I could try to ask companies to list their salary but it’s a fight I’m not going to win, at least not alone. So instead, I stay mine.
The vast majority of any applications for me for the last 10 years have started with an incoming message from a recruiter (usually external, very often not engaged by the company). To filter out irrelevant conversations, I respond “Thank you for your interest” and I immediately put:
* my current detailed compensation,
* that I am very happy where I am.
Most conversations stop there. Several recruiters include the range, but it’s usually half to a third of my current compensation. A lot of recruiters assume they can just take the first number and compare that to the total compensation — that’s an easy filter too.
I don’t think it’s a great situation to have my compensation so easily available, but I have regularly refused offers with higher base numbers because the conditions were not there –– a counter-productive bonus structure, or more recently, no remote option; that last one is worth +50% to me, and many recruiters don’t like when I tell them that.
I like the cut of your jib, I'm going to try that with unsolicited recruiters for a while and see what happens.
I've been getting pings over the last two years and if I can get them to a range, it's routinely 80% of my current comp and that never changes. Nobody is getting the idea that you need something to attract talent away from a current job to hire for a new one. There's no salesmanship in this at all.
I’ve had many recruiters think they can try to sell me on the job _after_ I’ve told them it would be half of my compensation…
And, look, I’d love to join a Series A start-up that offers a ton of early stock in a promising idea; I’m typically the rare profile that would happily discuss that, with a spreadsheet and all. But those are almost always meat-by-the-slice “agencies” with no bonus structure. I’m really taken aback by the glib of those recruiters.
Just yesterday I had a lackluster job description sent to me by someone I've talked to before, and my rejection was just a boring. He had a small amount of motivation to ask what was wrong and I told him there's nothing in this JD that is interesting at all.
His response: "Well, that's what the client sent to me."
What the fuck value are you adding to this transaction at all, then?
Not sure why you feel the entitled to good service when you're probably not the one paying him. And probably not even the one to close the deal that lets him get paid... He could be much more enthusiastic with potential candidates that are more eager to apply for the jobs he has.
Sure people are lazy, but you're not the paying customer here.
it works really well. the interviews generally won't be a waste of time, though I've definitely been offered down-leveled roles sometimes.
the key is that you want the recruiter to say, firmly, that your ask is within their range.
ANYTHING ELSE ("we can make that up in equity", "we're willing to do that for the right candidate", "we can't guarantee that, but our benefits package is stellar", "i'm not sure, but let's connect anyway?") is a sell and should be approached carefully.
This is my method for recruiters (when I'm looking/interested). I have a blob of text saved in my notes that outlines what I'm looking for and not to bother me (in a nice way) if they can't meet that. The only difference I don't share my current compensation, I share what I'm looking for.
The vast majority of any applications for me for the last 10 years have started with an incoming message from a recruiter (usually external, very often not engaged by the company). To filter out irrelevant conversations, I respond “Thank you for your interest” and I immediately put:
* my current detailed compensation,
* that I am very happy where I am.
Most conversations stop there. Several recruiters include the range, but it’s usually half to a third of my current compensation. A lot of recruiters assume they can just take the first number and compare that to the total compensation — that’s an easy filter too.
I don’t think it’s a great situation to have my compensation so easily available, but I have regularly refused offers with higher base numbers because the conditions were not there –– a counter-productive bonus structure, or more recently, no remote option; that last one is worth +50% to me, and many recruiters don’t like when I tell them that.