Jess Vyvial-Larson* says employers have some excellent reasons for wanting to leave the salary discussion for a more personal conversation.
The numbers don’t lie. Job seekers are consistently less likely to apply to a posting without a listed salary.
However, recruiters still leave salary information out of almost half of their postings.
Why is that? As a job seeker, your time budget is tight.
Especially if you’re still employed and balancing other personal commitments.
It seems like it would be beneficial to both you and the employer if they offered more salary transparency upfront.
In reality, employers have some excellent reasons for wanting to leave the salary discussion for a more personal conversation.
Four reasons employers don’t offer salary information
- Employers are seeking a wider range of applicants
Ironically, a salary range might cause some of the best applicants to move on without applying.
The salary range might be intimidating to someone looking to stretch to a new role with more responsibility.
On the other hand, top talent might pass on an opportunity when the employer would actually be willing to offer them more because they’re more qualified than the average job seeker.
In both of these cases, the employer would benefit from a more personal conversation.
- Employers get locked into a high salary
A salary range is meant to include rates for all levels of experience, but candidates might only see the top end of the salary range.
Despite not having the credentials to command the higher rate, they may feel disgruntled or dissatisfied when offered a salary at the lower or mid-range of what was listed in the posting—even though the offered salary accurately reflects what they bring to the role.
In this case, it makes more sense for the employer to wait to discuss salary expectations.
- Employers are avoiding internal competition
In a perfect world, all employees doing the same job would make the same amount of money each year in their career.
Realistically, however, each employee brings individual skills and experiences to a job, making them more or less valuable in terms of salary.
The amount of money an individual is willing to settle for, as well as their location, also influence compensation.
If companies posted salary information in job descriptions, current employees could easily view salary information for new hires, possibly fostering competition and unrest within the company.
- Employers are avoiding external competition
In today’s market, companies also hesitate to advertise their compensation packages because it makes them vulnerable to their competition.
Competing organizations could use salary information to win candidates by offering them more money or by targeting high-performing senior staffers.
What to do when there’s no salary listed
While it may be frustrating for a job seeker not to have all the information upfront, remember there are good reasons for employers to keep salaries under wraps.
In most cases, they’re trying to create a fair process for everyone involved.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a say in the offer.
There are some steps you can take to help ensure you’re getting a fair salary.
- Do your salary research
Knowing everything you can about the company and the average pay for the job is crucial.
Start by googling the company’s name, and research the company’s website.
Expand your search to include employee reviews of the company.
Glassdoor offers company reviews, salary reports, benefits reviews, and much more to help job seekers learn about prospective employers.
It’s also essential to understand industry standards and where you should fall in relation to your time in the field and the experience you’re bringing with you.
Other valuable resources for finding out the median salaries for a given occupation include Payscale.com and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Prepare to negotiate
Many job seekers find it awkward to negotiate salary.
They worry about how their request will be perceived and whether they’ll be viewed as demanding, greedy, or not worth it.
But this is your opportunity to honestly explain why you feel you’re worth the higher rate.
If you’ve increased productivity, improved customer satisfaction, saved or earned company money, or gone above the call of duty in other ways for former employers, be sure to talk about that and show how you can bring the same results to the company to which you’re applying.
And don’t forget, there are other areas you can negotiate.
Perhaps the salary you’re seeking truly is out of their budget this year.
Often, the hiring manager you’re talking to doesn’t control the max they’re being given for their department salaries.
Could you negotiate for more work flexibility, PTO, or a home office stipend, for example? Be cautious, though.
You don’t want to negotiate for every single detail.
However, you can often find a way to work within a company’s budget and still be delighted with the compensation package.
- Recognize your minimum
Before you even launch your job search, you must understand the minimum salary to meet your needs.
It can be easy to get swayed by other factors or a dream company, but if you aren’t able to pay your bills, then it won’t be sustainable.
As you receive offers, you’ll be able to adjust your minimum depending on various factors of each role.
Perhaps the job you’re considering is a remote role, which will eliminate your commuting costs.
At that point, maybe it will fit your needs.
Or, maybe the employer is offering an internet stipend and a great healthcare plan.
When you’re crystal clear on the amount that would cause you to walk away, you can approach your job search with more intent and less wasted time.
Getting paid what you’re worth
Being educated about the companies you apply to, the industry, and the job market is the best way to land a great job at a salary that works well for you and the company.
So, even though there are reasons why salary isn’t listed on a job posting, candidates can still be prepared to get what they deserve.
*Jess Vyvial-Larson is the Director of Client Services at FlexJobs.
This article first appeared at flexjobs.com
