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Is it wrong to ask the salary when it's not in the advert?

38 replies

ZolaBuddleia · 11/09/2013 19:37

Have found a nice looking job that I'd like to apply for, but there is no indication of salary, not even a bracket.

Is it the wrong thing to do to email them and ask them what it pays?

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CloudyBayDrainageSystem · 11/09/2013 21:45

Yes, it's usually the wrong thing to do. They want people to apply because they love the job not the salary.

It is appropriate to ask during or after second interview.

InTheRedCorner · 11/09/2013 21:49

We advertise on our company web page and always put tbc but only because we don't want people already employed chatting about the salary rates and comparing them and causing grief

We always tell agency staff a bracket depending on experience to be arranged during final interview.

Wher is the job advertised?

ZolaBuddleia · 11/09/2013 21:49

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Surely the salary is one of the factors that make a job appealing or not?

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ZolaBuddleia · 11/09/2013 21:50

Guardian, and also on the company's website.

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lljkk · 11/09/2013 22:00

You can phone informally and ask ballpark questions, "how is the salary structured?" (might include bonuses), or "Is baseline greater than £20?". And when offered the job. But not before.

InTheRedCorner · 11/09/2013 22:08

Zola I wouldn't mind in any way if you contacted me before sending in a CV to ask about salary.

llykk made a good suggestion.

ZolaBuddleia · 11/09/2013 22:08

Humph.

I don't want to spend loads of time on the application if it doesn't pay enough. And I'd certainly want to know if I got offered an interview, it's a job that would require me to relocate and so the interview would be a very long way away!

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ZolaBuddleia · 11/09/2013 22:09

Sorry, quite a bit of X posting going on!

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InTheRedCorner · 11/09/2013 22:17

Relocation involved?

Even my boss would expect a call before interview, do it!

Good luck.

I need a full time receptionist in the East of England if you are interested

ZolaBuddleia · 11/09/2013 22:22

Ooh, I've been a receptionist, I was FABULOUS.

No, I doubt they'd cover my relocation, it's not an overseas posting for a UK company or anything like that. Don't want to out self, but I live somewhere rather inconvenient for the industry I'm experienced in.

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InTheRedCorner · 11/09/2013 22:25

Damn it

Good luck though!

Sittingbull · 11/09/2013 22:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flowery · 11/09/2013 22:42

The idea of a recruitment advertisement is two-fold.

First, to attract the right candidates to apply.
Second, to ensure that candidates who would not be suitable self-select themselves out, this avoiding hundreds of wasted applications from unsuitable people.

Both of those aims are far more likely to be achieved if some idea of rough salary is given in an ad. Even the most secretive employer ought to be able to give a range.

And yes, as you are trying to attract people, you generally put the things about the job you consider most attractive in the ad. Therefore if you don't put any indication of salary, many candidates will assume its not attractive and will not apply. (See aim 1 of a job ad above).

applecrumbleandcream · 11/09/2013 23:45

I think that if they don't state the salary on the advert, it could be because it's on the low side and they know if they advertise a lower salary they perhaps won't get the calibre of applicants they are looking for. I know that's not always the case but it's what I automatically think.

Wuldric · 11/09/2013 23:51

I was turning the pages of the Sunday Times one day when I saw an advert for a public sector job (surely it is only ever public sector jobs that do this) which I thought I could really do and really do well.

No salary was advertised. Being public sector I had to fill in a load of application forms. Eventually, after around 5 hours of my own time wasted, I established that the salary range was 1/3 of my current salary. Bonkers. So check now before you waste your time.

ZolaBuddleia · 12/09/2013 07:42

Perfectly reasonable to ask for ball park indication of where the salary lies so to not waste your time or theirs (I am annoyed if I get thru to offer stage and then the applicant rejects due to salary being too low vs their expectation)

Well, if recruiters get annoyed by this then surely they should put the salary on the ad?

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mrscog · 12/09/2013 07:51

Sometimes the salary is on the job description/spec so you could start off by requesting those?

ZolaBuddleia · 12/09/2013 07:52

I have those, and no, it isn't. Darn it, I'm going to do the application anyway, and ask about salary if I get an interview.

That'll learn 'em, they'll have to wade through my form.

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ExitPursuedByADragon · 12/09/2013 07:54

How bizarre. I would have thought an indication of salary would be an essential part of a job ad.

willilearn · 12/09/2013 07:58

I'm a recruiter, and I'd advise you to check first. It's a waste of everyone's time otherwise. They may be flexible on salary, hence the omission, but more likely, as a previous poster said, there would be potential issues internally if the salary was advertised publicly. Phone and ask, but phrase it in a positive way..."I am really interested in this position, but can't really afford to earn less than £xxx, is it still worth me applying?".

GibberTheMonkey · 12/09/2013 08:01

InTheRedCorner - Please could you narrow that down to a county?

ChunkyPickle · 12/09/2013 08:08

I would always ask. If they're touchy about it then you don't want to work there, or it's too low.

Salary is one of the major reasons you're doing the job.

I understand in other places it's not done to talk about money too soon, but I'm firmly of the belief that it's rather important, and to avoid wasting everyone's time and effort you need to know if it's even vaguely appropriate.

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ZolaBuddleia · 12/09/2013 09:01

Oi Gibber, I have first dibs on Red's job!

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Glenshee · 12/09/2013 12:27

Any chance you can find out what it is likely to be through friends/contacts? Or look up people who work for this company on LinkedIn and try to guesstimate based on their profiles and previous experience.

I was in a similar position and wasn't keen to apply for the job as my thinking was exactly as applecrumbleandcream described (ie if they are not transparent then the pay must be low). It turned out later the job was paying twice as much as I initially thought, and well above my previous salary! I applied and got the job, but only after establishing through friends in similar industry/jobs what the pay is likely to be. They didn't 'offer' me any salary but asked me what my expectations were and paid me exactly that.

ZolaBuddleia · 13/09/2013 11:34

Well, the chap from HR says it is 'competitive' and depends on experience.

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