We have started a segment allowing potential candidates to ask questions that will be answered directly by our CEO, Darcy Swift. This month’s question is:
QUESTION: I came across a position that I feel like would be perfect for me. The company seems amazing, hours are perfect and there’s even a child care center for employees on site. The only problem is the salary isn’t listed anywhere on the ad or website. I have a feeling the pay will be less than I’m making now and I don’t really have the means to take a cut in pay. Is it okay for me to ask about salary before applying? I don’t want to waste everyone’s time if the pay is not something I can do but I am not sure if that is an inappropriate question to ask before even being considered.
ANSWER: The short answer is that you can absolutely call and ask about the salary before submitting an application, I would just tell you not to expect too much when it comes to a response. You could very well speak to an HR manager that simply forgot to list the salary and would be happy to disclose it to you over the phone. However, that is not always the case. There could be a lot of reasons why the salary is not listed on the advertisement or website. Some companies prefer not to list salary because they have a range they are working with and base the salary off of the individual’s experience and education. If this is the case, they do not want to disclose the pay range and build unrealistic expectations for some candidates.
For example, if someone is coming straight out of school with very little experience, they will likely be offered less than someone with 15 years of experience. However, if the pay range is $13-$18 per hour and they are offered $13 knowing you will go higher, they are more likely to take offense, turn the job down or try to negotiate higher pay. Because of this, some companies have a policy against discussing salary before an interview. It will not reflect poorly on you to ask especially if you explain your situation. Just keep in mind that you may not get the response you want (or any at all).
If you have a question you want answered, please contact us HERE. We will feature one frequently asked question a month.
We have started a segment allowing potential candidates to ask questions that will be answered directly by our CEO, Darcy Swift. This month’s question is:
QUESTION: I came across a position that I feel like would be perfect for me. The company seems amazing, hours are perfect and there’s even a child care center for employees on site. The only problem is the salary isn’t listed anywhere on the ad or website. I have a feeling the pay will be less than I’m making now and I don’t really have the means to take a cut in pay. Is it okay for me to ask about salary before applying? I don’t want to waste everyone’s time if the pay is not something I can do but I am not sure if that is an inappropriate question to ask before even being considered.
ANSWER: The short answer is that you can absolutely call and ask about the salary before submitting an application, I would just tell you not to expect too much when it comes to a response. You could very well speak to an HR manager that simply forgot to list the salary and would be happy to disclose it to you over the phone. However, that is not always the case. There could be a lot of reasons why the salary is not listed on the advertisement or website. Some companies prefer not to list salary because they have a range they are working with and base the salary off of the individual’s experience and education. If this is the case, they do not want to disclose the pay range and build unrealistic expectations for some candidates.
For example, if someone is coming straight out of school with very little experience, they will likely be offered less than someone with 15 years of experience. However, if the pay range is $13-$18 per hour and they are offered $13 knowing you will go higher, they are more likely to take offense, turn the job down or try to negotiate higher pay. Because of this, some companies have a policy against discussing salary before an interview. It will not reflect poorly on you to ask especially if you explain your situation. Just keep in mind that you may not get the response you want (or any at all).
If you have a question you want answered, please contact us HERE. We will feature one frequently asked question a month.