About job adverts that don't mention the salary?

[howmuchplease]

Or even a ballpark... What is the actual point! I'm finding this particularly annoying as jobs in my field at different levels will mention the same skills (obviously at varying levels) BUT NO SALARY INFO! Why!?!?

[Kittykatclaws]

Yep! So infuriating, you have to get offered the job before you find out it's 5k less than you require such a waste of everyone's time!

[PseudoBadger]

But I bet it's 'competitive'

[Autumnsweater]

My whole profession does this, drives me insane, been to some pointless interviews.

[howmuchplease]

It doesn't even say competitive in the latest one!

[PaperdollCartoon]

I'm a headhunter, we rarely put salary levels on job information unless it's required to be in a banding by that sector's regulators. There's often a number range in mind but generally it's left vague for a number of reasons - could be we're not sure exactly where it should be pitched and wait and see what the salary level of those applying is before negotiating, get the lay of the land first, or we don't want to put people off who are on much more or much less than where we're thinking.

So maybe we're thinking £80-85,000 but several people on £50,000 apply at and will take £70,000 - people always want the top of what's being offered so best not to say. Or the perfect person wants £100,000 and we then want them, if the salary can be stretched to that 'for the perfect person' we don't want to lose potentially good people.

Sorry that's quite convoluted, does that make sense?

[splendide]

Yeah it's annoying when there isn't even range.

[teaandcakeat8]

Yes I agree it's ridiculous especially in fields where salary can vary.. I don't understand why companies do it as it surely wastes everyone's time.

Whilst I'm not going to haggle on salary at a first interview I'm also not going to bother with a job paying less than my current...

[howmuchplease]

Exactly. People take time off work etc and then find out it's less than the current wage. I get ranges but just nothing?

[DontFeedTheTrolls]

This is a major irritant for me. I'm desperately job hunting having been made redundant. A number of jobs appear to look of interest but without a salary range I often wonder if is is worth either my time or theirs to put in an application.

Also 'must be educated to degree level'. I've no problem with this if the required degree is relevant to the post, it's when the employer is not interested in the degree subject. I've worked with a number of graduates and quite frankly they were thick as shit.

Rant over.

[wasonthelist]

This has been the case for almost every job I have ever had. It is done to maintain the gender pay gap and in order to make sure employers don't pay any more than they have to to anyone.

I don't agree with it, but there it is.

I try to talk to the recruiter to see if I it's worth applying. I spoke to an outfit locally who had what sounded like the perfect job - but they didn't want to pay anything like my current salary - some you win some you lose.

[harderandharder2breathe]

I can sort of get it for positions like the PP mentioned where you'll flex for the right candidate and it's a fairly senior, well paid position. I still think it's ridiculous and off putting.

But you see it for entry level admin jobs and you know they're not going to pay £5K more than they want to for anyone, so why not just say what the salary is? So people can apply if that suits them rather than assume it's peanuts and not bother (of course if it is peanuts they won't bother anyway unless they have no other options)

[SparklyLeprechaun]

Yes, waste of everyone's time. Last week I rejected a job offer after two rounds of interviews. Their idea of competitive, negotiable and excellent benefits was less than half what I'm on now, we can't go any higher, but there's free tea and coffee and one extra day of holiday.

[PaperdollCartoon]

I should add - if there is a salary level listed it usually means there's no wiggle room. If there isn't it's because we know the clients can negotiate. It's good to get an idea of what similar jobs in similar size organisations are paying to give you a ball park for negotiating.

[MidCenturyist]

We do this for a few reasons mainly that a) it genuinely is negotiabile and b) to keep it confidential from current employees.

My advice would be to be to ask whether they can meet your expectations before going in for an interview.

[PeaFaceMcgee]

Entry level jobs with no wage quoted I assume minimum wage.

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

This would annoy me, but in my dh's industry salaries are never quoted. He says it's because there isn't a set salary - as a pp said above it's all dependent on how good the candidate is and what they need to offer to attract them.

He also says he knows the value of his skills and so asks for a specific salary and expects to get it, or they have some negotiation. This would make me feel mortified - perhaps why women often end up being paid less.

(My job is set salary for each grade)

[teaandcakeat8]

Paperdoll surely a range helps though?

I'm a marketing manager currently looking for a new job... salaries can range literally from 25k to 80k. Surely it's helpful to candidates to put a ballpark estimate?

It works both ways. A company offering a lower salary than my current won't want to waste their time when I'm always going to reject any offer. Similarly I wouldn't bother applying to a role at the top end as it's a good indicator of experience and I'm not there yet.

[howmuchplease]

Not entry level, nor very senior (that's me I mean, the advert really makes such little distinction). Creative industry. I made it clear I was looking at the post as career progression but it's awkward if they were looking for a new grad or someone further on in their career.

[OhtoblazeswithElvira]

paperdoll has explained quite clearly. They want to pay you as little as possible, and keep you in the dark about it. A promising employer

When I was looking for a job I didn't bother applying for those.

[wasonthelist]

b) to keep it confidential from current employees.

This helps maintain the gender pay gap of course :)

[wasonthelist]

They want to pay you as little as possible, and keep you in the dark about it. A promising employer

^This exactly - and to pay the women less.

[PaperdollCartoon]

TeaandCake you should be able to get an idea from the size and scale of the company though, title means very little. A marketing manager job for say, Unilever UK will pay very differently to a marketing manager job for a small charity. So an understanding of the sector can frame what you're thinking. A range might be helpful, but as I said people always then want the top of the mentioned range regardless of their current salary and experience, so the company have much less space to negotiate.

[AngryGinger]

I always just assume it's not enough if they're not willing to tell me what it is. I don't work in a sector that is open to much negotiation. Or any, really. So I always just assume minimum wage.

[PaperdollCartoon]

In my experience women negotiate as much as men, but I work on very senior positions. In general yes, women negotiate far less, to our detriment.

[splendide]

I completely understand why it's done I just don't like it. It makes it harder to search through adverts as I can't just search in the right bracket.