Questions of Salary History
Sometimes employers will request information regarding your salary history on initial application or during an interview. Employers utilize salary histories to gauge where they should begin their salaries, to determine if a prospective employee’s salary is likely within the budget for the position and to indicate a prospective employee’s performance in previous positions based upon frequency and amouts of raises the candidate has received. How should you respond to to questions of salary history? On an application, the words, “open,” “negotiable,” and “competitive” are appropriate. In discussing your salary history during an interview or in a letter to an employer, acknowledge the request, but be vague in your response. Regardless of how you vaguely acknowledge the request for your salary history, creating a relationship between your salary history and a current potential offer should be avoided. The current salary should be based only on the value of the vacant position and your qualifications for that position.