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November 9, 2023
As recruitment specialists, we spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, listening in on grievances and frustrations when it comes to the recruitment process. It is a great way of improving and enhancing our own processes while providing the best outcome for our clients. While there are many bugbears for job seekers — including long hiring timelines, lengthy unpaid tasks and a lack of feedback — we’ve noticed one particular issue that has employers and applicants at loggerheads.
The question of whether or not to include salary in job adverts has been raised again and again. While traditionally, salary has been excluded more often than not (even a 2023 study revealed that only 51% of job adverts included salary information), there are definitely a number of benefits to making mention of compensation in this early stage.
Let’s take a look at the top five reasons why you should include salary in your job ad — and how such transparency could help to attract the right talent.
While you’re here, check out our UK Salary Guide, which outlines market highlights, benchmark salaries and future predictions across various recruitment sectors.
Pay Scales for roles can vary dramatically across industries — as can responsibilities and requirements for a given position. When you include a salary range you are able to attract employees who are genuinely interested in, and qualified for, the position. You reduce the risk of attracting candidates who are either too senior or too junior for the role. Doing so saves time for both recruiters, employers and job seekers, by reducing irrelevant applications.
Work should be meaningful, fulfilling and motivating. While we all like to focus on qualities beyond money, there’s no denying that financial compensation is an important consideration for the average employee. As a result, candidates are inevitably more likely to put in effort when applying for a job when they know that the compensation aligns with their expectations. This results in a higher quality (and more enthusiastic) pool of applicants.
What do candidates want? The answer to this question is multifaceted, but generally, employees are looking for reputable, reliable companies that offer transparency and authenticity. This begins at the recruitment stage.
Employees respect companies that are upfront and honest about expectations, requirements and compensation. Being transparent about salary in job adverts can truly enhance your employer brand and reputation — job seekers are more likely to see your company as trustworthy and fair, which can seriously improve your company’s image in the eyes of potential employees and customers. This can be a great way of starting the employee experience off on the right foot, setting the tone for the years to come.
Related: Could WFH Lead to Lower Salaries?
Attracting the right candidates can come down to the smallest detail. From the perks of the role to the training opportunities, employees are comparing prospective employers and making difficult decisions. If you’re looking to recruit the best and brightest, make life a little easier for them.
Stating salary in job adverts can obviously be a compelling factor if you are offering competitive rates — but psychologically, it goes beyond that. If an applicant sees that you are transparent about your compensation, they are more likely to view your company favourably. They will sit up and pay attention when you discuss what makes your company special — including birthdays off or regular team socials to prioritise team building and cohesion. Such factors could sway applicants to your company even if you are up against a company that could offer above and beyond your salary.
Salary negotiations are an inevitable part of the recruitment process — it can be a trying and difficult endeavour, but you can seriously reduce the stress involved by including the proposed salary in your job advert.
Including the salary range upfront minimises the need for extensive salary negotiations. If an applicant has applied for a £40,000 role, they are hardly likely to ask for £60,000. However, if an applicant is going into the process blind, employer and candidate might start from two extremes, and finding a happy middle ground might be difficult, if not impossible. To avoid frustrated candidates walking away after rounds of interviews, consider including a range in your adverts — it fosters a more collaborative and less adversarial hiring process.
Job adverts are the very first impression employees will get of your company. The employee experience begins here, and to start everything off on the right foot, we recommend opting for transparency. Ultimately, stating salary upfront can provide numerous benefits for both employers and job seekers, while simplifying the whole process.
CMD has been in recruitment for over twenty years and we know what it takes to attract and retain top quality candidates. To fill your next vacancy with minimal stress and maximum efficiency, get in touch with our recruitment team today.
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