What is your current salary?
Apr 1st 2012, 5:58 am
#16
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Re: What is your current salary?
It's a simple question employers ask for a number of reasons, whether they are ethical / correct / justified is another matter.
Whether you choose to answer truthfully, openly or in smoke/mirrors is up to you.
Different companies will have different expecations in terms of, what you get now, how it's broken down to the Dirham, or what you expect or just roughly what you want.
I don't see it as anything to get too hung up over. If you can do the job, you can do the job, people sometimes like to just have a marker of where you sit at the moment so not to waste time if you are way over their C2C budget.
Chill out. Shit will still flow round the u-bend.
Whether you choose to answer truthfully, openly or in smoke/mirrors is up to you.
Different companies will have different expecations in terms of, what you get now, how it's broken down to the Dirham, or what you expect or just roughly what you want.
I don't see it as anything to get too hung up over. If you can do the job, you can do the job, people sometimes like to just have a marker of where you sit at the moment so not to waste time if you are way over their C2C budget.
Chill out. Shit will still flow round the u-bend.
"You're only earning AED 25,000 per month in your current position?? Then I'm afraid you couldn't possible be considered for this job - we want someone who is worth the 35,000 we are willing to pay.....".
That attitude, by definition, means that good people who just happen to be working for low-paying employers will never get the job they deserve - and the would-be employer will always miss out on getting good people........
Apr 1st 2012, 6:10 am
#17
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Re: What is your current salary?
Fair enough, but the other side of that is:
"You're only earning AED 25,000 per month in your current position?? Then I'm afraid you couldn't possible be considered for this job - we want someone who is worth the 35,000 we are willing to pay.....".
That attitude, by definition, means that good people who just happen to be working for low-paying employers will never get the job they deserve - and the would-be employer will always miss out on getting good people........
"You're only earning AED 25,000 per month in your current position?? Then I'm afraid you couldn't possible be considered for this job - we want someone who is worth the 35,000 we are willing to pay.....".
That attitude, by definition, means that good people who just happen to be working for low-paying employers will never get the job they deserve - and the would-be employer will always miss out on getting good people........
If an employer is willing to drill into the detail then they can ascertain any truth in that assumption or not, if they aren't willing they rely on an assumption, false or not.
I suggest that being honest and open about it is never a bad policy. If they then assume that you're shit and go no further it is their loss and would you want to work for someone that doesn't go into detail about the competency of their employees?
Tough to make generalisations because so many firms here and all so very different.
Apr 1st 2012, 6:12 am
#18
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Posts: 277
Re: What is your current salary?
It's a simple question employers ask for a number of reasons, whether they are ethical / correct / justified is another matter.
Whether you choose to answer truthfully, openly or in smoke/mirrors is up to you.
Different companies will have different expecations in terms of, what you get now, how it's broken down to the Dirham, or what you expect or just roughly what you want.
I don't see it as anything to get too hung up over. If you can do the job, you can do the job, people sometimes like to just have a marker of where you sit at the moment so not to waste time if you are way over their C2C budget.
Chill out. Shit will still flow round the u-bend.
Whether you choose to answer truthfully, openly or in smoke/mirrors is up to you.
Different companies will have different expecations in terms of, what you get now, how it's broken down to the Dirham, or what you expect or just roughly what you want.
I don't see it as anything to get too hung up over. If you can do the job, you can do the job, people sometimes like to just have a marker of where you sit at the moment so not to waste time if you are way over their C2C budget.
Chill out. Shit will still flow round the u-bend.
Another example: if there are two persons (A+ B) applying for the same job from two different countries, and both have the same qualifications and experience. If A earns more than B (only because they are coming from two different countries), then A has the bigger chance to get the job!!
Apr 1st 2012, 6:18 am
#19
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Re: What is your current salary?
Another example: if there are two persons (A+ B) applying for the same job from two different countries, and both have the same qualifications and experience. If A earns more than B (only because they are coming from two different countries), then A has the bigger chance to get the job!!
Depends on the role. In a construction client facing role then yes, most clients would like to have a white face to push across to desk because they think it looks better.
If it is a design engineer then a western candidate has less chance because they would maybe cost more.
It's a fact of life out here whether you and I agree with it unfortunately.
Apr 1st 2012, 11:07 am
#20
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Re: What is your current salary?
I accept that remuneration may be sensitive in the finance sector, but not in engineering & O&G. all the big companies share the salary ranges and packages. I have also never seen in any contract for these non-finance industries a clause that states that salary is confidential.
All big companies DO NOT share salary ranges and packages.
Just because a contract does not have a clause prohibiting disclosure of salary details does not mean that an employee is free to make such a disclosure. Contracts have both explicit provisions (those actually written), and those which will be implied into them by the law which governs them. Under English law, both employer and employee are bound by obligations implied into their contract, one of which is an obligation of confidentiality. I'm not sure of the extent to which such obligations would survive termination of the contract of employment, but those obligations certainly exist while the employee is still employed.
Apr 1st 2012, 11:43 am
#21
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Re: What is your current salary?
You don't know what you're talking about.
All big companies DO NOT share salary ranges and packages.
Just because a contract does not have a clause prohibiting disclosure of salary details does not mean that an employee is free to make such a disclosure. Contracts have both explicit provisions (those actually written), and those which will be implied into them by the law which governs them. Under English law, both employer and employee are bound by obligations implied into their contract, one of which is an obligation of confidentiality. I'm not sure of the extent to which such obligations would survive termination of the contract of employment, but those obligations certainly exist while the employee is still employed.
All big companies DO NOT share salary ranges and packages.
Just because a contract does not have a clause prohibiting disclosure of salary details does not mean that an employee is free to make such a disclosure. Contracts have both explicit provisions (those actually written), and those which will be implied into them by the law which governs them. Under English law, both employer and employee are bound by obligations implied into their contract, one of which is an obligation of confidentiality. I'm not sure of the extent to which such obligations would survive termination of the contract of employment, but those obligations certainly exist while the employee is still employed.
Apr 1st 2012, 12:43 pm
#22
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Re: What is your current salary?
Except that the thread started off by saying: Outside the ME, I have only once been asked about this when was interviewed by a US company in AUS a few years back.
But yes, I doubt that such subtleties exist in the laws of most Gulf states, although I would imagine that many of the multinationals (the likes of Shell and Haliburton) have employment contracts governed by English or US law.
But yes, I doubt that such subtleties exist in the laws of most Gulf states, although I would imagine that many of the multinationals (the likes of Shell and Haliburton) have employment contracts governed by English or US law.
Apr 1st 2012, 9:46 pm
#23
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Re: What is your current salary?
I totally disagree. They can judge by my CV, experience, references and not by my current salary, which might vary from one country to another given the same qualification and experience.
There is a big difference between asking about my expectation of the salary and asking about my current salary, which as I said, is completely irrelevant, especially when applying from a different country.
I see this question a sign of lack of experience/skills from the prospective employer.
There is a big difference between asking about my expectation of the salary and asking about my current salary, which as I said, is completely irrelevant, especially when applying from a different country.
I see this question a sign of lack of experience/skills from the prospective employer.
Apr 2nd 2012, 3:28 am
#24
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Re: What is your current salary?
While I agree that 'what is your current salary' is irrelevant in most cases, the salary expectation query is entirely in order. Ball-park package expectation can help the process of matching the candidates with the budget / role. I don't understand why you're so wound up about this particular question.
Apr 2nd 2012, 4:18 am
#25
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Apr 2nd 2012, 5:35 am
#26
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Re: What is your current salary?
Mubadala have a policy of never paying any new recruit more than 15 pct more than they were earning at their previous job............ 
Apr 2nd 2012, 5:39 am
#27
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Apr 6th 2012, 1:16 pm
#28
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Re: What is your current salary?
I always find out what the companies budget is before i disclose my salary (or decide not to go for the role). Best to see the other persons hand before showing (a part) of my hand.
I think a good recruitment agent will know the type of candidate he is looking for and the salary expectations should be before he contacts anyone - however most of the ones i have experienced are no better than a messenger boy.
I think a good recruitment agent will know the type of candidate he is looking for and the salary expectations should be before he contacts anyone - however most of the ones i have experienced are no better than a messenger boy.
Apr 16th 2012, 5:10 pm
#29
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Re: What is your current salary?
That's missing the point. What you're willing to accept for a new position may be very different from what you're earning now. Some (many?) recruiters fail to understand (or probably just don't care about) the fact that the circumstances that prevailed when you accepted your current job are possibly very different from those now, and what your current employer is willing to pay you has no bearing whatsoever on your value to your prospective employer.
I refuse to say, on the basis that that information is confidential to my current employer, and to disclose it is a breach of confidence. I may give an indication of an overall package, but I certainly would never reveal details. Not only is it ethically wrong to my current employer, it would also weaken my negotiating position. When interviewing candidates, I'm always wary of those who will willingly and casually reveal all: if they're willing to do that to their current employer, they'll be willing to do it to me as their future employer.
I refuse to say, on the basis that that information is confidential to my current employer, and to disclose it is a breach of confidence. I may give an indication of an overall package, but I certainly would never reveal details. Not only is it ethically wrong to my current employer, it would also weaken my negotiating position. When interviewing candidates, I'm always wary of those who will willingly and casually reveal all: if they're willing to do that to their current employer, they'll be willing to do it to me as their future employer.
his is a well established trend with UK recruiters who refuse to do their own valuation of the job ,responsibilities and the authority demanded of the job and price it properly for the Employer.Unfortunately its been imported to the Middleeast and locals agencies are using this ill-perceived strategy.
What you did before, the package may have been completely different and irrelevant to your new opportunity and not only breach the confidence of your employer. Each job should be evaluated on its own merit.
Present the offer and its up to the candidate to accept or be willing to negotiate.
