Marketing Headhunter Harry Joiner seems to think so. And he has several great questions he recommends asking a recruiter when assessing the earning potential for a position including:
- What did the last guy make?
- Does the company feel like the last guy was underpaid or overpaid?
- Why did the previous guy leave?
- What did he make in his new job elsewhere?
- Are there any internal candidates under consideration for the position?
Marketing Headhunter compares the job search market to the real estate market. Every employer wants the $220K candidate for $170 just like every person looking for a new home wants the best deal. Read his post here. It’s an excellent lesson in the art of salary negotiation.
Certainly it’s important to uncover the salary range for a position whenever possible. But knowing the back story on where the previous employee fell into that salary range can improve your chances for negotiating more effectively.