Exaggerated Previous Salary

B_ecke_r

partyguinness wrote: »

But personally speaking I would take a rather dim view that someone looked into my eye and blatantly lied to my face. Maybe that is just me as I never lied or exaggerated in an interview simply because my motto is never lie about hard cold facts- it will come back to bite you and you have no defense.

A little puffing up? Yeah sure just a little but a blatant lie which can be easily disproved- not a good place to go as the OP has discovered.

While I would not say anything and leave it go it would certainly be noted mentally.

99% of every interview is based on lies and bull sh1t

partyguinness

B_ecke_r wrote: »

99% of every interview is based on lies and bull sh1t

Bull****...Yes.
Lies....Not so sure. If so then it is news to me as I never personally lied. Yeah sure like everyone you might puff up existing facts or embellish a little. Who hasn't done it.

But a downright lie about salary or even qualifications- risky business but the OP can blag his way out of it in the unlikely event that it becomes an issue.

B_ecke_r

suppose,

I would always answer that question in a way of regardless of what I'm on now X is the minimum I would expect to change roles

partyguinness

B_ecke_r wrote: »

suppose,

I would always answer that question in a way of regardless of what I'm on now X is the minimum I would expect to change roles

Yeah that's fair enough

"I'm on €35k now but my employer has intimated that will increase to €40k at next review...."

Now that may well be a complete and utter lie but you can get away with it.

paw patrol

OP honestly your new employer would think you are a bit of a dope if you didn't overstate your current salary

Teddy Daniels

I earn x with a bonus of x/4 if I hit my targets and also x/6 if I innovate in certain ways so if I do well in a year I get 141.6% of my salary. At this point (end of q1 ) if I left today I would have earned 25% of x so working out my salary based on my earnings so far this year would be out by a large margin.

fishy_fishy

Some jobs linked to public sector require proof of previous salary as it determines your entry point on the payscale. If it's that, then you'll probably just go in at a lower point

piplip87

I always add on a few grand to my salary but say I'd be willing to take a small cut to come work for your company as I feel (fill in flattering statement here) I still get a rise and shows you really want the job.

Charles Ingles

I'd be worried if I was you, lies always catch up with you.

Brian201888

It would never cross my mind to be honest about my current salary. If I'm looking for a new role I'm doing it because I want a significant payrise so I'll exaggerate my current salary to play the game. it's a nonsense question anyway, your current salary has no bearing on your worth to the new company but if employers insist on asking then I'm adding 15%-20% to the figure

matrim

Brian201888 wrote: »

It would never cross my mind to be honest about my current salary. If I'm looking for a new role I'm doing it because I want a significant payrise so I'll exaggerate my current salary to play the game. it's a nonsense question anyway, your current salary has no bearing on your worth to the new company but if employers insist on asking then I'm adding 15%-20% to the figure

TBH I usually answer by saying "I'm looking for around X depending on benefits" instead of saying what I'm earning.

It's can be hard to put an exact figure on what you get paid too. How much do you include for things like insurance / pension / other perks?

Dial Hard

I haven't been asked my current salary in years, it's far more common to be asked your salary expectation these days. And even if someone did ask my current salary, I'd just answer them with "My salary expectation is X."

ChikiChiki

Charles Ingles wrote: »

You will be caught out without a doubt.

How very naive of you. At a guess your an employer who is a fan if the race to the bottom?

It's an employees market! Always know your value and don't undersell yourself.

Good luck OP you will be fine.

ongarboy

I suspect the "you'll be caught out without a doubt" post is just a pointless statement with zero evidence to back it up and designed to scare OP. It has absolutely no basis in reality as all of the other posts with evidence based information prove.

If your past company paid 35K for a role that other companies typically pay 45K for the same role/expertise/skill set and you've done your research through Glassdoor, recruitment agencies etc then you are worth 45K for the expertise/skill set/experience you have and that is what you should base your expectation on as you would have been underpaid all along. Just because a prior employer underpaid you does not mean future employers are entitled to. But it is up to you to negotiate and confidently articulate your expectations with them.

Companies can and do hire different people and give them radically differing salaries even though the candidates may have the exact same abilities and experience. The reason being one candidate negotiated or held out for a better salary. This is easier to negotiate during a job seekers market (ie nowadays as we approach full employment and job seekers are scarce)...less so when it's an employers market and there are more job seekers than available roles.

sbsquarepants

The company will only have agreed to pay you what they think your roll is worth, maybe they would have gone even higher if you'd been a bit bolder in your response - they won't ever bother to check what the last company paid. It's a completely unrelated topic.

I personally wouldn't worry about it one bit - it's up to you to look out for you, it's up to them to look out for them!

partyguinness

Poster are mixing up two different scenarios here.

Going into an interview and trying to haggle a good increase on current salary is one thing. Going in an lying about your current salary is a different thing altogether.

partyguinness

ongarboy wrote: »

I suspect the "you'll be caught out without a doubt" post is just a pointless statement with zero evidence to back it up and designed to scare OP. It has absolutely no basis in reality as all of the other posts with evidence based information prove.

What evidence based information would that be? But I agree "you'll get caught out without a doubt" is just as extreme or pointless as "you have nothing to worry about. Nobody will check"

ongarboy wrote: »

If your past company paid 35K for a role that other companies typically pay 45K for the same role/expertise/skill set and you've done your research through Glassdoor, recruitment agencies etc then you are worth 45K for the expertise/skill set/experience you have and that is what you should base your expectation on as you would have been underpaid all along. Just because a prior employer underpaid you does not mean future employers are entitled to. But it is up to you to negotiate and confidently articulate your expectations with them.

Companies can and do hire different people and give them radically differing salaries even though the candidates may have the exact same abilities and experience. The reason being one candidate negotiated or held out for a better salary. This is easier to negotiate during a job seekers market (ie nowadays as we approach full employment and job seekers are scarce)...less so when it's an employers market and there are more job seekers than available roles.

This is where the waters are being muddied. The OP did not go in to an interview and when asked said "My salary expectations are around the €xx pa" even if that is a big jump on current role. There is nothing wrong with that.

The OP was asked about his current salary. He lied. He (or she) is now worried that the employer will find out. Reasonable to feel little a trepidation- I certainly would too. That is quite different from going in with and putting your expectations on the table.

But I think we have given the OP some ready made excuses if the situation arises.

Budawanny

Nothing to worry about here. They are paying you what they think you are worth. irrespective of what your previous employers paid you.
there is no chance payroll will know or care about this conversation either.

partyguinness

Budawanny wrote: »

there is no chance payroll will know or care about this conversation either.

Really? How do you know? It's not payroll that will care as you say but it is very easy for employer to find out if they are so minded.

sbsquarepants

partyguinness wrote: »

Really? How do you know? It's not payroll that will care as you say but it is very easy for employer to find out if they are so minded.

Why would they bother?

They agreed to pay him what they would have already agreed in advance that the job was worth. It's not like you can just rock up and say "well my last job payed half a million" and they'll agree!

They want him for the job, they're paying what they think he's worth - it's done and dusted. OP stop worrying about it - it's sorted, you've done well!

If it does come up, tell them the extra amount was a bonus or some such spiel.

There's just no problem here!

partyguinness

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Why would they bother?

They agreed to pay him what they would have already agreed in advance that the job was worth. It's not like you can just rock up and say "well my last job payed half a million" and they'll agree!

They want him for the job, they're paying what they think he's worth - it's done and dusted. OP stop worrying about it - it's sorted, you've done well!

If it does come up, tell them the extra amount was a bonus or some such spiel.

There's just no problem here!

Telling the OP 'there's just no problem here' or 'you will defo get caught' is just not helpful at all. We do not know that either way.


But if it does come up at least he can have his excuses ready to brush it off.

upinsmoke

Remember I was in a role and on 28K in Dublin, just starting off in IT. Went for an interview outside of Dublin and told them I was on that and said the wages won't be as high as Dublin but close enough to 28K. Offered me 37K to take the job the following week. I pushed for 40K and 37.5K in the end. I was shell shocked to say the least.

ULL be grand

Budawanny

partyguinness wrote: »

Really? How do you know? It's not payroll that will care as you say but it is very easy for employer to find out if they are so minded.

Because you misunderstand how the hiring process works.

The interviewer asks what your former salary is.
you say X , they say grand if they are happy with everything else.

Or you say X but I want Y. they evaluate this and say yes if they are happy with everything else.
No one gives a rats about this. its simply an entry point for price discussions. they are hiring you because they want you. end of. Ive part of countless hiring drives and that is how it works.

partyguinness

Budawanny wrote: »

Because you misunderstand how the hiring process works.

I am an employer. I know exactly the hiring process works thank you very much and I have also been on the other side of the table many times.

If an employee told me €x pa answering a straight question and after hiring them I wanted to check it is very easy for me to do so. Now if they lied I would just let it go but I would certainly take a mental note. Not sure about anyone else I do not take kindly to members of staff blatantly lying to me face. In fact I would be more annoyed that they were not cuter about it and would doubt if they were up to the job if they have exposed themselves so easily.

Budawanny wrote: »

The interviewer asks what your former salary is.
you say X , they say grand if they are happy with everything else.

Yeah that's fine but the issue is the OP lied about his salary and that is what he is worried about.

Budawanny wrote: »

Or you say X but I want Y. they evaluate this and say yes if they are happy with everything else.
No one gives a rats about this. its simply an entry point for price discussions. they are hiring you because they want you. end of. Ive part of countless hiring drives and that is how it works.

That's fine and accepted practice but that's not what happened in this instance.

skallywag

This is going to be no issue at all.

They have now agreed to pay you X, nobody is now going to give a single hoot as to what you may have had before.

Keyzer

I know a guy who did this years ago.

He was sacked 45 mins after he started his new job for falsifying his job application.

partyguinness

Keyzer wrote: »

I know a guy who did this years ago.

He was sacked 45 mins after he started his new job for falsifying his job application.

I have been struck at how relaxed posters are about lying so blatantly especially about something easily disproved. Exaggerating is one thing but a downright lie is another. What's done is done and hopefully for the OP it will not be an issue.

I read in the past few months of a lawyer in London who lied about his qualifications. Was rumbled a few years (yes years) later and was struck off and banned from the profession. Full stop. Why his employer did not check I have no idea.

Budawanny

partyguinness wrote: »

I am an employer. I know exactly the hiring process works thank you very much and I have also been on the other side of the table many times.

If an employee told me €x pa answering a straight question and after hiring them I wanted to check it is very easy for me to do so. Now if they lied I would just let it go but I would certainly take a mental note. Not sure about anyone else I do not take kindly to members of staff blatantly lying to me face. In fact I would be more annoyed that they were not cuter about it and would doubt if they were up to the job if they have exposed themselves so easily.



Yeah that's fine but the issue is the OP lied about his salary and that is what he is worried about.



That's fine and accepted practice but that's not what happened in this instance.

That's precisely what happened in this instance.

partyguinness

Budawanny wrote: »

That's precisely what happened in this instance.

So i have applied for a new role in a new company, they have made me an offer but i feel i have cornered myself now by exaggerating my previous salary, I regret it and i won't be doing it again, i'm super stressed about it. I'm thinking of refusing the offer just in case i get caught out

Really? That is not my reading of it.

You cannot exaggerate your previous salary- it's pretty black and white. It is either say, €35k pa or it is not. Now we do not know who much the OP 'exaggerated' by but it is enough to make him worried.

'Exaggerate' is this instance is a euphemism for lied.

skallywag

I never ask someone what their current salary is, but will certainly ask what their expectation is.

At this point many candidates will answer 'well my current salary is x', which I take to mean that they are not going to settle for anything less than that, and are ideally looking for a reasonable increase on that, say 10-25% usually. I really could not care less if they are not being honest about what the exact current salary is though. I will have a good idea before the interview as to what salary region this person is going to fall into, based on the salaries & experiences of others in the same team, and this is how much that person is going to be offered within a small plus or minus, regardless of what their real current salary or fictional current salary is.

I really see it as a non issue.