Lying about previous salary in job application form

[gac]

Am in a dilemma. Hope you guys can advise.

I recently got hired and am starting the new job in 2 weeks.

Prior to the interview, I had to complete a job application form that asked for current and previous basic salary.

I put 4k (correct fig.) for current job in the non-profit sector but for previous job at a mid-sized MNC, I put 4.6k when it was actually 4.2k. Honestly, didn't think it's a big deal until I was actually hired. Didn't lie about current because usually new employer will ask for latest (current) pay slip and my previous job was 1-2 years ago.

I wanted to see if new employer will base the offer on my current or previous, which is an ugly common practice in Singapore. Turned out that the new job offered me 25% higher. The HR said they don't make offer based on past salaries.

The new job is a mid-sized MNC but in a completely different industry from my previous.

Now I worry daily about being caught on that lie but I don't think I can come clean at this stage. In fact, I even negotiated during the offer and got an increment.

Not sure if the new employer has done the background check. What do you think I should do?

In the worst case, you can defend like well, your previous salary number includes the AWS or whatever bonus that you can think of. To be fair, some company don't have AWS and might not tell their candidates that they don't have AWS.

But to be honest, when the trust broken, anything can happen.
My suggestion is just relax, don't need to worry about what you can't control. Remember that, during the interview process, they agreed with the new number means you worth that number.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

In the worst case, you can defend like well, your previous salary number includes the AWS or whatever bonus that you can think of. To be fair, some company don't have AWS and might not tell their candidates that they don't have AWS.

No.

Also it doesn't matter whether he has AWS or not. Monthly pay means base monthly pay you receive every month at your company.

Including AWS or any other bonuses is retarded. That makes 0 sense. By definition,

monthly pay = base monthly pay. If it's not written on your monthly pay slip, you are NOT earning that amount.

Originally Posted by gac

Now I worry daily about being caught on that lie but I don't think I can come clean at this stage. In fact, I even negotiated during the offer and got an increment.

Not sure if the new employer has done the background check. What do you think I should do?

Nothing you can do. Just pray they don't ask you to sign background forms allowing them to perform full background check and check your income tax / CPF etc or ask you for your previous company's payslip.

Imo you're overly worrying about this. Also pretty stupid to assume that companies will pay you close to your previously drawn salary... who told you this ********? like that no one would ever job-hop because they will earn the same amount so why bother?

[gac]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

In the worst case, you can defend like well, your previous salary number includes the AWS or whatever bonus that you can think of. To be fair, some company don't have AWS and might not tell their candidates that they don't have AWS.

But to be honest, when the trust broken, anything can happen.
My suggestion is just relax, don't need to worry about what you can't control. Remember that, during the interview process, they agreed with the new number means you worth that number.

Tough to relax man. If I use the AWS defence, the figure does make sense as an estimation, except that I had also indicated 1 month AWS. Or I just act blur saying I forgot to remove the 1 month AWS when I did that. SIGH. It doesn't matter that they agreed with the new number. It's a fact that there's a lie. Should I tell HR?

[gac]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

No.

Also it doesn't matter whether he has AWS or not. Monthly pay means base monthly pay you receive every month at your company.

Including AWS or any other bonuses is retarded. That makes 0 sense. By definition,

monthly pay = base monthly pay. If it's not written on your monthly pay slip, you are NOT earning that amount.


Nothing you can do. Just pray they don't ask you to sign background forms allowing them to perform full background check and check your income tax / CPF etc or ask you for your previous company's payslip.

Imo you're overly worrying about this. Also pretty stupid to assume that companies will pay you close to your previously drawn salary... who told you this ********? like that no one would ever job-hop because they will earn the same amount so why bother?

The application form already stated by signing I gave the company permission to contact past employers about 'job performance' (does this mean they won't verify salary? ). So I don't think they will ask me when they do background check, which I think should have been done before the offer, not when a person is hired. I also feel that I'm overly worrying but can't be helped for my stupid moment of folly.

I've been lowballed for the most part of my career. They always say 'but your last pay was XXX' or some ********. If not, why do you think I wanted to inflate this time to see if the same **** happens again?

Originally Posted by gac

The application form already stated by signing I gave the company permission to contact past employers about 'job performance' (does this mean they won't verify salary? ). So I don't think they will ask me when they do background check, which I think should have been done before the offer, not when a person is hired. I also feel that I'm overly worrying but can't be helped for my stupid moment of folly.

I've been lowballed for the most part of my career. They always say 'but your last pay was XXX' or some ********. If not, why do you think I wanted to inflate this time to see if the same **** happens again?

Yeah so again, to re-iterate my point, unless you provided specific permission for company to check and run background check, you are fine.

Agreeing to "let them contact your employer" is not the same thing as background check... you think that just because they called your manager, he/she is going to tell them your salary? no bro...

so don't worry, you are fine. I'd start worrying when they run a background check... ( btw this is NOT always before you start a job, that's not true at all. Some companies check during your first 3-6 month probation or 1 year after you're employed... It is 100% company based )

[gac]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yeah so again, to re-iterate my point, unless you provided specific permission for company to check and run background check, you are fine.

Agreeing to "let them contact your employer" is not the same thing as background check... you think that just because they called your manager, he/she is going to tell them your salary? no bro...

so don't worry, you are fine. I'd start worrying when they run a background check... ( btw this is NOT always before you start a job, that's not true at all. Some companies check during your first 3-6 month probation or 1 year after you're employed... It is 100% company based )

Tks bro. I thought contacting past employers means background check. Didn't know there's a separate consent? In my 14 yrs of work experience, I've never encountered such background checks. I checked with my previous HR and they told me they don't disclose unless the company can show my consent is given.

Then what do you suggest I do IF the new company asks me for consent for background checks? It's either die now or die later. Haii....

Originally Posted by gac

Tks bro. I thought contacting past employers means background check. Didn't know there's a separate consent? In my 14 yrs of work experience, I've never encountered such background checks. I checked with my previous HR and they told me they don't disclose unless the company can show my consent is given.

Then what do you suggest I do IF the new company asks me for consent for background checks? It's either die now or die later. Haii....

No problem.

Eh I'm not very sure but from what you're saying about the job application signing thing, it seems to me like reference check agreement rather than background check.

Background check has a separate form with fine print and things to fill in like previous employer name, contact, position held, date, etc. Some companies may omit this and just use your resume's "Work experience" data to trace or whatever job portal you keyed in your past employment data into.

Anyway... just give the consent. It's just this $400 pay difference right? Position title, company you worked at, start date and end date, all accurate?

[gac]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

No problem.

Eh I'm not very sure but from what you're saying about the job application signing thing, it seems to me like reference check agreement rather than background check.

Background check has a separate form with fine print and things to fill in like previous employer name, contact, position held, date, etc. Some companies may omit this and just use your resume's "Work experience" data to trace or whatever job portal you keyed in your past employment data into.

Anyway... just give the consent. It's just this $400 pay difference right? Position title, company you worked at, start date and end date, all accurate?

It's a standard job application form that companies ask you to complete before interviews with a work experience section where you list your employers, what you did, why you left, salary etc. You also have to give references etc. The form says by signing I give the company permission to contact past employers about job performance.

Ya. Just the pay difference. The rest all accurate.

Originally Posted by gac

Tks bro. I thought contacting past employers means background check. Didn't know there's a separate consent? In my 14 yrs of work experience, I've never encountered such background checks. I checked with my previous HR and they told me they don't disclose unless the company can show my consent is given.

Then what do you suggest I do IF the new company asks me for consent for background checks? It's either die now or die later. Haii....

Dude you shouldnt play punk with this on MNCs. Only try it on the smes lah. MNCs will usually hire an external party for doing the background checks for them and they will ask you to sign consent form before proceeding with the checks. I dont think the hiring will proceed if consent is not given. Some offer letter would explicitly state that the offer is invalid if background checks found out something.