Urgent advice needed - being asked to email last 4 years salary and targets

doireann08

Hi everyone

This is a bit of an unusual one. I work in software sales for over 10 years . A recruiter ( employee not recruitment agency) for a well known multinational contacted me on LinkedIn to see if I was interested in a specific role. I had an initial call with recruiter , told them my salary expectations , career expectations etc . I had another telephone interview with a senior HR person today. At the end of the call HR person said they would like me to meet the hiring managers over the next 3 weeks

After the interview, the HR person sends me an email essentially asking me to email my salary for the last 4 years as well as my targets and performance against target.

Some of this is already in my CV, but I've never been asked to email my salary history over 4 years? Has anyone come across this? I feel they will use this info to try and negotiate a lower salary . Given that this company approached me and I'm on a great salary now, I need advice on how to respond to this request ?

The position I am interviewing for sounds great , but am undecided on if I should give them my salary info. I still have two more interviews to go so nowhere near offer stage

evey3624

Hi doireann08

This would suggest to me that they want to see how you have progressed over the years in terms of targets, if you reached them and how your performance was rewarded in terms of salary increase. It would identify if you have improved year on year.

I would be worried that they have requested this information already. Are they a competitor of your organisation? Do they have something to gain from getting this information from you? These are questions I would ask myself and if you are not comfortable giving this information, ring HR and ask them why the require this information at this stage.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Dr.Internet

Not a hope I'd email over the last 4 years salary. Ask them are they for real?

Jim2007

doireann08 wrote: »

After the interview, the HR person sends me an email essentially asking me to email my salary for the last 4 years as well as my targets and performance against target.

Providing salary statements is one thing, but providing targets etc... is out of scope. It could be classified as competitive information from your current employer's point of view and could become problematic for you should your employer find out.

Gerry T

It's none of their business. Your experience and how they see your fit into their Co is what's important. If they decide your the right person for the job they make an offer. If you like the job and package accept it. What your current package is, is of no importance. I wouldn't give them the info. Turn the table, ask them are they interested and if so to make an offer which you will give careful consideration

dudara

Your salary and targets are confidential information with your current employer. I would reply to them stating as such and that you regretfully decline to share the specific details. You can say that you achieved an X% increase every year (as that won't reveal specifics) and you can mention your expected salary.

BizzyC

Very odd request, there's no way I'd comply with that one.

All they should need to know is how much they need to offer you to have a chance of you leaving your current role, what you've earned in the past has no bearing.

doireann08

evey3624 wrote: »

Hi doireann08

This would suggest to me that they want to see how you have progressed over the years in terms of targets, if you reached them and how your performance was rewarded in terms of salary increase. It would identify if you have improved year on year.

I would be worried that they have requested this information already. Are they a competitor of your organisation? Do they have something to gain from getting this information from you? These are questions I would ask myself and if you are not comfortable giving this information, ring HR and ask them why the require this information at this stage.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks - I agree that they are asking because they want to see evidence of progression . They are not a competitor , they have nothing to gain apart from the fact that they can see my performance , pay and use that info to determine a package. I'm not comfortable giving this info. I will ask HR why they want this info but I am sure their answer will be that they need to see evidence .
I checked glassdoor and it seems that this is part of their standard procedure. I have never come across it. I'm pretty sure it's in violation of my terms of employment and also the quarterly certifications I have to sign .

newacc2015

Just tell you have signed a nondisclosure agreement and you can't discuss this info. You might actually have one in your contract somewhere

doireann08

newacc2015 wrote: »

Just tell you have signed a nondisclosure agreement and you can't discuss this info. You might actually have one in your contract somewhere

I spoke to a friend of mine who is a recruiter for an American software company and she said that this is becoming standard practice in the US . She said that she heard the confidentiality line being used a lot . Her advise was if I was interested in the role, then I should give them the info

4Marie

Can you ask the recruiting agency for advise? They would already know a lot about the procedure.

Also if you check the job spec, do you need to have a proven track record of achievement ?

davo10

Do you want the job and are they likely to end their interest in you if you turn down a request for information which they feel is necessary to make their decision?

If they are not a competitor, there is no risk of giving away trade secrets and to be fair, asking what you were paid over the last couple of years and to prove you met targets is a pretty benign question. Some on here will tell you it's none of their business and that they shouldn't be asking, you can take their advice, take the moral high ground, tell them it's none of their business and outside the scope, and strike a blow for the down trodden against The Man, or you can forward the info and improve your chances of getting the job you want.

If the op asked what targets would have to be met at the new job and what the likely salary would be including increases over the next 4 years, what would the op think if the employer replied that that information is classified or outside the scope? I think the op would walk.

davo10

BizzyC wrote: »

Very odd request, there's no way I'd comply with that one.

All they should need to know is how much they need to offer you to have a chance of you leaving your current role, what you've earned in the past has no bearing.

Whether the op is any good and has actually met targets does have a huge baring. I heard an employment consultant on the Matt Cooper show a few weeks ago, she said that 80% of cvs contain false information about qualifications and/or achievements.

Manach

The salary information is private to the company/person and has not a bearing on the new job. That should be determined by the relevant market rates. As mentioned by other posters this seems to be fishing expediation to use the salary as a bargaining tool.

davo10

Manach wrote: »

The salary information is private to the company/person and has not a bearing on the new job. That should be determined by the relevant market rates. As mentioned by other posters this seems to be fishing expediation to use the salary as a bargaining tool.

How do you know that? The op posted that a friend works in recruitment for a U.S. Company and that this is standard. Sometimes you have to see the bigger picture, is being prissy over being asked for target/salary info better than giving the info and improving the your chances of getting the job?

Whether the candidate can achieve targets is very important, market rates are a guide but if an employer wants a person bad enough they will offer more, and how does the employer decide if they want a candidate? By meeting them and checking past performance.

uck51js9zml2yt

Targets and hence sales would be confidential to the business. Your salary is your business and it's up to you whether you share that or not.

Manach

davo10 wrote: »

How do you know that? The op posted that a friend works in recruitment for a U.S. Company and that this is standard. Sometimes you have to see the bigger picture, is being prissy over being asked for target/salary info better than giving the info and improving the your chances of getting the job?

Whether the candidate can achieve targets is very important, market rates are a guide but if an employer wants a person bad enough they will offer more, and how does the employer decide if they want a candidate? By meeting them and checking past performance.

Whilst I do have a crystal ball that accurately enumerates all possible outcomes as your standards suggest I've fair enough experience both how recruiters fish for information as well as knowing the concept of the anchoring effect for salary negotiations.

bucketybuck

davo10 wrote: »

is being prissy over being asked for target/salary info better than giving the info and improving the your chances of getting the job?

Or better than giving the info and effectively neutering your ability to negotiate a salary...

Cyrus

bucketybuck wrote: »

Or better than giving the info and effectively neutering your ability to negotiate a salary...

Either they offer a package he wants or they don't he said he likes his job and has a good salary they contacted him so up to them to tempt him to move

davo10

bucketybuck wrote: »

Or better than giving the info and effectively neutering your ability to negotiate a salary...

There may not be any salary negotiation to neuter if they do not recieve the info they want. Honestly, you guys must think every job application/offer requires experience in espionage and the ability to disappear off the grid just in case an employer asks you for some more detailed info. The company is potentially going to offer the job, they want some tangible evidence that the op can meet targets, they are not asking for a history sexual partners or for him/her to donate a kidney, just some proof that he/she can do the job. Get over yourselves, not every employer spends their time on "fishing expeditions" or collecting data on companies that are not even competitors. Mindless stuff.

bucketybuck

davo10 wrote: »

There may not be any salary negotiation to neuter if they do not recieve the info they want. Honestly, you guys must think every job application/offer requires experience in espionage and the ability to disappear off the grid just in case an employer asks you for some more detailed info. The company is potentially going to offer the job, they want some tangible evidence that the op can meet targets, they are not asking for a history sexual partners or for him/her to donate a kidney, just some proof that he/she can do the job. Get over yourselves, not every employer spends their time on "fishing expeditions" or collecting data on companies that are not even competitors. Mindless stuff.

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about something.

davo10

bucketybuck wrote: »

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about something.

Because I offer a different point of view to you?

Not at all, I think it is getting harder for employers to employ good people because though they may have first class degrees, they are often missing common sense. This is an example of just that, not on the op's part. Here we have an employer offering a job the op wants but before the employer goes any further with the process, they want some evidence that the op is up to the task. His/her friend confirms that this is standard for US companies but for some reason he is being advised to deny their request because "it's outside the scope" or "it's none of their business" etc, what utter rubbish, if you want a job, help yourself to get it, and if that means giving some benign info, what is the problem?

Dr.Internet

It's the recruiter that's chasing the OP, not the OP desperately chasing the recruiter.

Mrs OBumble

Manach wrote: »

The salary information is private to the company/person

Says who? The only employers I've met who tried to say that my salary was confidential information were dodgy as f***.

Anabelle Nutritious Snowshoe wrote: »

Targets and hence sales would be confidential to the business. Your salary is your business and it's up to you whether you share that or not.

IMHO, this is correct. It may even be a test to see if you will divulge confidential information.

Riverireland

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Says who? The only employers I've met who tried to say that my salary was confidential information were dodgy as f***.




IMHO, this is correct. It may even be a test to see if you will divulge confidential information.

I'd agree. There is a point where if you feel uncomfortable with the line of questioning you need to ask yourself if this is the company for you. I certainly wouldn't be giving that information to a rival of the company I work for.

davo10

Riverireland wrote: »

I'd agree. There is a point where if you feel uncomfortable with the line of questioning you need to ask yourself if this is the company for you. I certainly wouldn't be giving that information to a rival of the company I work for.

Op said they are not rivals. How is telling what you earn or what targets you met a breach of confidentiality, what clause in a contract prevents you from giving this information?

uck51js9zml2yt

davo10 wrote: »

Op said they are not rivals. How is telling what you earn or what targets you met a breach of confidentiality, what clause in a contract prevents you from giving this information?

It doesn't matter whether they are rivals or not.
Company targets and hence sales are confidential. Passing that information on is a breach of trust and personally I wouldn't employ someone I couldn't trust.

davo10

Anabelle Nutritious Snowshoe wrote: »

It doesn't matter whether they are rivals or not.
Company targets and hence sales are confidential. Passing that information on is a breach of trust and personally I wouldn't employ someone I couldn't trust.

Company targets are discussed at shareholders meetings and for publicly quoted companies they are made known to the stock exchange, how is telling an interviewer that you completed a required task/reached at target a breach of confidence, some of this stuff is just absurd. The idea of an interview is to show the perspective employer that you are the right person for the job. Why would the op be concerned about being sued for breach of confidentiality by showing them that he/she met a required target, he/she doesn't need to give away trade secrets or IP, just show what he/she is capable of.

We live in an age where companies do background checks, medical exams, Garda vetting etc, and you guys are worried about the op handing over salary/target details, give me a break.

doireann08

Think I'm just going to chat to the HR person , they said they need it so that they can give the hiring manager a more accurate view . However they want breakdown of sales - new v's add on . I understand why they would ask but it makes me uncomfortable . I checked my quarterly certification doc and it does have a confidentiality clause in it - but it doesn't specify salary