Lying about salary to recruiters? | Hacker News Reader

Lying about salary to recruiters?

2 pointspoofball5 comments

First of all, disclosure: New account to protect identity.

For a while now I've been poking around and seeing what other opportunities are out there for me. For the last few years I've been with a company that notoriously underpays it's developers. In the last few months, I've been held back from promotions and working / planning new projects.

For these reasons I've decided that it's probably time for a change. However, I've been stuck at this lower salary now for quite some time. In past discussions with recruiters about positions, I've disclosed my salary and only got offers that were a little bit better. Nothing ground shaking, but still not enough to ditch the few perks that I still have where I am.

So I decided to try something new. When asked by recruiters what my salary is, I first try and dodge the question. If they persist, I tell them my salary is what I feel I should be making instead of what I actually am. I usually raise this number by around 25 - 35% more than what I am making now. After doing this, I am getting interviews for positions that are willing to pay me between 50 - 70% more than what I am currently making.

My questions to everyone is this:

1.) Do you think this is unethical?

2.) Have you ever done this? (If Yes: Have you ran into any issues after doing so?)

3.) Am I stupid for not doing this sooner?

I haven't done this, I've been lucky enough to get out of being underpaid by getting poached for much higher figures. That said, agencies have two conflicting incentives. One is to get a person landed for the highest possible salary, since they get a percentage fee, the other is to place someone who is capable of doing the job. I think they mostly ask you for your current salary as a gauge for your current level of experience or capability. Since you're underpaid, that gauge isn't entirely accurate, so I think it's perfectly understandable to want to tell them what you think you are worth. It's not totally honest, but then again the agencies are also not totally honest with you either. I would do it. I don't think this will come back and bite you at any point. Most people never have to negotiate business deals, but they have to negotiate a salary, and many people are bad at that. There's a certain level of bluffing involved, and you should try to do it without having to lie.

If you want to be totally squeaky clean on this in your conscience, then it would really be best not to disclose your salary in the first place. This is sometimes a good strategy too, since people feel compelled not to insult you with too low an offer. Only sometimes.

This is the way that I feel. I feel that when disclosing salary, even when saying I feel I should be paid more has put me at this exact disadvantage.

I don't really care about my conscience. That is a pretty easy thing to get over. I do worry, only slightly, that it may come back to bite me if my current employer discloses my salary. I'm not overly concerned by this as the one recruiter I'm working with has made mention that she just wants a ball park of what I want to make. So I'm happy about that.

My biggest angst is that a lot of recruiters will undersell just to fill a position. I'm trying to avoid that. Especially if I go full time at said position. I don't want to try and fight my salary up again.

I think this puts you at an unfair disadvantage. Who wants to hire someone who lies? What will you say AFTER a good interview then your future employers start to do a background check?

Be honest with the recruiters and tell them you wouldn't bother interviewing for a job that is not in your target range.

IMO To say my current employer is paying me X when there not is not right, I would have said it doesn't matter what there paying me now, this is what I want to make if I change jobs.

That way you didn't lie and you made your point about future salary requirements.

I think it never hurts to shop around, if nothing else it keeps your current employer honest.

I would simply state "That is considered confidential information at my current employer. I would consider an offer in the ballpark of /x/."

2 Things - It shows that you take confidentiality seriously even when looking at leaving your current company (and its likely the policy there anyway). Secondly, it is truthful.

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