Job search frustrations

[sunshineNdaisies]

Maybe it's because I've worked in the public sector for the majority of my working career but now I'm considering leaving I am so frustrated by the sheer number of great looking jobs I see that have no information on salary, hours, or contract duration.

Is this normal now? I'm sorry but I don't see why I should take time out if my day to complete an application, drive to an interview, sit through a lengthy interview and/or assessment only to find out that it's a temporary low paid job.

I'm not leaving a permanent well paid position for something that's only six months and half the pay I'm currently on.

When I try to find details in advance, I'm told it will be discussed either at interview or at the job offer stage. As I said above, why even waste my time?

So I'm effectively stuck in a well paid job that bores me because I can't get any bloody information I need on alternative jobs.

Is this the reality of non public working? Constant short term low paid jobs and lack of honesty from recruiters?

job hunting = endless frustration

Not overly helpful.sorry.

I was in a similar position and found that that there was a huge disparity between job roles and wages.The expectation of quite a lot responsibility in relatively low paid positions.
As I was open minded about what I wanted to do ,and could afford to,I did take a few temp low paid jobs thinking that I didn’t want to be in a position of responsibility but that was a complete eye opener for a number of reasons and I did take enormous amount of time completing application forms etc applying for jobs and in the end I now have two part time jobs.both of which were offered to me by employers who knew me from my previous employment and the roles are both flexible itimewise which means a lot more to me in my advancing years

Constant short term low paid jobs and lack of honesty from recruiters?

On the first one, the UK has increasingly become a nation of NMW zero hours contracts, with so much about servicing online shopping and financial services (claims administration, mortgage application processes etc).

On the 2nd one, employment agencies and direct recruitment has always been about getting a critical mass of CVs and the employer being able to pick and choose, unless the candidate has a unique skill set or experience the employers needs but finds it hard to resource.

Frustrating and demoralising yes, but if you can find your unique selling-point then you may find you can target the role you want, from the job advert, and name your price within their range (or at least have more to bargain with).

There is nothing wrong with targetting a few (2-3) adverts and contacting them to ask what the salary range is.

You can ask in advance what the salary is - you don't have to wait until the interview.

They won't tell me in advance. They say it's negotiable which I'm still pretty sure will equal negotiable up to a certain amount!

I also had one application form which asked what my parents earned when I was 14!!!! Granted the organisation work with disadvantaged young people and maybe they wanted someone who could relate, but my family background doesn't make me any more or less capable as I have tons of work experience with that customer group.

I also had one application form which asked what my parents earned when I was 14!!!!

I never knew what my parents earned. It wasn't something that was talked about in our house.

sunshine if they won't tell you in advance, I'd avoid progressing with your application. It invariably means the salary is shite.

There's usually only one reason why an employer won't reveal the salary upfront - because it's shite.

I used to work in recruitment for a company that paid £10k less for one of the roles than the going rate (think 35k rather than 45k) and they would never advertise the salary or tell people upfront. Backfired spectacularly when a candidate was appointed, plans were made for them to start and they then pulled out the day before due to the salary being too low.

Backfired spectacularly when a candidate was appointed, plans were made for them to start and they then pulled out the day before due to the salary being too low

I'm amazed the candidate left it until the day before they were due to start to decide the salary wasn't right. They must have had something else in the pipeline, or not need to work. I agree that if there is a black veil over what the salary range is, it must mean the salary is crap, and they are delusional if they think withholding such a key aspect will in any way attract someone to work for them.

I have pulled out at the negotiation stage because I was offered the job, but I then found out I was being offered the rock bottom rate. When I said I was pulling out the person whinged that they expected me to negotiate. To which I replied that their opening offer was an insult, and that if I had impressed them so little, then I didn't think the relationship would ever recover.

I've pulled out at the negotiation stage, too. The point of negotiating is partly so you don't accept it before you get offered a reasonable rate.

Sorry to hear that your job search has caused you so much frustration. I agree with the comments above that a lack of transparency is off-putting and gives the impression that the salary isn't competitive. After all, if you pay people well then you're going to shout about it, right? If they can't be transparent at the recruitment stage then what would they be like to work for? It's worth remembering that you are interviewing them to see if you would like them as an employer, just as much as they are interviewing you. You're going to be dedicating a large chunk of your life to your employer, make sure they deserve you and reward you for it appropriately. Good luck.