An obvious way to get a pay rise is to change your job and lie to the new employer about your current salary by inflating it. My question is what do you do after you get the job offer with a much better salary if you are asked to prove it? How do you avoid getting caught?

Tell them it's an intimate personal question and you see no more reason why you should tell them your current salary than the date and time when you last masturbated.

'fess up and hope you only get fired, not charged with fraud

Tell them that your contract of employment does not stipulate a requirement on your part to prove your old/previous salary, and that if they had wanted you to do this, then they should have included a suitable clause in your contract.

There is no need to even lie - you should be paid according to the level and responsibilities of the (new) job you are doing.What you used to earn doing something different at a different company is not relevant. Appreciate that interviewers may ask what you are on now but really it is none of their business - they should pay you according to what the job is worth and not use this question to see what they can get away with - most people however never avoid or refuse to answer the question - therein lies the problem!

Disclosing evidence of your previous earning isn't mandatory, and neither is your academic background, previous work experience etc. If you don't want to provide a CV when applying to a job, that's your perogative.However, the employer is perfectly entitled to (and will) favour candidates who do provide these kinds of information.Similarly, if they take your word about your qualifications, prior experience, or earnings, then later find you lied, they are entitled to (and will) fire you without hesitation.As has previously been said, the lengths you would have to go to avoid getting caught would involve such machinations that you'd be liable for a serious criminal record and most likely a custodial sentence.

Many thanks and I really appreciate your answer MYOB

No problem!As poster(s) above - never lie on anything, they will check & you will be found out. Better to avoid the question. Tricky sometimes but a good technique is to counter the question with one of you own: "Are you making me an offer?"and then "I would prefer to discuss my salary / expectations at a stage when you are satisfied that I am the most suitable candidate for the role."If you're the one then that should be no problem and if you aren't what they are looking for then you have done yourself no more harm by not disclosing the info.Anyway, they should not be asking for/about salary at 1st, 2nd interview stage - money should only come into the process when they want you/you like them and now you are finalising the terms. A good recruitment process will filter out those unsuitable for the role based on ability and experience and not a question about salary expectations - those questions are asked at early stages by inexperienced interviewers who don't know what they are looking for in a candidate. A sign perhaps of the quality of the company and maybe a good warning for you to avoid them and that you are better off applying to a more professional outfit!

Okay, here is what i think....lie abt salary , and everything else for that matter, ONLY if you are so bloody smooth, you can look the recruiter in the eye and not flinch for one second!!!!This requires a lot of practice and need to go over it in your mind a thousand times to get good at it. Once you are caught, chances are that nothing will happen anyway ( yeah, you'll be rejected, but no one is going to call the cops, or spread a bad word for you in the community ( unless you are an a$$hole).You really have to be smooth at this. That takes a lot of practice. Anticipate every question that the recruiter can ask and have answers at the ready. You are f@#@#$ if they ask you to do a written test, which is gaining in popularity these days. Even that, do research ( on websites, etc), and you can at the least obtain ok markes at the test. Know what will be 'good enough'. Finally emember, the recruiter only cares about the commission $$ they get and certainly not abt your career nor your client. Theyt see you as a revenue producing asset, and will act to cash in oin you( place you at a firm with max dollars).

Some firms will ask you to produce a previous pay slip to justify your answer to prior salary. Lying is therefore a bit risky.It makes more sense to avoid the question and talk about future expectations only.

Companies don't ask for payslips, Thats nonsense.They do however as for P45 so they can get your tax code and allowance right - This tells them how much you were earning prior to joining.No HR depts. will generally care about this as salary is based on experience but its a bad start to a new job to lie and know that they will definitely know !!!

Guest, I wouldn't even embark on such a project if I were you. You are obviously an underachiever by the sheer fact that you can't even spell the word "lieing"

Actually Sparky he can spell the word "lieing" - what he can't spell is the word "lying"....

Fair shout Pedant, and that's no lie.

"An obvious way to get a pay rise is to change your job and lie to the new employer about your current salary by inflating it."Actually, that's not such an obvious way to get a pay rise. I'd have thought the obvious way was to do a good job, get promoted, and ASK for a pay rise.