AIBU to avoid sharing my previous salary with this employer?

[Notkatie]

Hello

job I applied for did not post the salary

I’ve been applying and got to the final stage of the interview process. They have asked me for my previous salary!! It was minimum and I would not be happy if they just matched it. What do I say ?

Na i wouldn't share that!

Just tell them your expectation instead

I do not apply for jobs where there is no salary stated
how do you know there’s not going to be a huge mismatch - I think it’s such poor practice from an employer

id tell them your expectations for the role

they’ve not done you the courtesy of telling you the right information

This was a VERY long time ago... I was working as a bar supervisor as £3.52 per hour (I told you it was a long time ago!). I applied for a job that did not state the pay and was offered it on the spot. I asked what the pay was - it was £1.86 per hour. Needless to say I declined it.

I think wherever the pay is not stated they either pay you as little as they can get away with, or a lot of it is based on commission.

I think I might overstate my previous pay if I was asked that question - I'm not sure it's something they can check.

Urgh hate this. It's often an excuse to keep paying women lower. I work part time too, so if I answered honestly, it would look like I get paid less per hour than I really do.

Asked in an email?

I might overstate my previous pay if I was asked that question

I would advise against lying because that would be a conduct issue that could lead to retracting an offer / terminating a job. But you could truthfully yet selectively respond only stating what your expectations for this role are.

Can just say my previous compensation doesn’t translate to a standard salary but I’m expecting to be paid x amount

make sure you have checked the salary you’re expecting is in line with the market.
i e not asking for £50k when jobs are usually around £35

They are trying to lowball you big time.

Just ask them to confirm the salary as you are considering options

Yes I’d put expected salary and am planning to do the same when I apply for new jobs later in the year as in my current role I’m woefully underpaid for industry standard and for what I do and only accepted this job as I was desperate at the time.

Won’t they be able to tell from your P45 when you start the job?

@GCAcademic I hadn't thought of that! But it doesn't say whether the job is full or part time, does it? And if it's a large organisation the payroll department is separate so the hiring department would never see the P45.

Lie. They can come back with an offer. But tell them you were on what you expect to get. If they match it great. If they are slightly lower gives you wriggle room on other benefits. If way below walk away because if they are not recruiting at market rate, they will never pay market rate, let alone above

Lie. Tell them that your current salary is higher than it really is.

They have

1. Not advertised the job with a salary
2. Asked your currently salary

Both of these are techniques used to pay you as little as possible. Do not play their game.

I was literally reading a blog with advice on this earlier today:

It is in the "How to Give the First Number" section: https://haseebq.com/how-not-to-bomb-your-offer-negotiation/

(Part 1 of the blog is here if you want to read the whole thing: https://haseebq.com/my-ten-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer/)

Just say "my current salary is private & commercially sensitive. I'm paid in line with the market. My expectation for this role is £". Give the number you really want, not the minimum you will accept.

But also? Never waste time applying for jobs that don't state the pay. They never pay well.

I would also tell them the salary I am expecting and not my actual salary or just straight up ask what the salary is.

Paying anyone lower

Not just women, it's also people of colour, older workers and people from lower-income backgrounds. It leads to inequality all over the place, including in the workplace as it can also lead to people doing the same job getting paid different amounts that is not directly linked to experience or time at the organisation. It's fundamentally unfair all round. Let alone a potential waste of time for applicants. I never apply for roles that are not transparent about salary exceptions.

In your case @Notkatie I would go back and say that as your previous salary was reflective of a different role and company structure, that you would expect the base salary for this role to be in the range of £X - £Y; and then ask if it aligns with the budget for the position. They've not disclosed any salary information to you, you are not required to disclose any to them.

No, specifically women. There is lots of research to support this. Women have typically been underpaid, so if a company bases salary on last amount, they will generally continue to pay women less.

As of the 7th June, under the EU payment transparency directive, it's illegal to ask that question in the EU.

Another Brexit benefit.