TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Salary History and Used Cars From:Mickey Wadia <WADIAM -at- LYNX -dot- APSU -dot- EDU> Date:Wed, 14 Jun 1995 15:57:42 -0600
I'm never too happy about this salary history business. Recently,
when I went used car shopping, I got trapped with the question
"How much would you pay for this car?" when, in fact, I would
rather have asked "what is the price you expect me to pay?" I
see an analogy of salary history requests to used car salesmen
playing games when we all know the bottom line is to get the
customer to cough up the most money (the customer always seems
to go higher than something's worth) and the dealer to be out
the least amount of money. No matter how clever your psychology,
why do I get the feeling that I got screwed whenever I'm asked
to give a salary history?