Why Some Job Adverts Omit Mentioning Salary. Kenyan HR Advices.

By Elizabeth Benu,

Applying for that job is usually more worthwhile when the salary is posted in the job adverts, but that is not the case with the many ‘vague’ job adverts.

In a recent email, Wanjiku Kimani explains her disappointment in salary negotiation saying,

“I applied for a position advertised on social media and after two days I received a call to set up an interview. I had to travel for a long distance to get to the interview and it went well. I was excited that I would get a job. In our second meeting, we disagreed on the salary terms. I wanted a high salary while the company was offering me little. Since I could not accept the low pay I let go of the job and went home feeling frustrated. If they had advertised the salary too, my time and money would not have been wasted.”

This email emits questions that many job seekers seek answers to. Kevin Kerosi, HR Personnel Rose Avenue Consultants, answers a few questions for job seekers and suggests ways of handling such scenarios.

“Why do employers hide the salary in a job advert?” I enquire

“This is an employer strategy since the market is very competitive with a huge supply demand of job seekers. Managers try to cast the net wide and get the best personnel. This is a strategy to have all interested candidates to apply for the job for the management to make informed decisions,” he says.

“Is it a hidden motive scenario for the employer to attract more people to apply for the job?” I enquire further

Mr. Kerosi says it is and that it allows the Human Resource department to understand the market in every angle and hence determine the competitiveness of the salary package

If you are wondering how a hidden salary affects a job seeker who is desperately looking for a job, here is what Kerosi says.

“Job seekers are supposed to do a thorough research on what the market offers for the job, what the former was earning, the organizational structure, its vision to comprehensively understand where the organization is going. This allows for a competitive salary quote,” he says.

He also gives the meaning of the quote “competitive salary”

“Competitive salary is the current salary as determined by the market based on capabilities for that job description,” he explains

He advises job seekers on salary negotiation saying, “A salary that a potential employee quotes is to an extent a clear definition of what quality work s/he can offer to the company, at first appearance.”

Kerosi also says that, “It’s a fundamental principle to inquire from current employees of that firm on salary range for a candidate to have a benchmark for negotiation.”

Even for a job without a quoted salary, job seekers can come out of it not feeling disappointed.

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