Human Resources Blog - Spark Hire
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Why it’s Important to be Upfront About the Salary Range

As a small business, it can be tempting to fall into the habit of not disclosing the salary range on your job postings or initial conversations with candidates.

Many companies justify this by saying that they are flexible if the right candidate comes along, or all candidates will expect the top end of the salary regardless of their level of experience.

While there may be some truth behind these defenses, there are many reasonably smart reasons to share the salary range up front.

Avoid wasting your time.

When you fail to disclose the salary range, you will receive all levels of candidates applying to your position.  What a waste of time to have to weed through each of these applicants in order to find the one who will work for the salary you are able to pay!

Also, who wants to get to the offer stage, only to discover your perfect candidate is expecting a much higher salary than you are able to justify?

Not only do you waste your time interviewing excellent candidates who may demand higher than you can pay, but you also waste the time of candidates.  When you are hesitant to disclose your salary range, many candidates will be reluctant to share with you their true bottom line.

Establish the negotiation points.

When you disclose a salary range, you are clearly establishing any room you may have for negotiating when it comes to an Allstar candidate.

Be realistic in your salary range.  Think about your budget and what you are able to do.  Research what similar positions pay in your industry and be competitive with your range.

Also, if you want to eliminate that issue of candidates always expecting the top end of your pay range, be sure to clearly establish levels of experience and how that matches up with your salary range.

Display an upfront way of doing business.

When you are upfront in the beginning stages with a candidate, you are showing your expectations in business.

If your company values integrity and clear communication, it’s important for you to display these values early on in the interview process.  This helps the candidate understand your company culture and way of doing business.

Be seen as professional.

Avoiding the salary range when interviewing for a position is simply not professional.

When doing business with your clients, you wouldn’t try to avoid or hide the cost of your products or services.  Why would you do this when it comes to considering someone for a position on your team?

It’s much more professional to inform the candidate of the salary range and establish expectations in the beginning stages.

What’s keeping you from being upfront about the salary range with candidates?

Julia Weeks

Julia is a skilled Recruiter with over 8 years of experience in sourcing, interviewing, and hiring within many industries globally. She works closely with hiring managers and job seekers to understand needs and desires, while offering guidance and ensuring the right fit. When not recruiting or writing, Julia enjoys spending time outside cycling, taking her dog for walks, or honing her sailing skills.