Desired salary on job application

[Rioja123]

I'm doing a job application for a role which has already indicated the exact salary in the advert. So why is there a question asking my desired salary? Not sure what to put?

I think you should put 'competitive'

scaryclown

There are some situations where it isn't indicative. It generally is. I did this a living for nearly ten years so I am quite confident in stating that knowing someone's salary is a time-saver all round.

Same titles apart from one had senior in front of it.

Original job had evolved far beyond original scope, people above me had left and I'd taken over their work. Public sector so little scope for extending beyond the salary banding

I know for a fact I am being underpaid. So then it would be annoying for them to think we will offer her 5k more than her current role, when in fact that's what I should already be on more or less.

I get that it would be annoying, but someone's statement that they are underpaid is very much their opinion. If their boss thought the lower salary was appropriate and what they were willing to pay for their skill level, as a new employer I would want to know. I wouldn't employ someone who refused to disclose their salary.

turbohamster

Well that sounds like an extreme situation. I can't believe you would take on all that extra work and not be paid for it. It's shocking that anyone would expect that!

A couple of companies I have worked for have asked for salary when referencing, I've always understood it to be an honestly question....

It's not an opinion, it's a fact, I found paperwork on my role which says I should be on a higher salary. of course I will disclose it if they ask further down the line.

I can't believe you would take on all that extra work and not be paid for it. It's shocking that anyone would expect that!

Why do you think I left?!

Not at all unusual in the public sector, everyone is expected to do more for less. People leave and aren't replaced.

I left a job in the charity sector because I was being made to take on responsibility commensurate with a role 10k above my pay. I was sick of them riding me, as pp said. Promising pay rise and promotion, then denying even a cost of living increase. Really common in the sector.

It's put me in a shitty situation as due to them not increasing my pay or changing my job title as promised I have no way to prove I'm capable of moving up. Unless of course you were to interview me at which point I'd hope it would be obvious.

Unfortunately although in an ideal world bosses would treat their employees fairly and reward them appropriately, in reality it doesn't work like that very often. I've never seen it happen in 15 years of working various sectors. It's incredibly unfair to penalise someone who has had the bad luck to end up in an underpaid / exploited situation.

They may be 10-20% underpaid but they won't be operating in a senior role and being paid admin wages.

Could easily be in the non-profit sector. Also, I have a low paid admin role at the moment because I need time and energy for my daughter who has some health problems and deliberately took several steps down the ladder and am now on 25% of my previous salary (well, 33% FTE as I'm P/T).

Once I can focus on work again why shouldn't my previous senior management experience be relevant?

I completely accept that there might be unusual situations where someone is drastically underpaid. I wouldn't be hiring them, though, at three or four times their salary. It is a mistake in my experience. Sorry!

I'm in the charity sector too - you definitely just get asked to take on more and more responsibility without any more pay.