Don't ask, don't tell

“What was your last salary?” – Answering this intrusive question is no less than a tightrope walk. It is intimidating and badgering to say the least.  There are several cities and states across the world where questions on earning history are either banned or set to be banned any time soon. It should be enforced across the world. The reason is simple and clear: Judging a candidate’s worth based on earning history will create discrimination and perpetuate pay disparities. Here is the dilemma that the question stirs up - Dodging it could be the kiss of death whereas sharing the actual salary will erode the earning potential, especially if you are currently underpaid. It gives employers an upper hand in salary negotiations.  

Why do they insist?

I’ve been job hunting for a while, and many hiring managers have tried to judge my capabilities based on my earning history.  It's disappointing and frustrating. No law requires me to disclose my salary history to a prospective employer.  But I’ve been compelled to divulge it over and over again, forcing myself to get stuck in a corner from where I cannot negotiate my way out. They leave no room for a polite refusal. Once I disclose how much I’ve been paid in the past, the pay package offers I receive will mostly be far from reasonable or almost the same as that of my previous paycheck. 

Salary history is a private and confidential data. It is rude and inappropriate to compel candidates to disclose their salary history. Divulging the salary history will only harm your chances of getting a fair compensation. Once recruiters know what you’ve earned in the previous positions, they will low-ball their offers in no uncertain terms. I’ve been there before and have received less-rewarding offers multiple times. The disappointment grows manifold if you were underpaid in your previous job and was denied a reasonable incentive citing downsizing, budget cut, and so on.  What if you are comfortable taking a step down in compensation for your next job? Most employers will shy away fearing you might jump-ship on receiving a prospective offer.

How to reply

Use of diplomacy is the right way to deal with a compensation trap.  Stand up for yourself and give a polite reply. The question is, how to reply politely without spoiling your chance of getting a job?  Here is how I reply without sounding defensive or shady: "I keep that information confidential, but the salary range I am looking for is…"

Extensive research is crucial to put your salary requirements out on the table. It helps back up your demand with your qualifications and experience. In other words, know your worth before stating your salary expectation.   If you’ve already shared the numbers,  a comprehensive research will help explain why you feel it was below the market standard for your position and experience.

Don't ask, don't tell

The much-needed demise of this cringe-inducing question will be highly applauded by candidates across the length and breadth of the country.

Uber “2.0”: Can Dara Khosrowshahi turn things around for Uber?

Being a CEO is not easy and glamorous as the title sounds.  Not at least when the company is besieged by innumerable scandals and mounting losses.  When Dara Khosrowshahi took the wheels as the CEO of Uber, the embattled ride-hailing company, I couldn’t help but wonder how will handle the not-so-magical title bestowed upon him. Dara literally inherited a real mess from the Kalanick era. From regulatory hurdles to sexual harassment complaints, data breach, a bombshell lawsuit on trade secrets, alleged usage of duplicitous software, and burgeoning losses, the challenges to deal with were insurmountable. But the CEO of the scandal-ridden company made a commendable move and won our hearts by settling the self-driving car dispute with Waymo. Despite paying a whopping $245 million, Dara added a huge feather to his cap. He cleaned up a potentially devastating lawsuit and eliminated the biggest roadblock on Uber’s ambitious move towards the promised 2019 IPO. The decision burnished the new CEO’s ability to salvage the battered reputation of the ride-hailing giant. By closing a crucial funding round with Softbank, he gained another significant achievement to his credit. It’s the second biggest feather in a short span of five months.

The troubles are far from over. The company’s full-year loss widened to a mammoth $4.5 billion in 2017, however, its revenue jumped 85% when compared with 2016.Uber still faces uphill battles in many countries. But his initial steps have proven beyond doubt that Dara is willing to learn from past experiences and is ready to instill the lessons for a better future. He is capable of cutting down the losses and helping the company sail through the turbulent times with ease. He knows how to play safe and rebuild bridges of trust, loyalty, and compliance. The Waymo settlement is a clear example of his low-risk approach, which I believe is the need of the hour. The introduction of eight “cultural norms”, six hours mandate breaks for drivers, willingness to make concessions, and so on, indicate a welcoming change from the once antagonistic approach of the company. Dara is gradually putting out the fires and clearing the path with diligence and perfection.

Every company has varying faces and diverse leaders with unique approaches. Kalanick brought the company to where it is now. But his relentless drive to succeed gradually transformed into an aggressive and abrasive leadership that drove the company to a damaging path. Many of their problems were self inflicted. Dara has come in with a mature decision-making ability as well as transparent and balanced communication skills. The company now has a mature leader who believes in learning from mistakes, paying attention, and initiating fruitful conversations with riders, drivers, and regulators. Their open apology and warmer stance indicate the possibility of newer discussions with Transportation for London. Uber had lost its London taxi license at the fag-end of 2017.

Can Dara help the company regain its lost glory? Given the quick and effective steps that he’s taken over the short span of five months to repair the company’s image, I feel Dara, an executive with a clean reputation and impeccable business track record, might soon clean up the mess and restore the image and financial stability of the ride-hailing company.