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Job seeker questions hiring practice of asking current CTC before interview, internet divided: 'It's an unsaid norm now'
The Redditor objected to the expectation that candidates should reveal their current salary while companies keep their own budget confidential.
A Reddit post about a job seeker's experience with a recruiter asking for their current CTC before proceeding with an interview has sparked a discussion online, with users divided over whether candidates should disclose their salary history during the hiring process.
The post, titled "Another day, another HR asking about current CTC in WhatsApp," was shared on Reddit along with a screenshot of the conversation between the job seeker and an HR representative.
In the chat, the HR first asked the candidate, "What is your current CTC?" The job seeker responded by asking about the budget allocated for the role instead. When the HR said the budget could not be disclosed and would depend on the interview, the candidate suggested discussing compensation expectations after the technical rounds.
However, the HR again insisted on knowing the candidate's current CTC, saying they needed to determine whether the candidate's expectations would fit within the company's pay range.
In the post, the job seeker said that they told the HR that they were not comfortable disclosing their current CTC at the pre-screening stage. They also shared an expected compensation range so the recruiter could determine whether their expectations were within the company's budget. "And then... silence. Ghosted," the job seeker said.
"This is exactly the kind of hiring practice I have a problem with," the user wrote, questioning why companies do not simply disclose the salary range for a role if they already have a budget. "My current CTC is a reflection of my current employer's compensation, not the value of the role I'm applying for or the value I can bring to a new company," the user added.
The Reddit user clarified that they were not opposed to discussing compensation but objected to the expectation that candidates should reveal their current salary while companies keep their own budget confidential.
In an update, the candidate claimed that the HR representative had told them that the company would take their original education documents during the notice period as "security" or ask for a ₹40,000 cheque, which would be returned after joining. The user also claimed that employees opting to use their personal laptop would have to install time-tracking software, while those receiving a company laptop would have to pay a ₹40,000 deposit.
"I'm going to continue pushing back against this practice wherever I can," the Reddit user wrote, adding that compensation discussions should be transparent and based on the role and a candidate's value rather than salary history.
(Also Read: Techie leaves stable job after 5 years, gets laid off within a month at new firm: ‘I’m in a bit of shock’)
Social media reactions
The post prompted mixed reactions from social media users.
One user wrote, "Tbh I mostly tell my current and expected so that there isn't back and forth later. I would rather be rejected at pre screening and save my time than do back and forth when I have already gone through 3-4 rounds."
"Well the thing is that it's like an unsaid norm now. And HRs are on different powertrip altogether. They'll simply move on to next candidate because next one will tell the ctc. Unfortunate but true," commented another.
"If your current pay exceeds the budget, it's a total waste of effort on the HR. They play the numbers game. They want as many selections as possible and they won't waste more effort on your case," wrote a third user.
However, another Reddit user strongly disagreed, saying that after working with international companies and startups, they believed companies should approach candidates with their budget instead of asking them to reveal their current salary. "They're supposed to come to you with their budget and if it works, you take it from there," the user commented.
"Anyone using WhatsApp for professional communication is already a bar too low," commented another.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
