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"At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the antidote."
Emo Philips

Meshio.com

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Expected Salary vs Previous Salary

If you are like any other person that I have met during job interviews, you probably fall into the same trap alongside with the new fresh grads who are all too new to the evil working society.

You ever wondered why they actually have this clause: “Current Salary”?

This makes it easy for the HR Manager to cap a limit to your “Expected Salary”. Come on, why else will your new employer ask you for your current salary? So that he can tell you, hey, I am going to double that with these benefits that you can’t resist?!

Well, my advise is don’t reveal your current salary to your prospective employer even if it cost you the job…maybe close to losing the job.

If they insist you to reveal it, ask them straight in the face, with utmost politeness of course- “Why do you need to know?”

Yep, sometimes you need to answer a question with a question when the situation is not favourable to you. Let them give you the 101 excuses that they have up their sleeves, and in the end, still answering them with the same thing- “It’s my own private business. And I am asking now for this salary which I am think I am worthy of. If you have problem paying me this, then you are either doubting my professionalism or you are trying to bargain with my professional fee which is going to make you look really stupid, aint it?

Well, I don’t know about you, I don’t think it’s a good practice to be revealing or to ask about current salary during interviews. What are your thoughts?





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  • You read my mind brah! Why on earth would they need to know right? If ur planning to hire me, pay me what YOU think I'm worth, not what my current/previous company thinks.My previous/current salary my friend, is IRRELEVANT.
  • Are u saying we should not put the real current salary in r resume? izzit?
  • i think the moment I mention my current salary, my interviewer gives me a pass :P hehe. All the companies i hv applied for cant afford 2 hire me... hence, my current situation ^_^
  • funny thing is... it doesn't make a difference even after i lower my expected salary or mention that i'm willing to work for less.
  • oysterman
    Zeke, which is why, it is pertinent you do not reveal your current/salary history, so that you can adjust your expectations up and down without being discriminated.


    If you adjust down, they will think you are only using them as temporary stepping stone before you jump ship to a higher paying job.



    That's why, we must NEVER reveal our salary history, even if it means costing us the job.
  • oysterman: Thanks 4 the tip ;) Will keep that in mind should I decide to go back to a full time job
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