HR Departments are not known to be honest, at least at the several rather large companies I've worked for. They are trying to get you for as little as possible, or will pay a specific amount above what you were recently making. If you were getting 85K, maybe they'll pay you 90K, but you want 115K. If you can get 115K why even entertain the 90K? Now you cannot negotiate, so it becomes a waste of time. There is no reason an employer or and HR department ever needs to know your salary history. And, no matter what, don’t lie. Once you tell them your history it becomes public record. If you lie, they will find out and you will be fired. Anyone disagree?:suss:

I've read all the responses to-date and agree with the folks that stated it's none of their business. You set your value and your worth by what you will accept. Anything else puts you at the mercy of a prospective employer. Certain people who don't have confidence in their own ability will accept whatever terms are presented to them and then play the "negotiating game" to get a couple dollars more. This allows companies to hire as cheaply as the market will bear. If the rest get better paying jobs in a market with many openings, and few qualified candidates, everyone starts looking for more money. This is why some employers are rated higher than others for providing consistently better salaries and benefits, and others hire on the cheap. You just need to know what process you will accept. I for one won't discuss salary history except to say that my current salary requirements are set above my previous, and that I will set my requirement after I know the role and responsibility I am about to undertake and after a real offer is made. The last time someone asked me for my rate, as an independent software architect and developer, I got it, and life was good. Only one caveat...non-HR recruiters will ask for salary history to know where they can look because they know what people are paying. This information is not shared and you can still refuse, but the worst case here, and I've had it happen to me, is that someone can negotiate a salary for you that is not acceptable, leaving all parties flabbergasted. :doh: