Absence of salary information puts seven in 10 people off applying for a job

Seven in 10 people say the absence of salary information on a job advertisement has put them off applying for the position, according to a survey by FRS Recruitment.

The Irish company said it was a “common refrain” of candidates that they want to know what remuneration is on offer before they begin the application process.

Salary is also now the most important priority for people looking for a new job, cited by 65 per cent. That puts it ahead of the nature of the job itself, which had been the top choice for the past two years but fell to 60 per cent in the April 2022 survey.

Seven in 10 employees say they expect to receive a pay rise this year, while only 46 per cent would be willing to consider a pay cut if their job was at risk, down from 60 per cent when the same question was posed in the 2021 survey.

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With competition for employees tightening across many sectors, the rate at which the lack of upfront salary transparency is putting off candidates may force employers to revise their practices.

FRS Recruitment general manager Lynne McCormack said employees feel they are “on a much stronger footing” following the pandemic, and that this confidence was having an impact on the dynamics of the labour market, prompting a “greater emphasis” on salary.

“In that environment it should come as no surprise that candidates want to see salary information included in a job advertisement. This is a common refrain we hear from candidates. They want to get a better idea as to what package is on offer before they even begin the application process these days,” she said.

“There is also a growing belief among candidates that they will have no difficulty securing alternative employment as there are plenty of options out there. More will opt for the role that provides the type of information they are seeking.”

The FRS survey, which had more than 1,300 respondents, also found that three in five people believe there will be more job opportunities available to them in 2022 compared to last year. Some 82 per cent believe they would be able to secure new employment within three months or less if they lost their job, up from 68 per cent who thought the same when the survey was conducted a year ago.

In a separate study on remote working by researchers from the Whitaker Institute at NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission, 30 per cent of all respondents indicated they would change jobs if their remote working preferences were not facilitated.

The national survey of more than 8,400 employees found that 33 per cent of those who would change jobs in this situation would do so even if it meant taking a pay cut. It also found that 37 per cent of this group would change jobs even if it led to fewer promotion opportunities.

Minister for Rural and Community Affairs Heather Humphreys said the Government’s rural development policy recognised the vital role that remote working can play in achieving balanced regional development. “At a time when there are labour market shortages, remote working can help companies attract and retain talent,” the Minister said.