What is your current salary?

[hoheartme]

AIBU to ask how to respond to recruiters when they ask this?

I don't want my answer to influence anything to come?

To be able to accept this post the remuneration package I’m looking for is:

x pay
x car allowance
x holidays

etc, don’t forget to look at the big picture re pension and benefits in comparison.

My old employer used to ask this on their application forms. I did a lot of shortlisting and noticed that a lot of candidates just left that section blank. It made no difference at all to our shortlisting decisions. Is that an option for you? It is none of their bloody business, frankly!

I would ignore but the recruiter has specifically emailed me to ask to "manage expectations" which translates to me as "we want to know we aren't over offering"

As above, package - pension (employer contributions, and pension policy fees), healthcare benefits, company car/allowance, holiday entitlement and ability to buy days, flexible and/or agile working arrangements, base salary, life assurance policy. A higher salary doesn't always balance the loss of other benefits.

Just say "competitive".

I hate it when job advertisments say that, so play them at their own game.

I have found it to be a rather bizarre question in some circumstances.

Left FT work and for a while considered some PT work in completely different fields. Applied for a few roles and they all asked my current salary which I found ridiculous as I was fully aware that I would be earning only about 10% of what I had been previously.
Added a one-liner pointing this out which must have worked as I was offered each and every role I applied for!

Just tell them your expectations are a base salary of £X plus Y perks.

They want to know this so they can know how little to offer you.

never give it. Decent recruiters shouldn’t even ask. Just tell them what you’re willing to accept, what you earn now is utterly irrelevant

The minimum you’re willing to accept! So your current salary plus 10K maybe?

Oh I always inflate it. Normally I say my current salary is the salary that I want in my new role.

I say this but I’ve only ever changed jobs once since graduating and I wanted £55k and was doing a “sideways” move to a better company but I wanted a payrise still so I stuck to the £55k I wanted.

“I’m looking for £X”. They tried the old how much are you on but given I wasn’t looking I wanted the job offered at what it was advertised as and my current salary was irrelevant if I was deemed to have the right skill, qualifications and experience.

I usually just work out what I want to get then add a bit on top...

This. Work out what men ask for and say that.

I've always been honest about it and negotiated if the offer is not good enough

To manage expectations is likely that if the role is only up to £45k and you want £50k then it's a waste of everyone's time. Just be honest and say what you're on, and you'll know if you need to negotiate their offer or if their offer is fair.

Tell them you’re on the salary you want.

If you're gonna tell them what you're on don't lie. I moved jobs once and the new place had a complex reference request form because of the nature of the job, and on there they had my old salary confirmed. I'd have been let go if I'd have lied to get more money. I just negotiated what I wanted instead.

Ask the recruiter what the salary is to ensure it meets your expectations. Put it back on them.

There would be no need to manage expectations if employers were transparent about salaries and benefits at the point of advertising the role.

I run an organisation. We tell prospective applicants what we're willing to pay and they can then decide on the basis of that information whether or not they wish to apply. We don't need to know what they're earning now, because it's irrelevant. All I want to know is whether they can do the job.

I don’t like it at all. I want them to say what they think the job is worth!

Most companies have salary bands so if you declare the lower end of their range they’ll stick you on that. I try to research beforehand on Glassdoor etc but it’s a right pita.

Never ever disclose your salary or your expectation, just ask them what the salary range is and let them open the negotiations. Recruiters will be pushy for an answer from you but hold your ground. Good luck.

The advice you've been given here is good and will work in the majority of cases. However I have had one recruiter who straight up said to me that he couldn't work with me if I wouldn't disclose. Gave some BS explanation as to why. At the time I wasn't desperate to move roles so I just (politely) told him to jog on, but I'm aware that many people are in different situations.

I don't think it's a bizarre question, you waste everyone's time when the budget is 40 and you are on 65 and want an increase.

I've recently said currently on x looking to achieve x.