Jack Bradley, an IT professional, lied about his salary at a previous job, hoping he would get more than the figure he quoted. However, the company officials he was being interviewed by took the trouble of finding out what was the last salary he drew and refused to hire him on grounds of being unethical.

Most employees like Jack hope to get more at a new job but resorting to lies may not be the right thing to do. This IT professional had strong chances of getting hired but jeporadised it by doing something he thought would work for him.

In the absence of a tax-system in place and other reliable data, it could be easier for UAE employees to lie about their financials but word-of-mouth and cross-reference check can come in handy to verify the details of potential recruits before getting them onboard.

“Given the fact that there is no tax system that can assist in providing concrete proof, having tangible information may sometimes be difficult.  However, employers know the averages in the market they operate in and can estimate how much a candidate is making.

Additionally, if a professional executive search company is used, more proof through cross reference is provided, to find out the accuracy of the information,” Konstantina Sakellariou, Partner, Marketing & Operations Director at Stanton Chase told Emirates 24|7.

Lack of reliable data can be an impediment when it comes to finding out the exact last salary drawn. Most companies in the UAE do not ask for previous salary slips but some do not shy from making such a demand.

“There is no reliable and accessible database of individuals' salaries in the UAE. Good recruitment agents and employers will often verify salary details during referencing by asking for contracts or pay slips,” said Toby Simpson, Managing Director at The Gulf Recruitment Group

Hasnain Qazi, Middle East Business Manager at Huxley Associates believes that it is not easy for the candidates to lie as employers in the UAE will check and verify details before making an offer.  “It is a common practice in the hiring process for employers to do their due diligence and find out a candidate's previous /current remuneration before aligning with their internal remuneration banding and formulating tailored packages,” he told this website.