Eric Wise exhorts us to be honest when presenting our salary requirements when interviewing for a new job. I absolutely couldn't agree more. I mean, think about it, you wouldn't want a company pulling the same kinda deal with you would you? Making you an offer to see if you'll accept it, you accept it, and when you do, they decided to see if you'll go for 10-15% less than they originally offered (if that doesn't make sense, go read Eric's blog entry, it'll make more sense). You'd probably be pretty tweaked, right? I know I would, and would very adamantly refuse any further offers, having no interest whatsoever in working for a company that would try to pull such a shady deal. So why should a company's perspective of us be any different at all?

However, reading his advice reminded me of the job interview scenario that I always dread so much...

The question I always dread by far the most when I'm in a job interview is: "How much are you making now?"

Why do I hate it so much? Because part of me can't help but feel like the answer that I *want* to give is "that's really none of your business, and shouldn't really have any bearing on this conversation." Should it? Unfortunately, so far, I've not figured out a way to communicate that without coming across as sounding either arrogant or antagonistic.

So, I ask you, what would be the most appropriate way to respond to such a question? Is it really a prospective employers business to know how much money you make at your current job? I mean, what if you work for a non-profit company where there's really no way they could have given you a comparable salary to other for-profit employers, but they're working with the technology that you've wanted to get experience with for years, so you took it for the experience. Now that you've got the experience, and are looking to take a step up in the world with regard to salary, we all know its just not going to work if and when that prospective employer finds out that you're currently making considerably less than you should be. No, they're going to make you an offer that's either at, or maybe slightly above what you're currently making.

So what's the best way to communicate to a prospective employer that its none of their business when they ask you what you are currently making?