One of the most common recruiting practices today is to seek out a candidate’s salary history. By asking a candidate what they made at each of their previous jobs, employers are able to offer a salary that is in alignment with what the candidate previously made. Hiring managers like this practice because they believe it helps them avoid overpaying. However, states like Massachusetts are now passing laws prohibiting companies from asking the salary history question.
Here’s where your salary history questions can get you in trouble...
Online applications are where this practice gets really sticky. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) usually require a candidate to fill in all fields, or risk being disqualified. When a company makes salary history a field on an application, it essentially “compels” the candidate to answer. This is why states are now passing laws against it. It shouldn’t matter what they made previously. To be paid fairly, it’s up to the employer to set a pay rate and the candidate to decide if the rate is acceptable.
That being said, even if there wasn’t legal action going on to end this recruiting tactic, Ed and J.T. both think pushing a candidate for their salary history is BRT (bad recruiting technique). If a
recruiter knows how to ask the right questions on the interview, then she/he should be able to determine what the candidate is worth and if the company’s salary requirements for the job are in alignment with the candidate’s skill level.
Watch the video to learn why these seasoned recruiters feel salary history is none of an employer’s business. Ed and J.T. outline exactly how asking for salary works against you. And, more importantly, what you can do instead to negotiate a salary that makes both the hiring manager and the candidate happy. You’ll learn why the best recruiters don’t need to rely on the salary history question. If you want to be a respected recruiter, it’s time to let go of salary history...
