Many job advertisements claim to offer a “competitive salary”, but the amount of pay is not clear, with job seekers having to find out how much money to expect from their new duties.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, by having a conversation or two as a prospective employee, you may understand the salary range. What if what is offered is not even close to what you are willing to accept?

At the beginning of a hiring process, there may be early indications that the promise of a “competitive salary” is empty of substance.

Here are some red flags, so-called “red flags” to watch out for in your conversations with recruiters that warn you that you are being promised “rabbits with rocks,” according to CNBC.

They avoid talking about salary

A “red flag” is when a recruiter isn’t willing to discuss pay, says Bonnie Dilber, head of recruiting at software company Zapier.

Watch out when a hiring manager says they won’t talk about salary because they don’t want it to influence your interest as a candidate, or when an employer asks about your salary expectations while refusing to disclose their own offer.

“I wouldn’t rule out a potential employer based solely on their lack of salary transparency, but I would expect them to talk openly about it during the interview process,” says Dilber.

Postpone salary discussion

There may be some good reasons why a company doesn’t disclose salaries in the early stages of the hiring process, says Jeff Hyman, an executive recruiter for 28 years.

The employer may not have seen enough candidates to come up with a salary range, or the person talking to you may not be the decision maker and may need his or her supervisor’s approval before saying a number, he says.

But if the company continues to avoid discussing salary after multiple interviews, that’s a clear “red flag,” according to Hyman.

It can, he explains, mean that the employer still has no idea what they want to pay for the job, so you’re wasting your time. The other possibility: The company is trying to hold your interest until the last minute, so it may be exploiting desperation or limiting negotiating options.

“By the end of the third potential interview, you should have a pretty clear picture of the compensation,” he says, adding that if a company continues to stonewall, you can react discreetly.

Hyman suggests the following scenario: “We’ve had some great conversations. I’m genuinely interested. And I’m sure I can add tremendous value, like X, Y, Z. At the same time, we’re both very busy and I’m sure we don’t want to invest time in a conversation that may ultimately be fruitless just because our numbers don’t match. Why don’t you take some time and come back once you’ve determined [the pay level]?”

Maintain a humble tone, he notes, but “playing a little rough” may elicit a quicker response to your request.

Overemphasize non-monetary benefits

Office atmosphere, free snacks and generous leave policies are usually welcome offers, but overemphasizing these perks can be a sign that a company isn’t offering a competitive salary, Hyman says.

That doesn’t mean these fringe benefits have no value or are “red flags” in and of themselves.
“They can be worth a lot to the right person,” he notes. “But if you keep hearing about other things besides money, it’s at least a ‘yellow card’ if not a red flag,” he points out.