Salary ranges in U.S. job postings frustrate applicants
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — Job seekers are increasingly frustrated after seeing seemingly attractive salary ranges in job postings, only to receive offers well below those figures.
As laws requiring pay transparency spread across the United States, some companies are exploiting loopholes by posting ranges far wider or lower than what they actually intend to pay.
Theresa McFarlane, a project manager hunting for months, views unrealistic postings as “unprofessional” and expects $5-$10 less per hour than advertised.
“It’s a red flag of a low-quality employer that doesn’t have their act together,” she told BBC. “It’s very frustrating at times. It can be depressing when it happens with employer after employer.”
Meanwhile, Zapier’s Recruiting Manager Bonnie Dilber says it’s common for companies to list the full pay scale of the role, not the hiring range.
“Firms aren’t trying to be deceptive. It’s that candidates often don’t understand what a salary range represents on a listing,” said Dilber.
The situation has sparked online complaints by angry applicants and defenses by recruiters claiming posted numbers were never promised starting figures.
Aside from this, U.S. job seekers have also expressed frustration over poor communication during the hiring process.
