Public speaks out. No pay info in job adverts

Public speaks out. No pay info in job adverts. Job adverts omitting salary or stipend details in an advert do so on purpose and have a hidden agenda. The intention is to attract applicants to an interview without committing to an amount beforehand. They do this to test what the lowest rate would be for the most willing, strongest candidates.

Job Adverts Must Adopt Pay Transparency

Think about it. Why does someone avoid giving you information they know would help your decision to attend an interview?

Job adverts that are not upfront about pay are in contravention of the Constitution when those hiring firms proceed to ask you questions about pay. Firms who are not upfront about pay – cannot legally ask about pay.

These adverts target vulnerable people willing to apply no matter what the payment would be. These recruiters search for the most desperate,  skilled people willing to accept unfair wages.

They’re not looking for someone who will do the job cheap – they want the best available talent for the least amount.

Some recruiters want you to believe that by not revealing the salary, they can establish who’s applying because of passion and for ‘the right reasons’ – someone not just out to get a salary. It’s a test of your ‘virtue’ or moral reasons for taking a job. People work for money, only religious workers work to go to heaven.

It’s funny how people who work for a salary themselves suddenly assume that your ability to be employed is based on satisfying a sense of ‘morality’ or ‘virtue.’

What The Public Says

Hi Leonie, thanks so much for your post on LinkedIn re: recruiters stating salaries.

I attended an interview for a lecturing position this morning. They only wanted to pay R8500 per month! I thanked them for their time and told them that I was looking for a market-related salary (which they have informed me it was).

I’m sure many companies are using the recession as an excuse to pay exploitative salaries. I’ve got a Honours degree in Education from UKZN and I know I’m worth far more than what they were offering. Will just have to keep looking or even go overseas…

If this applicant had known what the payment was beforehand he wouldn’t have applied. Companies argue that they don’t state the salary as they don’t want to ‘dictate’ your salary but want you to negotiate for it. Understand that this is not true.

Comments from LinkedIn

Ruth Schoeman

Most positions just state “Undisclosed remuneration” More like come and let’s see how desperate you are.

Heleen le Roux

Cheap Labour = Slavery. You have a right to know the remuneration package for the job you applied for. In my personal opinion, with all due respect, they obviously deny you basic human rights. 

Prof Thidziambi Phendla, PhD

My son went through this last week. He was interviewed at 10am, trained till 6pm, offered a job without disclosing his salary. My husband and I told him to decline the so-called job. How many desperate sons and daughters out there who continue to be abused? Modern day slavery?

Rachel Gregorowski

Interesting post! I found the whole non-disclosure thing really strange when I came to SA. I hate it when they ask you how much you expect to earn! Surely they place their value on the job within their budget, possibly with a scale depending on experience. It feels like trickery otherwise!

Do you want to know the salary before or at the interview? Here’s what people said on FaceBook

Claire Collins

Definitely with the job advert. Passion cannot keep a roof over my head and food on my table, so I’m not going to bother applying and interviewing for a position that is not going to compensate me adequately for my skills and expertise. I also take offence at the idea that knowing what the salary is prior to the interview somehow makes me less moral or less virtuous as a person. In the same way that I like to know what my groceries cost before I get to the till, I like to know what my salary will be before the interview so that I can plan and decide accordingly.

Naren Sewpaul

Applicants should research the salary range for the job, and rate it against their competency profile or score. So even if the salary is stated, it can still be discussed and negotiated. This is part of preparing for the interview. Also, compare the salary to what other companies are offering for similar work.

Pat Shingange

Some people just want the foot in and then can juggle their way out especially in this tight labour market. But people who are headhunted are most likely to ask such questions. Thanks for the info though!!

Charlene Foster 

Salary should be disclosed. Recently a post was advertised and the job spec was for senior skill/competence level (no salary disclosed). Company calls applicants to find out what salary they were looking to receive. Is it a process of elimination or just plain dishonest?

Lorraine Nombuso Maya

Definitely, salary with advert …not this market-related garbage cos people in two different companies, same qualification, experience can earn differently. So please be upfront!

Lindokuhle Sibiya

Salary should definitely be in the job spec. I’ve dealt with all sorts of dodgy recruitment agencies.?
Another thing I find incredibly frustrating is this payslip nonsense, they are so quick to demand and even go as far as saying their client won’t continue with the process if you don’t give it to them?
What does my current or previous salary have to do with their clients budget for the role? Surely they’re advertising the job knowing very well what they’re willing to offer?

Zenobia Ismail

I always scroll down to see if there is a salary range. it tells you a lot about the level of the position.

Uhuru Mmathwathwathwa 

All should be disclosed! Companies think they can hide their pig fuck offers by shocking you in the interview; usually by asking you first what you expect from them… Downhill from there. For you that is!

Leonie Hall

I think I’ve just decided that companies doing this are likely looking for the most grateful, not the most accomplished person.

Claire Collins

I think it’s a person who’s desperate and will take anything. So someone who’s straight out of varsity/college or returning to work after a long spell of being un/under-employed. What is misinterpreted as “passion” and “moral fibre” is, in fact, desperation to be able earn something in order to eek out some sort of existence. 

Employers know this, and as a result they know that they can also take advantage/exploit an individual in this position because they know they’re hard up.

New York City has banned job advert pay secrecy. Read about it.