Description:
does knowing previous pay help or hurt the hiring process, and are there any legal restrictions on this practice?
2 Answers
Have you considered that asking for salary history might also influence how candidates perceive the company culture? Some applicants may feel undervalued if their previous pay caps the offer, which could discourage top talent. One potential pitfall is relying too heavily on past salaries rather than assessing skills and market rates. A safer alternative is to discuss compensation expectations openly without requesting exact figures from prior jobs. An improvement would be to provide clear information about benefits and growth opportunities alongside salary discussions to create a more balanced hiring process.
In many places, asking for salary history during job interviews is becoming less common and sometimes illegal. This is because it can reinforce pay gaps, especially for women and minorities. Knowing previous pay might help employers set expectations, but it can also hurt candidates if their past salaries were low. Instead, focusing on the salary range for the role is usually fairer and more transparent. Always check your local laws since rules about this vary widely.
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