Struggling to get the best IT talent? Salary could be the issue. How do you know if what you’re offering is appropriate for the market and for the individual?
What are they currently making?
You don’t want to insult the candidate by offering too little, nor do you want to lock yourself in a place that ties your hands for future raises by offering too much up front. Some candidates will not be able to disclose current salary, but there are some ways to glean a range without directly asking. If you’ve got their address on the resume, you can gather area housing prices. Also, consider the price of their commute. The candidate will be looking to recoup this cost in their salary.
What are the trends in the neighborhood?
Are things trending more expensive or less? You can have some indication of what you need to offer based on items that might otherwise slip your notice: the cost of parking, the cost of lunch, the cost of housing in the area around your location. Are people paying more to offset a high real estate market? Have all the food trucks started charging sit down prices? What’s a gallon of milk going for these days? There’s a huge difference in what you need to offer if milk is $2/gallon in Ohio against $10/gallon in Hawaii. These cost-of-living items will eat into the employee’s salary and will be among the items they consider.
What are the salary surveys saying?
Salary surveys offer a good baseline for what types of positions should be making. These ranges start you off on the right food so that you aren’t paying too far outside market trends and turning off candidates because everyone else is offering them more. Look at the BLS website for the U.S. Department of Labor. Consider salary.com or other online salary tools to at least get a range and make sure you aren’t misinformed.
What is your internal salary structure?
You don’t want to bring the new person in with the cards already stacked against them. You’ll create internal pay grade issues if you get too far out of alignment with where everyone else falls on the overall company scale. While each hire needs to be weighed carefully against a variety of factors, looking at the job description against similar jobs inside your organization can help make sure you aren’t putting anyone, including the company, in a tight spot.
Work with a Top IT Recruiter in San Francisco
When it comes to sealing the deal with the best talent out there, salary is a clear high priority. If you’re looking to make sure you capture the best for the right fit for your organization in the current market, let Consultant Specialists, Inc. do the work. Our information technology recruiters stay on top of these salary trends so that you don’t have to, allowing us to provide solutions that work for client and top-talent. Contact us to get started on working with a top IT recruiter in San Francisco.