We’ve all been there. Searching the job ads and you find what think may be your perfect job. But WHAT IS THE SALARY?! Sometimes it’s quite frustrating, as you feel like you could possibly be wasting your time if the salary they’re willing to pay, is not quite enough for you to survive.
But the question is, why do employers hide this information from us?
There are a number of reasons behind this option and we’ve listed some below:
1. Employers Don’t Think it’s Necessary Anymore
Employers have come to the realisation, that it’s the trend to not include salary information in a job ad. During the recession, HR departments and recruitment agencies were inundated with applications for jobs as so many people were looking for work. A lot of companies have decided to continue this trend and have come to realise that they don’t need to name a salary to attract high quality candidates and have decided to advertise the salary as Depending on Experience (DOE).
Maybe they’re happy to pay a lesser salary to a junior person who is just starting out in their career but will require an investment in their training, or a more established person who has the expertise and the knowledge to succeed, but may cost more money upfront.
Both options could well be a strong fit, but many employers will consider many options before offering an actual salary.
2. It gives employers more negotiating power
Employers may try to find out as much about a potential employee as possible before offering a salary package. Factors such as where you live may come into play, when applying for a remote role. You may live in a place where the cost of living is low and therefore your employer plans on offering you a salary relevant to that. Often, living in a more rural area as a remote worker means you receive a lesser salary than those living in a more metropolitan area.
Be sure to do your salary research when looking at jobs. Do your research based on three locations: Where you live, the location of your potential job and the general country salary for the particular job title. Use websites like glassdoor.co.uk to find out average salaries. This will give you a rough idea of what kind of salary a company could potentially be offering you.
3. Employers want to avoid competition between other companies in the industry
Sometimes, disclosing full benefit information can make companies more vulnerable to their competition. Salary information can be used by competitors to win over potential employees.
4. Employers don’t want to attract greedy candidates
An employer may post a job for £45,000 and get a lot of applications. A great deal of applicants will ask for the full £45,000 even though taking £35,000 would be a £10,000 increase on their current salary! Had the employer not advertised the salary they were offering, the candidate could well have accepted the £35,000, saving the employer £10,000, but with the employee happy with a £10,000 increase!
What can you do about it?
There are a few tactics you can do when salary isn’t included in a post:
Negotiate your salary
It’s always a worry negotiating salary. You may feel that your requests will come across as demanding. Don’t be scared. If you’ve shown your value in previous jobs (increased productivity, reduced complaints, increased sales month on month etc), then you should feel confident enough for ask a (REASONABLE) salary that suits your skills.
Check before you go
Do your research before going for your interview. Simply Google the company and see what they’re about. Look at their website and see what their mission/values are. Jump to Glassdoor and have a look at reviews from previous employees and look at average salaries for the role you’re applying for.
GET IT IN WRITING!
Once you’ve agreed your salary, be sure to get your salary and benefits package confirmed in writing! We can’t stress how important this is! Doing so will avoid any misunderstanding when you join.
Not showing salary is getting a little less common, but it does still happen. The best thing you can do is be educated about what you’re entitled to.
Here at SwipSearch, we’re trying to get our employers to be as transparent as possible with our candidates so that you can make an informed decision when applying for a role. That’s why we ask all of our employers to state the salary range they’re willing to offer.
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