The salary is one of the first things candidates look for in a job ad, but it’s also one of the trickiest parts of the hiring process. Should companies always include a salary range? And when they do, should candidates take that number as fixed or flexible?
At Acuity Consultants, we almost always include salary ranges in our job adverts. Transparency builds trust and helps both sides decide early on whether a role could be the right fit. But we also know that numbers don’t always tell the full story.
We recently asked this question on LinkedIn:
“If a posted salary doesn’t match your expectations, do you still apply?”
The results were eye-opening: 42% of people said they would skip the role entirely. 37% said it depends on the role or company. 19% of people said they’d apply regardless and only 2% preferred not to see a salary range at all.
These responses highlight just how much salary influences application decisions and how important transparency has become in today’s job market.
For Candidates
Salary remains one of the biggest deciding factors when applying for a role. Nearly half of respondents said they wouldn’t apply if the salary didn’t meet their expectations, which shows just how influential that number is.
That said, there’s still a significant group who look at the bigger picture, the role itself, the company, and long-term growth potential, before deciding whether to apply. Since salary budgets can sometimes stretch for exceptional candidates, it may still be worth applying if the role genuinely excites you and the gap isn’t too wide.
At Acuity, we discuss salary expectations upfront during the very first call. This ensures alignment between the role’s budget and the candidate’s expectations, and it helps us identify where flexibility might exist. Too often, candidates reach the later stages of interviews only to realise that expectations and budgets don’t match by that point, both sides have invested valuable time and effort.
For Employers
The poll results make one thing clear: salary transparency directly affects application rates. Candidates are paying attention to budgets, and many will self-select out if the range doesn’t align with their expectations.
While we don’t always specify in our adverts whether a salary range is fixed or flexible, we’ve found that open and honest discussions early in the process uncover where there’s room to move for the right person.
At the end of the day, a salary range should start a conversation, not end one. The right candidate can influence a budget, and the right role can reshape a candidate’s expectations.
What’s clear from the data is that transparency isn’t just appreciated, it’s essential. Candidates use salary information to make informed decisions, and employers can use it to attract the right talent faster.
In our experience, salary transparency consistently leads to more productive, honest conversations from the very first call. It saves time, builds trust, and ultimately results in stronger matches between candidates and employers.
At Acuity Consultants, we believe clarity drives better connections. Whether you’re hiring or job-hunting, being upfront about expectations helps both sides find the right fit, faster and with fewer surprises.