When a potential employer won’t discuss wages

[Pigpiggy]

Without going into great detail, I was in talks with a family owned business. The daughter is handling certain things in regards to hiring. She had looked over my resume and decided to send me an employment agreement to make sure I’m of the same mindset as they are and that my values are similar. Everything they’re about, at least according to what they typed up, seem to line up with my values and goals. I asked her what the pay is so I can know if it’s worth pursuing any further. This is an out of state position involving land management on a large scale. She won’t discuss it with me. If she’s going to shut down on telling me what the position pays, then it appears that they may not be offering a fair rate of pay for all that work. Why else would it be such a sensitive question? A candidate has to know what the position pays. Just struck me as being odd to not be forthcoming.

[lovemylegacy]

Yeah, that is odd. That's why we work, to make money.

[Cajun Blake]

it's been my experience that salary/pay is usually discussed during a sit down job interview

Rarely if ever will an employer disclose wages over the phone

I call on employers all the time for job placement as corporate or HR never give me financial info.

my advice if you're serious about the job … fill out the paperwork and this employer will then bring you in for an interview (either in person or via phone). At that point, then request financial information, bonus, 401K, per diem, travel, company car, vacation and sick days, insurance, moving expenses, etc...

[txhunter007]

Yeah. They need to say what the position pays.

[texan4ut]

x2 With Cajun Blake

[diamond10x]

Like everyone else, we work to make money. You can’t decide on whether to take a different job if you don’t know the pay.

[popup_menace]

It maybe that she simply doesn’t know. If she is vetting candidates to then be processed through a full hiring gambit, then she may not be the one with answers.

[Rush2Judge]

I'm with Cajun Blake. Fill out the paperwork and keep the process moving. When I am hiring engineers, salary doesn't come into play until we get to an actual job offer. If a candidate asks me that question early on I will say something vague like "market rate". If they push too hard, they are eliminated. Early in evaluations I am looking for cultural fit and skill level. I would expect them to be looking for the same. If it's money that is driving their career change, I pass.

[JonBoy]

it's been my experience that salary/pay is usually discussed during a sit down job interview

Rarely if ever will an employer disclose wages over the phone

I call on employers all the time for job placement as corporate or HR never give me financial info.

my advice if you're serious about the job … fill out the paperwork and this employer will then bring you in for an interview (either in person or via phone). At that point, then request financial information, bonus, 401K, per diem, travel, company car, vacation and sick days, insurance, moving expenses, etc...

This works to a point. Unfortunately I've been in the situation a couple of times where I was head hunted by a company recruiter (I wasn't even looking for another job) for engineering positions and brought in for an interview on the promise of (non specific) very enticing pay. To attend the interview involves using paid time off only to find out the position either is paying less than what I'm currently making or a very small bump even with relo. A waste of time, money, and in my case valuable PTO. Now I won't even entertain an interview without a bracketed number.

[Drycreek3189]

I know I'm old, but the first question from me was always "Do you need any hands ?" The next was "How much does it pay ?" If I didn't like that answer, no further conversation was necessary. Simpler times I guess.

[easeup]

they want to see what they are getting first. Then they will decide what they wish to pay.

[ktjones]

In the few jobs that I have pursued in the past, I had to go through complete interview process. Part of that process was to send them three year's of W-2's.
Hiring manager / director had an idea of where the pay would be bracketed, but this what a ballpark number. I had go through process, and only when I got the offer letter from recruiter did I know the complete story of what the position paid. Painful to go through all that process - waste my time / their time - to find out they were going to offer something *very* comparable to what I already was making. KJ

[Mike]

I would not get to worked up over the pay issue just yet. I have seen two large corporations not divulge pay details until a formal offer letter was presented, basically the last and final step. It can be a PITA if it's not in your wheelhouse.

She may not know as mentioned above, she may be shopping candidates and at the last minute see if she can get someone for less $$ with more credentials.

I get it all the time from my management, we need mechanics, drivers, etc, go see if you can find some people, "what is the pay?" I ask. Well, we will talk pay upon qualifications. It's hard on both parties.

[Mike]

In the few jobs that I have pursued in the past, I had to go through complete interview process. Part of that process was to send them three year's of W-2's.
Hiring manager / director had an idea of where the pay would be bracketed, but this what a ballpark number. I had go through process, and only when I got the offer letter from recruiter did I know the complete story of what the position paid. Painful to go through all that process - waste my time / their time - to find out they were going to offer something *very* comparable to what I already was making. KJ

This is a painful process. I have not had an issue where I had to provide W2 statements but I am not sure I would send those over. I did elect to show my last paycheck of the year once to prove what I make and the talks pretty much stopped at that point.

[Pineywoods]

In my past experience, I never really talked money until we had the sit down interview. I've went into many interviews without a concrete number on what the pay would be. Also, from an employer's perspective, I can imagine them wanting a face to face to get a feel for you and your experience, personality, and fit, before throwing numbers out there.