Is It Common to Negotiate a Higher Salary When Switching Jobs? Seeking Advice

While changing my job from my old employer to a new employer, would it be okay if my package was a bit higher to get a better salary in the new company? Is this a regular practice?

Thanks for your help!

Regards,
Mangesh

I am rather surprised that you are asking such a question. Do you know the consequences of such an action if caught? What would your reaction be if the company exaggerated the work involved just to get you, and you find that the job is routine?

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Have a nice day.

Regards,
Simhan
A retired academic in the UK.

I second Simhan and request you to avoid it. I agree many talents try and often get through, for some time. The fudging of documents and data is very easy to identify. Salary information is cross-checked with a bank statement. Even if the salary slips and offer/appointment letters are fudged, it doesn't take too long to identify them. Please stay away from it.

I would rather point out that if you are in a lower salary bracket for your role, you stand a better chance of being hired. Every employer would want to hire a candidate who is skilled yet economically viable. This allows them to hire the candidate faster, train, and promote them through roles. I request you to give my suggestion a thought. Wish you all the best!

Regards,
(Cite Contribution)

Hello Mangesh, I am with Simhan & (Cite Contribution). Also, forget about whether 'this is a regular practice' or not. Just answer this for yourself: is this the RIGHT practice? Since both Simhan & (Cite Contribution) have covered the logic & consequences, all I would like to add is a quote from Abraham Lincoln: "You can fool all people for some time, some people all the time, but YOU CAN'T fool all the people all the time." If you really want to test your luck, go ahead & try it out—but later please don't post a thread in CiteHR to suggest how to get out of the situation...since, as far as I can see, the outcome is a foregone conclusion [more a matter of 'WHEN' rather than 'if'].

Regards,
TS

Please never think of cheating anybody. You are quite young and have a very bright future. Please do not shadow it with lies. It is really your goodness that you confirmed it from the forum and all seniors have warned you against it. Please follow their advice. God bless you.

Regards

Hi, this should actually be a no-brainer, and I'm amazed at how someone can even ask a question like this! Are you aware of the consequences if caught? Word of mouth spreads fast in the corporate world, and you'll be surprised at how many people would find out about it if you get caught! Your whole career would be at stake, all for a package—which would get raised eventually—based on your performance capabilities. I would advise you not to do this at any cost.

Regards,
Simran Soni

The Flaw in Using Past Salary for New Job Offers

Deciding a new salary based on past salary is an absurd practice in HR business and should be used only for survey purposes, not for benchmarking. When you change jobs, your responsibilities, authorities, working environments, and cultures—everything changes. The new job salary is the agreed remuneration for the new job based on your utility and potential and has nothing to do with the old package.

I believe you should tell them your actual salary but also communicate what you expect. If they find a better candidate at a cheaper cost, they may not ask you, but if they are desperate and you negotiate well, they may agree to pay you even more than your expectations. Ultimately, the new salary is based on a demand-supply equation.

My suggestion is no, ethically and morally. You will always reap what you sow. So, let us speak the truth even if we are disadvantaged.

Regards,
Mr. Samuel
Academician

The Importance of Honesty in Professional Life

It is an unethical practice and must not be considered as an option at all. Lying, forgery, etc., will not get you anywhere. Look at the large scams in India. I stop to think that if the "Moral Sciences" we learned in school were effective, these scams would not have occurred in the first place.

Don't cheat or fudge, my friend. It will come back later to bite you. Be honest in your dealings, live a peaceful and happy life.

Dear Mangesh,

There may be two most appropriate options in this regard to address false salary-package statements to a newly entering employer.

1) Cheating the new employer by providing false details may hinder the person's career growth further.

2) In today’s global competitive job sector, it is very tough for a person to secure a better pay package at the preliminary stage. Sometimes, employers also overlook low-profile employees for better pay packages, even if the person is talented and an expert in the respective area. Consequently, employees may resort to lying about their salary information.

While this practice may be detrimental to the healthy growth of the job sector or an individual employee, what is crucial is that employers assess the credibility, knowledge, and skills of the person before deciding to hire them for a particular job with a better pay package.

Thanks & Best Regards,
Vikas Ranjan

Honesty in Employment Data

It is not advisable to hide, lie, or fudge data to any employer, whether it's salary or any other information. Every organization has policies around hiring and background verification checks. Organizations definitely conduct background checks, which cover employment-related proofs (i.e., last designation, year of employment, character/behavior during the service, salary checks, etc.), present or permanent address verification, academic verification, criminal checks, etc.

During background checks, some organizations may not reveal the salary information, but this does not apply to all employers, as there are many other ways to verify these details. My advice is not to fudge any data, be open, and gain expertise to earn good money. I wish you all the best for your future endeavors!

Dear Mangesh, whatever your intentions may be in expressing your thoughts, it is entirely incorrect. Work is worship; why would you want to hide the truth? Anyone can verify pay details through various means such as PF/TDS Returns, IT Returns, your previous boss, etc. Eventually, the truth will come to light, particularly for you if you are falsifying information. Please refrain from following unethical individuals, even if they appear to be helping you, as morally, their actions are wrong. Pay/salary is provided to an individual based on their intellectual/professional expertise, and even if you deceive, your true capabilities will be revealed through your actions. That is the reality.

Money is a desire for everyone, including those born into wealth, employers, and employees alike. However, when building your career, do not resort to deceit. My advice to you is to be honest to uphold your inner confidence.

Best of luck.

Regards, VL Prasad

I'm shocked to have read such a question. More importantly than getting caught, I think this just reflects on your value system. Please understand that as professionals or otherwise, one has to uphold high values of integrity and ethics. As much as I am surprised to note such a query, I am also glad that you thought it appropriate to check. As all of them have mentioned, please tread the path of honesty and do not ever for a moment err on it. All the best.