Talent acquisition professionals should tighten advertised salary ranges to stand out from the crowd, Indeed recommended Thursday.
The job site said it has observed a widening of salary ranges in job listings in recent years, largely in postings for higher-wage roles and remote positions.
Years ago, fewer job postings contained pay information but those that did were more likely to include an exact salary or wage, Indeed said. Today, broad ranges are more common, with an average 17% spread between the low and high ends of ranges, according to the job site’s data; “In other words, if you had a job advertising a salary range starting at $50,000, the overall data would suggest that the top end is likely 1.17 times higher, or $58,500.”
Overall, ranges have widened only modestly, Indeed said, but there has been some considerable widening in some metro areas during the past year, especially those with a large tech presence or a pay disclosure requirement.
Indeed said it’s possible those laws are one driver of the phenomenon, but labor market forces could be playing a role, too. “Perhaps employers are using more narrow ranges to attract workers in geographies where fewer people are looking for work,” Indeed posited.
While it may take more time to have a full picture of pay transparency laws’ effects, Indeed says the early data may prove useful: “For employers trying to attract the right workers, providing clearer salary information may be a great way to set themselves apart.”
