For senior roles and above, is it rude to ask for the salary range before scheduling the first call with HR?

Anonymous

October 25,2021 at 4:45PM UTC

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For senior roles and above, is it rude to ask for the salary range before scheduling the first call with HR?

I've been interviewing for a few weeks now and I'm finding out that some of these salary ranges are way below my expectations. I don't want to waste anyone's time, even more so that some days my time is extremely limited. I would rather set aside time for those that are in my range.

Any ideas on how to tackle this?

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Desiree WolfeOctober 25,2021 at 5:01PM UTC
I firmly believe salary should be discussed during the first call. It avoids wasting everyone's time.
MarissaOctober 25,2021 at 5:15PM UTC
I would wait until at least the second interview. Do a little more research on Glassdoor or other websites that would give you an idea of salary range before applying so you don't feel like your time is being wasted. But in reality, doing the interviews aren't a total waste of time for 3 reasons:
1. You get to practice your interviewing skills
2. Although the position might not pay you what you need, other opportunities might arise with the company
3. You never know your interviewee might know. They could connect you with someone else at a different company or if you leave a bad impression they could share that with others that might have an impact on future positions
AnonymousOctober 27,2021 at 5:52PM UTC
Can we please stop giving out this advice? OP is a professional and does not need nor deserve to have her time wasted on “practice interviews” by companies that like to play mind games over something as important as salary.
Lorna Rose, J.D., M.S.October 25,2021 at 6:22PM UTC
No it's not rude at all.
"I'm interested in applying for the ____________ role that is posted on [wherever you saw the job]. Before I begin the application process, I'd like to make sure that it would be a good economic fit for me. What is the salary/range being offered for this position?"
Joanne RosenOctober 25,2021 at 6:32PM UTC
It is SO frustrating that job listings don't give a salary range. So, ask for it.
Simply say, "I don't want to waste anyone's time because I know you are busy. Can you tell me the salary range so I can decide if it's something that interests me?"
Trust me, recruiters want to move on to the next candidate rather than waste time.
Cheers
Joanne
www.analyticadvantagecc.com
AnonymousOctober 25,2021 at 8:44PM UTC
Thank you!!!
Alexis GladstoneOctober 25,2021 at 7:03PM UTC
If you are respectful in how you ask I don't think there is anything wrong with it. It's frustrating that salaries aren't posted.
I used to say something like, "The role sounds intriguing. I don't like being presumptuous based on the title since organizations have different salary structures, so can you share the salary range for the role? I don't want to use waste your time if it isn't something that works for me."
AnonymousOctober 25,2021 at 8:44PM UTC
Thank you! Exactly what I was thinking.
Lauren Springer (she/her/hers)October 25,2021 at 7:39PM UTC
I agree with the other comments that it is OK to ask for information about the compensation package ahead of moving forward. Sometimes you won't get it, and so you'll need to decide if it's worth your time based off of publicly available data on sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, Teamblind, etc. Look for themes with the companies/roles that didn't meet your expectations (e.g. location, industry, level, company size/stage) and consider compensation may look different depending on those factors.