Salary expectations

Milky_Mocha

So I'm being offered a job and the prospective employer has asked what my current salary is before making the offer formally. I know what the salary scale for that industry is and it's much higher than my current salary, which is in a different industry. Do HR tend to offer a certain percentage above the prospective employee's current salary or do they benchmark against the equivalent role salary levels for the company, even if it means a 50% rise?

Scorpio33

At the end of the day, you know what the role should be paying and therefore that is what you should be accepting. You don't have to accept the role if the Salary is not acceptable enough.


I am guessing they are wanting your current salary to negotiate a lower starting salary for you. By all means tell them that salary, but then tell also tell them that what your expectations are.


If they don't offer what you want, don't accept it.

[Deleted User]

"My salary is X, but I'm only looking to move to roles that pay at least Y"

Make sure Y is a nice figure

Milky_Mocha

Thank you. That makes sense. I've done that. A section of the form asked what I'm expecting to be offered. Now fingers crossed that they don't think it's unreasonable.

moneyman911

The answer is yes, when hiring employers and managers who control budgets do take into account previous salaries and other offers.

Plus oddly enough from a management perspective I often find it's better to give someone less with room for a rise in 6-12 months if performance is good.

As daft as it is giving someone their max rate from the start isn't just bad business practice it leaves them feeling devalued when they come for review etc and there's no money for a raise etc.

But, when it comes to actionable advice, if the offers lower than you'd like request a formal pay review after you've been there for 6 months. Most employers will agree. You may have to push for it to actually happen mind.

Milky_Mocha

I haven't been as proactive with negotiating my salary in the past so have learnt that way, but at the same time, wouldn't want to miss out on a good role because they felt my expectations were too high.
I'm hoping that employers take into account the fact that huge disparity in salaries amongst people of the same level would be demoralizing because employees do talk. Even if they don't, vastly different lifestyles would become apparent.
Still keeping my fingers crossed ��

an9i77

In my experience employers will pay as little as they can to get the most that they can.

Do you know what the most they will pay is? I'd ask for that as it will have been signed off when the job was authorised. It's rare in my experience that employers ask for salary details on a reference.

DevilsAdvocate1

an9i77 wrote: »

In my experience employers will pay as little as they can to get the most that they can.

Do you know what the most they will pay is? I'd ask for that as it will have been signed off when the job was authorised. It's rare in my experience that employers ask for salary details on a reference.

They might not ask for it on a reference, but my husband has been asked to supply a range of payslips over a period of several years for his new job (which he starts tomorrow). Partly this is to prove he worked for his employer (they refused to send a reference because they said they had no record of my husband working for them - he's worked for them for 17 years!).

an9i77

Ok - that's unusual. I've worked in HR for 12 years have never seen a reference request for salary or salary given on standard references. Never say never though!

FireWyrm

Milky_Mocha wrote: »

So I'm being offered a job and the prospective employer has asked what my current salary is before making the offer formally. I know what the salary scale for that industry is and it's much higher than my current salary, which is in a different industry. Do HR tend to offer a certain percentage above the prospective employee's current salary or do they benchmark against the equivalent role salary levels for the company, even if it means a 50% rise?

I have always refused to answer this question. If they want to know, they can check my P60 after they have offered me a job. Salary is a negotiation. If you say that payscales are higher in this industry, then that is what they pay. If they wont pay it, it wasnt the job for you anyway, move on, they are trying to get someone cheap. Either your skills are desirable or they are not.

moneyman911

You'd think, but rarely. I once had a guy working under me who it turned out got paid less than someone he was training.

I wasn't impressed because higher ups had told me a very different story that they had in fact delivered him a pay rise of X when he was promoted to being directly under me. Turned out they hadn't.

And yes people do talk, but often employers can be daft. I wouldn't rely on their common sense to keep order.

Milky_Mocha wrote: »

I haven't been as proactive with negotiating my salary in the past so have learnt that way, but at the same time, wouldn't want to miss out on a good role because they felt my expectations were too high.
I'm hoping that employers take into account the fact that huge disparity in salaries amongst people of the same level would be demoralizing because employees do talk. Even if they don't, vastly different lifestyles would become apparent.
Still keeping my fingers crossed ��