Job postings claiming to offer “competitive salaries” are on the rise, putting more onus on job seekers to figure out how much they can expect to earn from a new position.
While you can nail down a salary range after one or two conversations, you probably don’t want to go too far without an idea in case the salary offered is nowhere near what you’re willing to accept.
If you don’t have clear compensation at the beginning of the recruitment process, early signs may be that the promise of “competitive pay” is hollow. Here are some red flags to look out for during conversations with recruiters and recruiting managers.
They avoid talking about salary when you bring it up
Bonnie Dilber, head of recruiting at software company Zapier, said a red flag is recruiters’ reluctance to discuss salary.
Other behaviors that set off alarm bells: When hiring managers say they don’t talk about salary because they don’t want to sway candidate interest, and employers ask about your salary expectations but refuse to disclose their ranges.
“I wouldn’t rule out potential employers because of a lack of salary transparency, but I would like them to talk about it openly during the interview process,” Dilber said.
They keep delaying salary negotiations
Jeff Hyman, an executive recruiter with 28 years of experience, said there may be several good reasons why companies don’t provide ballpark salary figures early in the recruiting process.
Employers may not have found enough candidates to determine a salary range, he says, or the person you’re talking to may not be the decision-maker and may need approval from their boss before giving a number.
But if the company continues to shy away from salary negotiations after multiple interviews, that’s a clear red flag, Hyman said.
He says this could mean the employer still doesn’t know how much they want to pay for the position, in which case you’re wasting their time until they’ve done their homework and figured that out. Another possibility: The company is trying to keep you interested until the last minute, at which point it can exploit desperation or limit negotiating options.
“By the end of the third conversation, you should have a very clear understanding of compensation,” he says. “If they want to go beyond that, that’s a red flag.”
If a company continues to stall, you can counterattack tactfully.
Heyman suggests the following script: “‘We’ve had a couple of great conversations. I’m really interested. And I believe I can add X, Y, Z, etc. tremendous value. At the same time, we’re both really busy, I’m sure we don’t want to spend time having a conversation that could end up being fruitless because our numbers aren’t on the same page, so why don’t you take some time to digest it and then come back to it.
Hyman points out that maintaining a humble tone but “acting a little unapproachable” can speed up reaction times.
They overemphasize non-monetary benefits
Hyman said office atmosphere, free snacks and generous time off policies are often welcome, but placing too much emphasis on these benefits could be a sign that the company isn’t offering competitive pay.
That’s not to say that these add-ons themselves don’t have value or red flags.
“For the right person, they can be valuable,” he said. “But if you keep hearing about things other than money, that’s a yellow flag, if not a red flag.”
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