Not Sharing Has its Risks
by SuzyQ
(Glen Allen, VA)
For almost every position that I've held in my adult life, I have been asked to provide information about my previous salary, either on the application form, during the interview, or at the stage where an offer was being made. I never felt uncomfortable revealing that information. Most jobs I applied for had a salary range listed, so I was not expecting to ask or demand outrageous compensation. When I was offered positions, the salary was competitive to other jobs in that class, and except for one job, more than what I had been making previously. Knowing an applicant's salary history provides a snapshot of that person's worth to their employer and gives an idea of their progression in their career. I would be more concerned if the company started asking questions about my personal life or habits.
I have also been in the reverse situation as a hiring manager, where a completed application form is required prior to any interview. Salary information is part of the form. Any applicant who neglected to fill in the blanks was immediately rejected, regardless of how comprehensive their background or experience in other areas. In some cases, I called the applicants and reminded them that they needed to fill in the salary field. Some did, but many refused. So they were rejected without any further consideration.
When I was in a position to hire, someone who had a previous salary that was much higher than what was being offered was looked at carefully. Understanding why they were willing to take a tremendous pay cut required further questioning. Some reasons were understandable: they recently relocated, they had been out of the workforce due to family issues, they took a break to take classes, etc. But some explanations didn't make any sense, so they needed to be checked out carefully.
My recommendation is that you share the salary information if you are asked. The HR department can find the information if it's that important. But refusing to reveal your salary history opens up many other questions, which might just keep you out of a job.
