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kenzie · Chanel

Salary history?

bex · Chanel

one of my best friends is a VP of a temporary agency and she has started asking for her sales people's past "offer letters" so that she knows they are giving her the correct salaries and not making things up.

also, when my BF was hiring his assistant at work, he asked for a salary requirement and those cover letters that came in that didn't address that were immediately thrown out with no consideration!

from my personal experience, i always have given a range of about 5K when asked for my salary requirement. i feel it is just best to be forthright about everything. in today's society i think it is refreshing to have a job candidate that speaks candidly and honestly about their past.

good luck!

kenzie · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: bex
"one of my best friends is a VP of a temporary agency and she has started asking for her sales people's past "offer letters" so that she knows they are giving her the correct salaries and not making things up.

How is that legal???!!! But anyway, if someone asked me for that, I would be SOL b/c I've never received an offer letter. It was always just told to me what I would be making. Gotta love how professional the world of retail is. I need a real freaking job.

I have no problem being honest, but the problem that happens with that is that alot of employers won't even look at me b/c I make too much money for the positions I'm a applying for. So, that's why I'm having an issue. If the salary ranges were the same or closer to what I'm making, I wouldn't care, but I've had issues with employers not wanting to hire me b/c I make too much. So, that's the issue, not whether or not I want to divulge information (but it really is illegal in PA to ask that).

-- Edited by NylaBelle at 09:48, 2005-04-22

bex · Chanel

my friend is hiring people in CA so that might be the difference.

i would just give them your history. if the job is meant to be you are going to get it. you can't force the issue (and i know how much you want to force it because of your situation!)

good luck NylaBelle! I hope you find something you love... and get the hell out of retail!

kenzie · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: bex
"my friend is hiring people in CA so that might be the difference. i would just give them your history. if the job is meant to be you are going to get it. you can't force the issue (and i know how much you want to force it because of your situation!) good luck NylaBelle! I hope you find something you love... and get the hell out of retail!"

Thanks, bex. I just gave them my previous salary range. I hope that works.

poptart · Coach

Nylabelle,

Good luck! I'm sure it won't make too big of a difference. But another option (for next time) might be to give your desired salary range instead. That way you are being honest about what you want, but leaving room for negotiation, and not turning them off b/c your current salary is higher.

Dizzy · Marc Jacobs

If they're going to be this sticky about how much they might have to pay you, why would you want to work there? I know a lot of places do this, but I think it's a huge red flag that this place just wants to put SOMEONE in a a slot, and it doesn't matter who you are or what you bring. That says a LOT about the kidn of work they expect, the kidn of treatment you'll get, and so on... none of it is good. Do you know anyone at this place? If so, get them to waive the requirement for you. If not, move on. It's just another trap...

lynnie · Chanel

I recruit people and we ask what people make all the time. it's not really a big deal, candidates are quite clear when they are willing to take a paycut. It is hard to come up with an offer if someone has no idea what you're making. If someone is uncomfortable with an exact number, I just ask for a range, 50-55 is what i write down and it's fine. If someone makes 55,000 a year, but the position pays 45,000-50,000, the company may give them 50,000 plus a signing bonus. The employer will try to compromise, and you may sell yourself short if you put yourself in the low end. Just be honest about your salary, tell them you really really want to work for them, and you will be willing to take the necessary paycuts. That way, if they are willing to pay in a certain range, you will get the higher end and they will know you're qualified. We look at the people that are paid a lot as better candidates and more experienced, not as too expensive unless they truly are not willing to compromise. Hope that helps!

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: NylaBelle
"What do you put when in a cover letter when an employer requests salary history? I know that they just do this to weed out candidates. But (at least in PA), it's illegal to check someone's salary history. How can I get around this? I don't want to not be considered b/c they think I make too much (I'm willing to take a paycut for the sake of my sanity). I've not gotten jobs before b/c I gave my salary history and the company didn't want to make me take a paycut. Would something like this be okay? "As per your request for salary history, I would be happy to provide this if granted an interview." Or is that obnoxious? I always say when they ask for salary requirements, "As per your request for salary requirements, mine are negotiable" Or something like that, but I'm stumped on the salary history thing. Help!! Thanks."

I think you should give them the salary history, but convey to them that your main motivation is not financial, but is a career change that reflects your interests, education, and talents, and that you are willing to negotiate on salary.

I don't think that not giving it to them or saying that you will give it later is a good idea although I know, from my own job searches, that this advice is given a lot on career advice websites. Giving your salary requirements instead may be a tempting option, but I would be afraid they would think I didn't understand what they were asking for or they would just be generally annoyed. Also, I think if you don't give a salary history, the employer may just weed you out because the fact that they asked for one reflects that it is part of their hiring process.

I hated being asked for my salary history for the opposite reason as you. I was making way less than I deserved and wanted to make. At both of the crappy recruiters I went to, they told me that I couldn't expect to go from what I was making then to what I wanted to make (which seriously still wasn't that much money). The one woman recruiter kept calling me with things that were below the range I wanted. I finally came out and was honest with her. I told her I didn't want to switch careers to make $2000 more. I was quite comfortable with most aspects of my job besides the pay and I wasn't going to give it up unless I was making at least $10,000 more. She never called me again. And now I am making $10,000 more so screw them! After that experience with the recruiters, I knew I was just setting myself up for disaster when I was asked for a salary history. I just stopped applying for those jobs that asked for it. I didn't know what else to do. There was really no good way to articulate that although I had taken such a low salary before, I would not do it again. And I didn't want to go in and interview with someone who thought they would be able to woo me away over a few thousand dollars.

Salary requirement kind of sucks, too. Sometimes you just have no clue what they are offering. I know Salary.com is a great resource for some, but I can never quite find a good match for my job title or for the one I would be applying for and therefore, can't compare the salaries so much. So, what do you do? You may in all honesty be willing to take $40,000, but don't want to end up underpaid if they really could have offered $70,000. If you say too low, they will pay you too low. If you give too high of a range, they may not interview you at all.

Since I understandably have great empathy for anyone who is really frustrated with the job search process, if I were a recruiter or human resources manager, I would look through the resumes and determine what range I would be willing to offer the employee based on their experience. I would then call the ones I am interested in up and let them know over the phone what we are looking to offer before bringing them in for an interview. I wouldn't ask them for a salary history or requirement on their resume.

lilmissdiva · Kenneth Cole

Ok, so I'm the oddball.

Here's my scoop on this- I have an interview today. It says ENTRY LEVEL but they require a Bachelor's degree. My problem is they DIDN'T ask for salary requirements. So.... I'm afraid that I might go in there and its for under what I'm making now. They don't know what I'm currently making or asking and because they didn't put it in the description of the job, I don't know what I could make with them. UGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!

I would rather they know where I stand, IMO, don't call me unless my range is agreeable with what you'll willing to pay. Ya know?