# Why does every employer need to know my current salary?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-every-employer-need-to-know-my-current-salary/678091>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 7, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-every-employer-need-to-know-my-current-salary/678091 "2014-01-07T01:33:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-every-employer-need-to-know-my-current-salary/678091/41 "2014-01-10T03:42:34Z")

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> [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](#):
>
> I have never heard of that. Of course, maybe this happens on the executive level. Does this really happen? I can’t imagine going to work for someone who trusts me so little right out of the gate. Frankly, once they’ve made an offer and the candidate has accepted it, too bad for them if they offered too much, IMO.

I think its really unlikely they would ask for salary verification.

For CXO employees of publically traded firms and most government employees, its information easily found. If by executive level you mean Senior Vice President at ABC Petfood, you aren’t going to find it, and I’d be shocked it he’d give it to you. Asking would be a good way to turn an expensive and lengthy search processes into “hum, no, I don’t think I’ll work for you.”

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-every-employer-need-to-know-my-current-salary/678091/42 "2014-01-10T07:58:27Z")

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> [@Dangerosa](#):
>
> I think its really unlikely they would ask for salary verification.
> 
> For CXO employees of publically traded firms and most government employees, its information easily found. If by executive level you mean Senior Vice President at ABC Petfood, you aren’t going to find it, and I’d be shocked it he’d give it to you. Asking would be a good way to turn an expensive and lengthy search processes into “hum, no, I don’t think I’ll work for you.”

I’m pretty sure I remember that in a discussion of this issue on the Headhunter blog someone said he got caught. But why lie? A company who was so hung up on previous salaries just might.

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