Why You Shouldnt Ask About Salary History When Hiring

Why You Shouldnt Ask About Salary History When HiringWhy You Shouldnt Ask About Salary History When HiringHiring managers, heres something you need to be aware of An increasing number of local and state governments are passing legislation to help close gaps in pay. One way they are doing this is by prohibiting employers from asking job candidates about their salary history. Some recent examples are in California, Delaware and Oregon, as well as New York City and Albany, N.Y. And it seems likely that more cities and states will enact similar legislation in the future.While you will want to seek legal guidance about what exactly your company should do to comply, it might be best simply to avoid behauptung types of inquiries altogether when trying to determine compensation levels for new hires. So just take the question off the table.Salary history isnt a relevant factor anywayThe new laws arent the only reason to avoid asking about a job seekers salary history. You should set a pay sor timent in advance and stick to it when hiring for a position. The range should be based on the skill set and experience required and what the market demands, not on what candidates you interview have earned before.In fact, communicating in advance to candidates the pay range youve set can actually enhance your hiring process. It can weed out applicants who arent satisfied with what youre offering. And, if you struggle to attract suitable applicants, it could alert you early that your pay range isnt realistic.Base compensation on solid dataBe sure to use reputable resources when setting pay ranges. Among the best are the Salary Guides from Robert Half.GET THE SALARY GUIDESThe compensation figures in our guides are based on actual placements made by our recruiters and their knowledge of the latest market conditions and hiring trends. has published our Salary Guides every year for decades, so you can be confident youre getting reliable and timely data.With our guides, you dont have to rely on national or industry averages either we report starting salary ranges for each position by percentile, based on candidate experience level and skills, as well as the complexity of the job duties. The guides also allow you to fine-tune salary ranges to your city.Laws can change and evolve over time. The important thing when youre entering into salary discussions is to focus on the compensation range youve set for the position, not a candidates past pay. Youll increase your chances of offering a compelling salary that attracts talented applicants, and youll stay out of hot water.