It’s the day you have been eagerly waiting for. Your joy knows no bounds as you have finally landed your dream job. However, out of the blue, there is one thing that puts a damper on your happiness. It is when you get a call from the human resources department asking you to submit your salary history. If you have ever faced such a situation, you will know how distressing it can be. This is something that happens most often to job seekers who are informed either through the job advertisement or the human resource department to include their salary history. It is only natural if you find yourself at a loss or awkward situation while responding to such a request. For many, it is nothing short of a personal intrusion asking them to share information that they guard fiercely even from best friends. Knowing your salary history makes the employer exercise power over you with regard to salary negotiations. If your past salary was lower than what the position pays, the employer may offer you less than what was earlier planned. Conversely, if your pay was considerably more than a prospective job, you can intimidate the employer thus risking your chance of getting the offer. For more details on the same, go through the information below.
Providing Salary Requirements
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When you are asked to give information about your pay history, one strategy to deal with it is to give careful consideration to the timing of the request. This is because a request that comes at the beginning of your job search usually grants less wiggle room. For instance, some job advertisements mention categorically that only applications including salary history will be taken up for consideration.
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There are times when you make it to the interview stage before the issue of salary history is broached. You can thank your stars as this can give you the benefit of having a one-on-one conversation rather than a one-way communication.
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When facing such a request, you can ignore it. In fact, many do believe that employers have no business to request for salary history even before or after the scheduling of interview. However, doing so implies running the risk of being dismissed by the employer. If you are lucky and worth your salt, you may still be considered by the prospective employer.
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You must never on your own include your salary history on your resume. Your performance thus far should speak for itself as it holds greater importance than what you were previously paid. But, if you are giving information about it, you can provide an idea of what you earned without spelling out the exact amount. For instance, you can simply say that you earned in the 50s.
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While mentioning your salary, you can point out other benefits such as stock options or annual bonuses that augmented your basic salary. This strategy gives the employer a fair idea about your salary expectations.
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Bear in mind that fudging the amount will do no good to you and your reputation. Lying about your previous pay will dent your credibility as employers often verify salary history through reference checks. Showing your history is a better option than fibbing.
Salary history is a popular method employed by employers to eliminate applicants who expect more than what they are willing to pay. Even though your income is extremely confidential, there is not much you can do about it as it is not illegal for employers to ask for salary history. Hence, you ought to plan in advance to address the issue tactfully. Hope the information in the article above helped you with useful insights to handle salary history requests.
