( CareerBuilder.com ) -- Talking about how much you earn is kind of like talking about how much you weigh . Both are uncomfortable subjects , so you might not always be 100 percent honest about either . ( Who has n't shaved 10 pounds off their physique or upped their salary by a few thousand dollars when hanging with their rich and skinny friends ? ) Most of the time , these little white lies are no big deal -- it 's not as if your friends are going to ask you get on a scale to verify your weight . However , while telling an occasional fib in daily conversation may be a minor offense , lying about your salary history on a job application can be a serious transgression . `` Unlike many soft skills , salaries are finite , concrete numbers that can be verified through things like a W2 , 1099 [ or ] tax return , '' says Paul Peterson , national talent resource manager for Grant Thornton , a management consulting firm . That means that if you lie about your salary history on your résumé , there 's a good chance that your potential employer will find out . Careerbuilder.com : 7 questions not to ask . `` If someone goes to extremes to embellish a salary prior to getting the job , one has to ask , 'What will they embellish when they are actually performing the job ? ' '' Peterson says . Though it 's true that not all employers conduct background checks or delve as deep as checking a candidate 's W2 forms , salary information can easily be verified through your references -- which most employers do check . `` Salary is one of the very few things that former employers are often willing to reveal in a reference check , '' says Barry Maher , author of `` Filling the Glass : The Skeptic 's Guide to Positive Thinking in Business . '' `` Even if they wo n't give the exact amount , a question like , 'If I placed his salary range with you in the area of $ 100,000 would I be in the ballpark ? ' usually yields the information . '' Bottom line ? `` Lying about anything as part of a job search strategy is not a good idea , '' says Elaine Varelas , managing partner at Keystone Partners , a recruitment firm . `` Starting a relationship with a company based on false pretenses may not hurt you in the short term , but chances are you will be exposed . '' Careerbuilder.com : 5 ways to rehab your resume . Yet what about job seekers who think they were underpaid at their last job ? Should they continue to settle for less money than they think they 're worth , just to avoid embellishing their salary history ? Not necessarily , say our experts . There are plenty of ways to get the salary you deserve without lying on a job application . Here , they offer three ways to broach the subject of salary increase with a potential employer : . 1 . `` If you 're looking to make a significant jump in salary , my advice to people is to convince the potential employer why you are worth what you are seeking and , where possible , quantify that number , '' Peterson says . 2 . `` It 's perfectly acceptable to say something like ' I 'm making $ 80,000 now . And though my present employer would certainly agree that I 'm worth more , the simple fact is ... ' then give the reason , [ whether it be ] a salary freeze , budget constraints , tough times in that industry , whatever . [ Then continue with ] 'Since the industry standard for someone with my skills and experience is $ 120,000 , that 's one of the reasons I 'm looking to move on , ' '' Maher says . Careerbuilder.com : Great employee ? Or you just think you are ? 3 . `` When you are asked about compensation , you can say : ' I was making in the mid- $ 70s , which included a 20 percent performance bonus , which I always got , and a very comprehensive benefits package . ' Then ask , 'What is the compensation range for this position ? ' Using this technique allows you flexibility and gets the employer to share compensation data . Be prepared to negotiate only after an offer has been made , '' Varelas advises . & copy CareerBuilder.com 2011 . All rights reserved . The information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority .
Lying about your salary history on a job application can be a serious offense . A salary is a finite , concrete sum that can be verified through a W2 , 000 or tax return . There are lots of ways to get the salary you deserve without lying on a job application .