Is current salary the highest impact factor determining the compensation factor in future job offers or salary increases
I asked because it feels that if you don't do the appropriate salary negotiation at the beginning of your career, the salary gap will chase you forever, impacting you as much (if not more) than your actual job performance. It feels messed up. I am glad California is getting rid of that question, but I guess in Seattle we are still screwed. When I graduated, I naively accept my first offer and I feel that mistake still haunts me. Is there a way to break the curse and just jump to what your track record and credentials are worth in the market? From the moment they ask your salary, no matter what you have to offer, they will happily can you in your salary range.
And you tell them the truth....why!?
I never tell them what I make (if you're at a big company, they have a really good idea). I simply tell them what it would take to get me to leave. And I don't phrase it in dollars. I usually say something like I would seriously consider a good L8 offer. Not sure an L7 would be sufficient, but happy to discuss. You get what you negotiate and you usually have more negotiating power at hire than any other time. They also usually have the most flexibility. Use that to your advantage. I also start the conversation with I really love what I'm doing and they pay me really well. I doubt you will be able to entice me away but willing to discuss.
Try to always have 2+ offers and make them fight for you. That way you can be pretty certain the compensation is a bit above market. Feel free to fudge numbers a bit for current comp, but I've made multiple jumps of 30-80% this way.
There is a way to break the record - lie. Seriously, I know it’s not the answer everyone endorses, but I have advised many friends to do this and they all have and it’s worked out great for them. In the rare case you are asked to furnish proof - you can either forge it (incredibly easy to do) or you can say the figure you gave was total compensation, including bonus, stock rsus, 401k matching, etc, which you couldn’t reallly furnish proof of all that anyways.
This is what I did. TC was 130k, lied and made it sound like 170k, now getting 210k+. No Ragrets.
Don't lie. Just tell them what you want not what you're getting. Don't tell them what you're getting at all