The fastest way to lose a great candidate?
Write “competitive salary” on the job advert.
Because for some reason, plenty of employers still think it’s acceptable to write “competitive salary” or “DOE” (depending on experience) and expect people to jump through hoops without knowing if the role will even pay their bills.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work.
And in 2026, it’s more than a minor annoyance. It’s a red flag.
Why hiding salaries doesn’t stack up
Here’s what happens when you dodge the salary question:
👉 Candidates don’t apply. You lose out on good matches because they don’t want to waste their time.
👉 You get the wrong applicants. People apply blind, then drop out once they hear the number, which means wasted interview time on both sides.
👉 You send the wrong message. Whether you mean to or not, you’re saying: “We don’t want to be transparent.”
In short, you’re telling the market more than you realise.
Transparency isn’t optional anymore
Parts of Europe already have laws in place requiring salary brackets in job adverts. The EU Pay Transparency Directive is on its way too, which means UK employers will probably have to catch up sooner rather than later.
And honestly? That’s a good thing.
Because salary transparency isn’t just about money. It’s about fairness, equality, and efficiency. It levels the playing field, reduces bias, and speeds up the hiring process.
The human side of job hunting
Let’s not kid ourselves. Job hunting is emotionally draining.
Applicants spend hours tailoring CVs, prepping for interviews, juggling multiple applications, all while managing the uncertainty of when (or if) they’ll land the right role.
When an advert hides the salary, you’re adding another layer of stress and wasted effort. Candidates are left wondering if they should even bother.
Being upfront with a salary range is one of the simplest ways to show respect for their time, their skills, and their mental health.
What employers gain from being clear
Some hiring managers push back because they think posting salaries will:
Limit negotiation power
Put off potential applicants
Cause “internal noise” if existing staff see the numbers
But the reality is very different. Employers who post salary brackets actually:
✅ Get a higher quality applicant pool
✅ Shorten their time-to-hire
✅ Build trust and credibility in their employer brand
And let’s not ignore retention. Transparency builds loyalty. When people feel you’ve been upfront from day one, they’re far more likely to stay.
Why this matters in events and recruitment
In the events world especially, where projects are high pressure and deadlines immovable, you need people who are a fit both on skills and culture (Fitability® as I call it).
But that fit is undermined if the basic expectations aren’t aligned from the start.
A candidate might be the perfect match on paper — creative, resilient, experienced — but if they find out the role pays £15k less than they expected halfway through the process, the whole thing falls apart.
It’s not just wasted time. It damages your reputation in an industry where word travels fast.
My view
I’ve been saying for years that salary brackets should be on every job advert. Period.
No smoke. No mirrors. No “competitive salary” placeholders.
Because if you’re not transparent about what you pay, candidates will draw their own conclusions. And usually, they won’t be flattering.
If you want to build teams that last, stop hiding behind vague language and start leading with clarity.
Final thought
Salary transparency isn’t just a compliance box waiting to be ticked when the law arrives.
It’s a culture signal. It tells people:
💷 We know what our roles are worth
🤝 We respect your time and experience
🔍 We’ve got nothing to hide
And that speaks louder than any careers-page buzzwords ever could.
So next time you draft a job advert, ask yourself:
Does this ad attract the right people or push them away before they’ve even applied?
