Should You Apply To Jobs Without Pay Transparency?

The pay transparency trend, where certain employers are legally required to openly share salary ranges and other compensation details with employees and job candidates, continues to gain traction.

Eight states currently have active pay transparency laws. These states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, with Washington, D.C., Illinois, Vermont, Minnesota, and Maryland scheduled to come on board within the next year.

At first glance, pay transparency laws appear to help level the playing field for employees and job seekers. However, it appears that some employers haven’t fully embraced the spirit of pay transparency or they themselves aren’t clear on exactly what must be disclosed in regards to pay.

I go into detail on how employers, employees, and job seekers can navigate these new laws in my Udemy course on Navigating Pay Transparency Conversations. Here’s a brief overview of what I discuss, that will help you determine if applying for a job without knowing the salary is the right decision for you.

Gaming The System

Companies are posting wide salary ranges on job advertisements, as they look to skirt the system. For example, a company might list a pay range of $50,000 to $250,000 for a particular job, thereby making this information useless for job seekers.

If you come across a job posting with an incredibly wide pay range, you can decide for yourself if this is the type of organization you’d like to work for.

State By State Variations

Pay transparency laws vary by state to state and sometimes by city, which makes it challenging for job seekers and employers to fully understand these new regulations. For example, in some jurisdictions, employers are required to disclose compensation information on job descriptions. If you’re applying for a position in another state, the company may not be required to disclose this information, even though you live in a state that requires disclosure.

On the positive side, if you’re applying for a job that doesn’t have a salary range listed, you can get a sense of what the pay might be if the company has a similar job opening in a state that requires disclosure. However, it’s important to understand that location is often a factor in terms of compensation. For example, jobs in major metropolitan cities will generally pay more than similar positions in the Midwest.

Accuracy Of Pay Ranges

Pay ranges are guidelines, which means employers can go beyond the listed range for candidates that have a special skill or a great deal of experience. Therefore, job seekers may still want to apply for a position if their salary requirements are somewhat close to the top of the listed range.

The job market is a lot tougher to navigate these days than it was a year ago. Therefore, job seekers should be realistic about their salary requirements. It’s also important to keep in mind that pay is only one piece of the compensation puzzle. Companies may offer bonuses, that are not included in the pay range. Other factors to consider are paid time off, employer contribution towards healthcare costs, and 401(K) matches, as well as expected working hours.

While pay transparency laws aim to level the playing field, their uneven implementation means job seekers shouldn’t automatically dismiss opportunities lacking clear salary information. Instead, weigh the potential benefits, company culture, and overall compensation package and be prepared to negotiate for equitable compensation.