salaries not listed (employees, apply, interview, application)

[prettybaby80]

hi,
i'm going to be looking to move to CA and am doing job searches online. I've signed up w/ a lot of job search engines. the problem is a lot or most of these positions do not list a salary or even salary range. I want to apply but not willing to apply to jobs that are lower or waaay lower to my current salary. Why do they NOT list the position's salary and not waste anyone's time? i'm wondering if i should apply, get to the interview stage and then they tell me the salary? this process makes no sense. Not sure what to do.

[fishbrains]

There is really not much you can do.

Companies don't post salary ranges for a number of reasons. They want to maintain the information imbalance so that they have the upper hand in salary negotiations. They don't want existing employees to see what new hires make, in case new hires are brought in at higher ranges. They may not have firm salary thoughts themselves.

You can only apply and be prepared to walk if they don't offer you an appropriate salary.

[prettybaby80]

Originally Posted by fishbrains

There is really not much you can do.

Companies don't post salary ranges for a number of reasons. They want to maintain the information imbalance so that they have the upper hand in salary negotiations. They don't want existing employees to see what new hires make, in case new hires are brought in at higher ranges. They may not have firm salary thoughts themselves.

You can only apply and be prepared to walk if they don't offer you an appropriate salary.

thanks! i read somewhere here o this forum after i'd posted that on the application you can list your current salary and employer will decide if they want to contact you.

[fishbrains]

Originally Posted by prettybaby80

thanks! i read somewhere here o this forum after i'd posted that on the application you can list your current salary and employer will decide if they want to contact you.

You can certainly do this. Some applications require that you enter a salary requirement, most require a salary history. It may not be to your benefit though. It is all about that information imbalance I referred to earlier.

Whatever you do, if you throw out a salary request, don't use a range. Most people who do this harm their negotiating position by throwing out a low number to entice an employer, and a high number which is what they want to earn. The problem is that the employer discards the high number and offers the low number, because they have exactly zero incentive to offer the high end.

Think of it this way. If a carpenter says that they will build you a deck for fixed price of $2,000-$5,000, what are you going to offer him?