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:

  1. What did the last guy make?
  2. Does the company feel like the last guy was underpaid or overpaid?
  3. Why did the previous guy leave?
  4. What did he make in his new job elsewhere?
  5. 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.