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The Real Reason Job Ads Don't Include A Salary Range

This article is more than 7 years old.

Every company has a procedure for designing and approving a new job spec. Before a department manager can interview anyone for a job on their team, they must write a job spec and get it approved.

Every job spec must be assigned a salary range before the job opening can be advertised.

When a department manager brings a job requisition to their Division Controller or whoever is going to green-light the addition of a new person, they must be able to answer the question "How much are you going to pay this new hire?"

Therefore when a recruiter contacts you about a job opportunity and you ask "What is the salary range?" and the recruiter says "The company hasn't decided on the salary range yet," you are being lied to or at least misled.

The recruiter may or may not be privy to the salary range -- but you can bet there is one.

Why don't employers publish the salary range for every job they need to fill?

Employers complain incessantly about how they are deluged with applications and resumes.

They would cut down dramatically on the resumes and applications they receive if they told job-seekers how much they're willing to pay by including the salary range in the job ad.

Why don't they do it?

Most job ads don't include a salary range because employers want to keep the salary range private. It gives them a negotiating advantage when they do.

If they have a number in mind to pay their new hire (say $50K) and they find a fantastic candidate who is willing to do the job for $45K, they will save $5000 by keeping their approved salary of $50K out of the conversation.

Is it tacky to underpay someone because he or she doesn't know the market? Of course it is.

It is tacky and unethical. It is bad business, too. It is never smart to bank on the ignorance or lack of sophistication of your clients, vendors or employees.

How can you crow about your team, talk about the importance of talent or make any statements at all about your company's appreciation for people when you knowingly underpay anyone who doesn't know what their skills are worth?

When CEOs and other leaders ask "Why does our company have so many haters and detractors?" this is one of the reasons why. If you treat job-seekers badly, you cannot expect consumers to come flocking.

We are all part of one community of buyers, job-seekers and people who make recommendations -- and people love to share the news about healthy organizations and toxic ones.

It is unprofessional and immoral to ask job-seekers to supply their salary details and/or salary history but to keep your approved salary range confidential.

That's why I recommend that job-seekers keep their salary details private.

Your current and past salaries are nobody's business but yours.

When a recruiter contacts you about a job opening that might be a good fit for you, do not tell them what you are earning now or what you earned at your last job. Do this, instead.

Ask the recruiter "What is the salary range for this position?"

If they won't tell you, run away -- they do not deserve to represent you to employers if they won't be honest with you.

As a job-seeker you must find out what your talents are worth.

Use your friends, sites like Salary and Payscale, recruiters on your contact list and any industry surveys to determine what your background is worth to employers.

You must price yourself like a house as a job-seeker and be ready to tell a recruiter what you need in order to change jobs.

You have a right to know the salary range for any job you pursue before you give up a word about your salary requirements. Unlike your private financial information, a salary range for a posted position opening is not confidential information.

It should be shared with anyone who's curious about it.

Here's how your conversation with a headhunter might go:

Nick, a recruiter: So Brenda, what are you earning now?

Brenda: Let's start with the position you called me about. What is your client looking to pay their new hire?

Nick: I wouldn't say they have a flat number in mind.

Brenda: I understand completely -- they're looking at a salary range. What is that range?

Nick: They really haven't nailed that down yet.

Brenda: What a shame. I would hate to waste your time talking about my background before we establish that their salary range is a fit for me. Do you want to get back to me once your client knows the budget for this role?

Nick: Unofficially, I understand they can go as high as $70K.

Brenda: Thanks. In that case it makes sense for us to keep talking.

End of Script

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