We know we should never reveal what what our old salary was - it can be negotiation suicide if you do - but how can we avoid giving it away if asked?
A good rule of thumb is to always be honest. Discussing salary during the early part of the recruiting process is not a good idea.
My preference when pressed for an answer is as follows:
1) State that you'd rather not answer that question because your previous salary is not terribly relevant to the current job you're applying to. You'd rather be paid commensurate with the market and within the companies standard guidelines for the role and responsibility.
2) If pressed to disclose the previous salary, as is mentioned by other respondents, mention with the total value of your compensation package. Also, re-iterate that it is not the same company, and so your previous salary is not terribly pertinent. There are so many factors including work life balance, benefits, holidays, paid overtime, etc,etc, that factor in.
3) When you go in for an interview you should be armed with knowledge of the current market. You should know your level of skill and professionalism and knowing your local job market you should be able to command the price you expect. You need to do your research, and be realistic about whether you are superstar talent or just high performing.
4) Regardless of whether or not you were earning at or below or even above the market average for your career, your past salary is not relevant. You may have had any number of reasons for working below market in the past, but what is important now is that you earn current market rates for the work you do. Your past doesn't explain your worth as a resource to the new employer.
5) If you divulge your salary, restate that you expect to be paid the standard industry rate for the posting, and explain what you do understand about the industry at that time. Most employers will respect you for standing your ground on the matter. Just remember that in negotiating you should be firm in your stance but respectful in your demeanor.
Do not lie in your interview. The employer has ways to detect what you really earned, either through asking you to produce a pay stub, or asking if they can confirm it with your previous employer. Remember, the value you bring is the value you bring, and that is the bottom line if the employer wants to hire you. - 15465
A good rule of thumb is to always be honest. Discussing salary during the early part of the recruiting process is not a good idea.
My preference when pressed for an answer is as follows:
1) State that you'd rather not answer that question because your previous salary is not terribly relevant to the current job you're applying to. You'd rather be paid commensurate with the market and within the companies standard guidelines for the role and responsibility.
2) If pressed to disclose the previous salary, as is mentioned by other respondents, mention with the total value of your compensation package. Also, re-iterate that it is not the same company, and so your previous salary is not terribly pertinent. There are so many factors including work life balance, benefits, holidays, paid overtime, etc,etc, that factor in.
3) When you go in for an interview you should be armed with knowledge of the current market. You should know your level of skill and professionalism and knowing your local job market you should be able to command the price you expect. You need to do your research, and be realistic about whether you are superstar talent or just high performing.
4) Regardless of whether or not you were earning at or below or even above the market average for your career, your past salary is not relevant. You may have had any number of reasons for working below market in the past, but what is important now is that you earn current market rates for the work you do. Your past doesn't explain your worth as a resource to the new employer.
5) If you divulge your salary, restate that you expect to be paid the standard industry rate for the posting, and explain what you do understand about the industry at that time. Most employers will respect you for standing your ground on the matter. Just remember that in negotiating you should be firm in your stance but respectful in your demeanor.
Do not lie in your interview. The employer has ways to detect what you really earned, either through asking you to produce a pay stub, or asking if they can confirm it with your previous employer. Remember, the value you bring is the value you bring, and that is the bottom line if the employer wants to hire you. - 15465
About the Author:
Trevor Davide Grant is a project manager in the IT field and has extensive experience in salary negotiation. Trevor has worked for global telecom, power utililties, software development consulting, and a prominent social network. He has learned how to negotiate a salary in the most effective way. Learn great tactics on the topic of negotiating salary at www.HowToNegotiateASalary.com.
