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Writer's pictureRobert Hurley

Tell Me Your Salary History – or Else!!


Would this happen?


You went to an exciting new restaurant you’d heard about. The host seated you, and the server came to the table with the menus. What? There weren’t any prices listed!


That’s weird, you thought, but you and your friends decided on your dinners and waited for the server to return. When she came for your order, you asked for the seafood but wondered aloud, “What’s the price?”


The server replied with a question, “What have you paid for your meals in your last three restaurant visits?” You declined to answer, and she said, “I’m sorry we can’t continue this meal.” and walked away. You left the restaurant wondering what had just happened.

Ridiculous story, isn’t it? That’s not how it works.


This is what employers do!


You apply online for a job on some website that demands to know your salary history and won’t allow you to continue unless you enter the numbers. Or you arrived at an interview where one of the first questions was about your salary for your past three jobs. If you declined to answer, the interviewer told you that they HAVE to know this information to proceed.


This story isn’t so absurd, is it? It happens every day ─ it’s what most businesses do. Why? Because they want to know how little they can pay you if you get the job, and people are rewarded for cutting costs. (“Maybe we can get Jim to take the job for less than budget! That will be a great cost savings!”).


What if you asked how little work you could do if you took the job?


We believe that employers with integrity share their salary range and confirm that it would be acceptable to you if you’re invited to join their team.


There’s an entire book’s worth of discussion on this topic, but in the meantime, contact us at The Resume Constructor if you’d like some guidance on avoiding this and other job hunting obstacles.

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