them, people just noted it I think, sort of being aware they might not be truthful because they hadn't been truthful. People did it, others noticed it but no one lost their job about it and they didn't get any financial advantage either. Anyway it is pointless unless you start a job at the start of the tax year as they see it on your P45 so what's the point.

The two main jobs I've done, had other short term but two long term, one was in the public sector and the job was a certain scale and you started at the relevant point on that scale, the other job was with a company who were very fair about things like salary. I first worked for them as a temp when I was new in the area and knew their standards before I started which was why I took the job.

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