Disclosing crap current salary to new employer?

[FeminismandWomensFights]

I’m applying for a new job in a different, slightly better paid field where I can hopefully transfer skills. If I got it, it would be a pay rise as this job is at the next step up in management levels.
They are asking about current salary in the application form. I am reluctant to disclose it because it’s so badly paid. I have stayed in my current role in exchange for flexibility around childcare and some useful management experience.

However in my next job, I want a standard salary offer. I don’t want to carry being underpaid now, into the next job. This particular job is in a private sector where salaries seem negotiable. I haven’t got any experience of that- has anyone got any tips?

Bumping hopefully

Hmm.... difficult.

Can you leave the box blank?

Do you know the salary for the next job?

I secured a job that was £10k more than my previous job (jumped from £30k to £40k). They didn't tell me what the salary was but I managed to find it online via an agency. Other comparable jobs in same area paying the same.

When they asked me what I was looking for, I said I would expect £40k because that was what I thought the job was worth (i.e. level of experience, workload, etc.). Really had to hold my nerve but I got it.

They will known if they request a reference. Its a standard question. So I'd share it and then argue the toss once you know the pay range.

Dont forget it's easy to tell previous salary level from a P45 ot tax code sometimes too OP so dont lie!!
I'd tell me people I was moving on as I felt undervalued in current position 😊

new

Thank you all.
I told the truth on the application form. Then on a pretext I had a phone chat with the HR person at the company where I am applying. I thought, nothing to lose. So I asked a few questions about this and that and then dropped in that I am in this current poorly paid job for the good management experience it has given me, but the low pay is partly why I am now looking for progression in responsibility and pay. So I feel better for having said that out loud.
I guess I will just focus on hopefully getting to the next stage and wowing them at the interview and take it from there. I’ll do some more research about similar companies and see if I can work out the going rate. Thanks again!

I don't understand why employers underpay. Recruitment is expensive, disruptive and time consuming. Losing someone because they feel underpaid, when you know they are underpaid is so stupid and in the long run will cost the company more.

Is it standard? On Reference requests?

@SoloMummy

They will known if they request a reference. Its a standard question. So I'd share it and then argue the toss once you know the pay range.

Eh? I have never seen this and I have seen and sent several requests for references. Usually it’s position and employment dates that are provided, even if asked for more but even then I have never seen a question about salary!

I have been asked for employees salaries on reference requests before. I always leave it blank.

None of my previous, or current, employer would never disclose salary as part of a reference request.

For many many years, in my sector, the references always just say:

"Ms. X worked here between Jan 2018 to July 2020 as a Widget Maker."

As in, just your name, your dates of employment and last position.

That's it, nothing more or less.

As a manager, I'm not permitted to include any other information even if it's asked for - and if it is, it has to come from me as a personal, subjective reference, in a letter, with NO company letterhead. And there's no way I'd do that for 99% of my staff, a personal letter of recommendation is not appropriate. I have done it to a resigning employee who had been with us for years, was excellent, and she had applied to uni as a mature student... but that's the only time i ever wrote a "personal" (non company) reference.

I'd end up in hot water with HR if i ever tried to share salary info during the exit process!

(as a random aside, i'd never disclose this during applications or screenings.. only an expectation, which should be based on market rate research, location, etc... data, not opinion.)

I would advise you to lie if it’s a large company because P45s aren’t usually dealt with by the managers setting salary budgets - they go to a centralised HR or payroll functionz

As for references...No company in the UK would disclose salary information like this for a reference request. It’s just not done.

In the future...The hiring manager will have a budget that they need to stick to - asking the recruiter for their budget will give you an idea of what kind of ball park figure to aim for.

I like what you did with HR. Often people's salary at mid management is not just the salary, its the private health insurance, potential bonus, company car, other company perks, discounts off products etc.

Its no just a question of I worked at XXX for £30k per year.

I would always leave it blank. It's actually a driver of discrimination - as women and less-represented groups, who often start off with lower salaries for similar roles, then start new jobs on lower pay.

One of my friends is an HR consultant she says people do leave this blank and you can see why - it annoys employers but doesn't seem to stop progress through the interview. We have asked for salary expectations before we offer a first interview...no point in proceeding if someone wants more than you think they are worth and if they won't tell us before interview that's fine, we cut our losses.

Thanks everyone. I’ve got a first interview. I agree with you Rubicon I suspect they will give a low offer if I get the job based on my crap current salary. I’d be happy to talk about salary expectations though, that feels totally different to asking what my current salary is.

I agree with you knickybrick about underpaying. They’re advertising ‘salary based on skills and experience’ which sounds fine if there’s a scale that you go up once in post according to targets but in my experience that never really happens even if you do well in post, budgets aren’t set to allow for significant pay rises. (Apparently!) I have left jobs sooner than I otherwise would have done for that reason. So for future jobs, i’m going to try to be assertive at the outset about pay.

If they offer you and you dont like the salary, negotiate. Ive recruited more than a hundred people over my career. Probably 1 in 5 men challenge the salary offered (generally succesfully). Maybe 1 in 25 women have. This is from my experience but I believe it's a general trend. Ask for more. By the time they offer you, they've decided that they want you.

Please dont lie. I have been in the past asked for payslips to prove my previous salary level. You dont have to disclose, but neither do they have to offer a job. It also appears in the p45 and HR does discuss with hiring managers.

You can explain the differences focus on negotiating a package that reflects your experience and market worth.

I had this recently. I told the truth but negotiated hard. They gave me most of what I asked for plus the rest once I had completed x months.

I don’t believe you have to reveal your current salary nor can employers give this in a standard reference anymore but you should be prepared to tell prospective employees your salary expectations for the future role.

@SoloMummy

They will known if they request a reference. Its a standard question. So I'd share it and then argue the toss once you know the pay range.

It's not a standard question on a reference form, certainly none of the reference forms I've received.

I've never disclosed previous salary to a prospective employer.

I've managed staff for years and I would say that when they move on, about half of the companies ask what salary the employee was on.

More recently, a lot of them have also asked "would you re-hire this person?". Sometimes it's a yes/no choice

More recently, a lot of them have also asked "would you re-hire this person?". Sometimes it's a yes/no choice

This is a fairly standard question. My understanding is that it's illegal to say 'no'... Or at least that would constitute a 'bad reference' which is illegal. But I'm not so sure.

@Smallgoon

More recently, a lot of them have also asked "would you re-hire this person?". Sometimes it's a yes/no choice

This is a fairly standard question. My understanding is that it's illegal to say 'no'... Or at least that would constitute a 'bad reference' which is illegal. But I'm not so sure.

Bad references are not illegal; this is one of those odd myths about employment law/HR.

References have to be accurate and truthful. Best to stick to facts and figures.

If you really wouldn't employ someone again for a bloody good reason, you can say so. The tactful HR way to do this though is to put 'X is welcome to apply for vacancies and be subject to the usual recruitment procedures. Which means, fuck no.

I got a massive pay rise when moving jobs by simply lying about my pay. Give them a bracket for your expectations, eg say you would expect to be paid £40k - £50k for this role.