Help = I lied….

[Headspinner]

Help….

So I applied for a new role in a new company. Overegged my base as the firm I currently work for has a pretty top end bonus structure.. Now offered the job but the base isn’t where I expected it to be, it’s within about 2% of what I said I was on.

Going crazy, I know I messed up but I really want the job… I get it, shouldn’t have done it but my head is just spinning, can’t stop thinking about what I’ve done. HELP!

Just give payroll your P45 - they would eventually get the figures anyway - even if you submit a P46 HMRC will send them your previous earnings and tax within a couple of months - they really won’t care. If you are really worried about HR just say you will drop off your P45 direct to payroll as it has not arrived yet. I very much doubt anyone would dismiss someone for inflating their salary - it’s pretty standard negotiation tactics.

You don’t need to say anything - basically everyone does this in hopes they’ll offer
more. You’ve been offered the role/salary because they think you’re worth it and they can afford it. They didn’t base it on your previous salary. Move on!

I work in HR/Payroll. If someone can’t provide us with a P45 then they just fill in a HMRC starter checklist and we take that instead. Just say you haven’t received your P45 and give them the other form instead, that’ll be the end of it.

You upped your salary in an interview (standard). They agreed it with no push back.

They had more in the line for your role...

Give it not a seconds more thought (I hire people very regularly).

This is such a weird thing to worry about, I increased by salary by 50% by fudging my bonus plus base numbers. Surely in every job move you look to increase and they've agreed the number so no issue?

If they ask you tell them that’s what you expected from them. That’s all.

This.

Think of it as they hired you based on your competence, and then you move onto salary expectations. Even if your hiring manager does see your P45, which is very unlikely, am fairly sure there isn't a salary breakdown as this would just have your income minus NI/Tax/Pension contributions etc.

Honestly I never tell interviewers what my current salary is they can’t ask you that none of their business - I request the salary I expect and then see if they can offer that

you are being absolutely ridiculous

take the money and don’t get worked up about it

they are wIlling ti pay you it

no Wonder Woman get paid less than men ffs 🤦‍♀️

you can fill in a new starter checklist and not hand in p45

Thanks all - honestly it’s consuming my weekend. I’m sure they’re not that worried about it, but I’m super nervous. I guess if I do a new starter form and just a good job I’ll be OK. But honestly. Never EVER doing this again

@Namechanger355 to be a high earner with experience, responsibility etc and not know how work "works". I am in London and hire people a lot. I would be concerned with competence of someone asking these questions. And it's not gross misconduct. It's a salary negotiation- completely normal.

Agree with all the pp's - the person entering the numbers from the p45 is unlikely to be the same HR person you told the base figure to (unless small company) and the p45 doesn't break down base, bonus, pension contributions, any periods of unpaid or lower paid leave - all of which would make the figure lower than may otherwise expect. They're not going to give it any thought and if they did, any of those reasons could come into play.

To the pp who said lying about a previous salary is gross misconduct - really? Have you seen that upheld in tribunal? Imagine how many people would be in danger of losing their jobs for exaggerating their salary! They're qualified, experienced, interviewed well, performing well, paid an amount the company is happy for. But they'll be instantly fired because they fudged the split between base salary and bonus? I don't buy that.

Sorry but that makes no sense

yes it’s a salary negotiation and nothing that OP should be concerned about

but not everyone with a high base has moved jobs to have experience in salary negotiation … You could join as a trainee and transition onto a partner/MD in the same organisation

there is nothing in OP’s post that suggests she is making things up

That helps a bit - I can prove my income using previous P60, and that does stack to what I’m looking for. I know I’m cutting potential income taking this role.

Everybody does this, don't they? I don't understand why you're worried. They wouldn't have offered you the job with that salary if they didn't think you were worth it. If they offered it with no negotiation then I'd only be worried that I hadn't over-egged my current salary enough! I would expect to negotiate.

Exactly this - Ive been in same company for 10 years….and I’ve got 20 years in total of experience. Worked my way up, but the differences in pay structure as you move up is huge.

Which is why I’ve gone back on their first offer to ask for more… my expectation is no-one accepts the first offer, which makes me doubly concerned when they offered effectively my “current base” + 2%….

Don’t worry about it. What you earn now isn’t actually any of their business, in my view. Obviously it’s convenient knowledge for them in terms of salary negotiation. And your payslip will go to accounts, who are unlikely to share it with the person who hired you (why would they). Even if they did come by this knowledge somehow, it just shows you negotiated well. But they won’t.

Which is why I’ve gone back on their first offer to ask for more… my expectation is no-one accepts the first offer, which makes me doubly concerned when they offered effectively my “current base” + 2%….

Where has 2% come from? £130k is 18% more than £110k.

I can't believe a Sales Director would be worrying about something like this tbh.

£130k was what I claimed as a base… so they’ve come back with a 133k offer… that’s where 2% comes from

Eh? I don't even see the concern. Don't hand in p45 then. But even if you did it could just be explained by you not receiving a bonus this year. They'll never ask.

Bonus + base as a base for a new company is common. The recruiting team would have

benchmarked the role and your requested base is within their budget. So nothing at all to worry about.

everyone goes it, don’t stress

What’s gone wrong,that you’re lying, Panicking and acting generally incompetent? I’d expect someone genuinely on this to have a modicum of control.