I am currently looking for a new job. It’s my first time changing job, since my current job was after university.
I am interfacing through recruiting agents, since I assumed they would handle the salary negotiation for me — my thought process was to let the agent argue for my behalf, with incentive to get a larger number since the agent gets a percentage of the amount.
Today, the I had a phone call with an agent. He was very insisting on wanting to know my current salary. Other agents also ask my current salary. I refuse. They don’t insists.
This one agent is rather insisting:
* He tried to push me to apply to a company I didn’t want to apply through him.
* He phones me without setting up a time slot, e.g. during work time.
Today, he was insisting to know my current salary:
* He tried to bring it up passing by: “oh, by the way, what’s your current salary again?”. Never told him.
* Asked again after I told him I am not disclosing this information.
* Told me it’s the company who’s asking. We’re still early in the interview process. Nowhere near an offer negotiation.
* He then claimed he needed my current salary because my tax report is a mandatory document for the process of changing job.
The company he’s introducing me to is interesting so dropping everything is quite a blow.However, being **this** insistent screams red flag. Is this common practice?
2 comments
Get a new recruiter. The gensen chyoshu hyo you give AFTER you accept a job, not before. If they are asking for it before, it is obvious they will try to lowball you.
Recruiters have an incentive to get you placed in a job not to maximize your salary so they will lowball you if they think it will get the company to pick you over a candidate provided by another recruiter.
If you really want apply for this particular job then tell him what your salary expectations are. Not your current salary. It is reasonable for a recruiter to ask what someone’s salary expectations are.