# Question about listing your salary on an employment application

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-listing-your-salary-on-an-employment-application/408683>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 20, 2007, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-listing-your-salary-on-an-employment-application/408683 "2007-06-20T05:20:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-listing-your-salary-on-an-employment-application/408683/1 "2007-06-20T05:20:43Z")

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On applications for a lot of government jobs (professional jobs), they ask you to list your current salary. Why? If you are filling out a form, there’s no way around answering this question, is there?

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**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-listing-your-salary-on-an-employment-application/408683/2 "2007-06-20T11:01:06Z")

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[QUOTE=Rusalka]  
On applications for a lot of government jobs (professional jobs), they ask you to list your current salary. Why? If you are filling out a form, there’s no way around answering this question, is there?  
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Sure. Leave that portion blank. If they call you on it, tell them that you are unwilling to diminish your bargaining position.

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**Author:** ![False\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee7513/32.png) [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-listing-your-salary-on-an-employment-application/408683/3 "2007-06-20T12:38:16Z")

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While I agree in principle that salary negotiations shouldn’t take into consideration your previous compensation, sometimes government agencies will try and match your civilian salary, or at least come as close to it as they can.