Show the Salary

Posted on May 13, 2021April 24, 2023 by David Hopkins

How many applications have you sent off in the past where the salary was NOT listed on the job description or role profile? How did that make you feel? Did you even consider what it means?

Here’s why I’m asking. I’ve applied for a few jobs over the years and, for the most part, I’ve been successful. In nearly all those applications the salary or graded salary range was listed; this also highlighted where the position was in relation to a level of responsibility or seniority in the organisation.

But what does it mean to apply for a job where it’s listed as an ‘attractive’ or ‘competitive’ salary, even ‘with generous benefits’? What does that mean? Do you think you’re getting a fair deal when you have to be the one to open the conversation about the remuneration? Would you feel comfortable negotiating what you believe you are worth, based on experience and your background, to be sure you get a decent wage for your work?

What about if you’re currently out of work and really need a job? Would you try and negotiate a higher, appropriate offer if it meant you might lose out on the offer?

What about if you accepted what you think is a good offer to only find someone else who is hired, as part of the same process, on a higher salary but with less experience? Based purely on their ability to negotiate. Would you feel your new employer has treated you fairly and can be trusted to be a supportive, inclusive employer going forward?

No. Me neither.

There have been a lot of jobs advertised in the learning designer/technology world recently where the salary is not listed. Nor is the grade structure and where the role fits on it. Why? What is there to hide … a low salary maybe? Why? Why not advertise the salary upfront? Let the candidate know from the start if the role, location, and salary are right for them, as well as display your willingness to participate in an equal and ‘fairer’ recruitment process.

‘Show the Salary’ is trying to demonstrate the benefits of being open and upfront about the recruitment process by announcing the salary from the start. Benefits include your willingness to stop perpetuating pay gaps and ensure everyone can access a fair wage; making it a fairer process; get more applicants; demonstrate you respect your employees; demonstrate a willingness to live by your org values; let candidates and staff know if they’re being paid fairly; and to demonstrate a willingness to make the recruitment selection an equal and transparent/fair process for everyone, irrespective of backgrounds or diversity.

For clarity, there are a number of places I go to look for salary and grade information that tends to represent the Higher Education/University market. The National Framework Agreement (NFA) payscale is used in most participating UK HEIs and is displayed openly on their website – a quick search will find the current NFA scale. More information is available on the UCU website too.