[FireBeyond]

Actually, that's a good perspective that I hadn't considered. I can appreciate that.

I can't really find much justification for hiring in the lower third of a band, but I could see what you've said, or middle third being the default, upper third.

I usually don't like the "we prefer to leave room for raises and such", because that's trite - you set the bands, you can adjust them.

(I also get - and have been burned by companies who didn't - the need for a pipeline: not every engineer can be a senior engineer, you need juniors to be able to grow and evolve and be the seniors when those people become EMs etc.)

[jghn]

As an EM I've also had circumstances where the person we're interviewing is borderline between two levels. They rate out as very promising, but really should be leveled at the lower level. However, for a variety of reasons they need to be leveled at the higher level.

And in those cases when it seems worth it, I've offered the higher level at the lower end of the range.

[dbalatero]

Also, do those raises ever come...?