[sytelus]

Job Advert is not the worst way to find somebody. Depending on how you do it, it's perhaps the best way to recruit someone. Good job adverts are intriguing even to non job seekers, for example, a cleverly crafted puzzle or challanging competition or just a pic of some office prank that demonstrates irrestiable cultural aspect.

No HR professional would agree with you that quoting salary on job advert is good idea. For most jobs typically wide range of experience and skills are admittable. Even for very specific jobs 20% variance is very normal. Once you quote a number you risk turning away who are already making bit higher or over pay someone who is perfact candidate but getting significant less current pay. Even quoting range is dangerous because unless you pay high end candidate would always feel unsatiesfied. In addition, current employees can see this number as well causing moral issues if they feel their title is more important but getting less as well as loss of privacy for new hire. One situation when you do want to quote number is when your offer is 2x or more than average market rate and you will pay that regardless of their current pay and employees don't care about privacy issues.

[elemeno]

From the jobseaker's perspective having a salary range listed, even if it's a broad range like "various positions $40k-$100k", tells me whether it's worth my time applying.

If the range of numbers doesn't cover what I want my target salary to be then it's simply a waste of my time to spruce up my CV, write a cover letter and get the process started. Chances are that I won't be in a position to ask what the salary range is until I'm in an interview, but by that point I've already invested a not insignificant amount of time into applying for the job - especially since I've had to take time off work to come to the interview.

Frankly, I feel that any job advert that doesn't include solid indications of what the company might be willing to pay is either a company that's arrogant enough as to believe that my time is worthless, or it's a purely speculative advert with no real job there. Either way, I'll be passing them over in favour of companies with some more respect for their applicants.

[EwanG]

I find this interesting because one of the first questions most HR folks ask is what salary range (or hourly rate if consulting) you are expecting. So it's fine if they ask first?

I'm afraid I've gotten to the point where I put my salary or rate in bold in my messages because it quickly winnows out the recruiters who want 10 years experience for a starting salary/rate, and those who didn't actually read my message. I know the later because before I schedule the first call I point out that my rate was in my message and "they're ok with that?"

Personally (control group of 1) the only thing that would get me to move from my current position is if it was a completely remote opportunity. In that case I am less curious about dollars since giving me something I want is worth giving you something you want :-)

[adrianhoward]

Job Advert is not the worst way to find somebody

Well - in my experience and the experience of everybody else I know in recruitment they're less effective than getting direct recommendations and having a good recruiter. YMMV of course ;-)

No HR professional would agree with you that quoting salary on job advert is good idea.

I know several HR professionals who would disagree with you on that.

The issues that you mentioned do exist (although if you're paying new hires more than existing employees then that's a whole different barrel of problem).

However - they pale into insignificance compared to the increase in qualified candidates that you get applying (and to a lesser experience a decrease in the unqualified and deluded).

It's been my experience on multiple occasions when I've been helping companies hire on developers that adding a salary to the job descriptions gets you better candidates.