Freelance strategist Matthew Knight, who has worked with brands such as LEGO and Google, is leading a movement for salary transparency. He argues that knowing the pay upfront benefits freelancers and the companies hiring them.
We also learn why salary secrecy persists in 2024 and how freelancers like Matthew are pushing for change by joining his 6-point campaign.
Enough already
For freelancers juggling multiple projects and clients, time is money – literally. Wasting hours in a salary or rate dance just to find out a project doesn’t meet your financial needs is not only a pain but arguably unacceptable.
Yet, not revealing rates and salaries on job postings has been a practice in the world of recruitment for as long as we can all remember. According to freelancer Matthew Knight, “Just because something is the norm, doesn’t mean it’s good practice.”
Matthew tells The Freelance Informer, “Hiding salary and day rate information only leads to wasted time, poorer candidate experience, a narrower pool of people applying, and individuals getting below market rate salaries, especially women and people of colour.”
Many of us can probably see his point. “Finding work is already hard enough, with 600 comments on LinkedIn posts for roles, or applicants being drawn through overly complex and long hiring processes, only to find out the salary doesn’t match. Why waste everyone’s time?” He asks.
He says it’s even worse in the freelance sector, where day rates are often not disclosed, leading to a “show me yours before I show you mine” dance that wastes countless hours.
“Talking about money isn’t crass. I’m providing my skills; you’re paying me for it. I don’t see petrol stations asking me to pop-in before they tell me the cost of the fuel. It doesn’t happen anywhere else, so let’s not accept it in hiring either.
Matthew Knight, Freelance Strategist
Many freelancers and job hunters are already on board with Matthew’s line of thinking and his call to action on salary transparency on job listings. “Sharing salary and rates from the outset helps people who are looking for work identify quickly whether it is affordable or relevant to what they’re looking for, so they can self-filter in or out,” he says.
As part of Matthew’s work to support freelancers, he says he is “endlessly” commenting on posts on LinkedIn where there’s basic information missing, such as location or day rate, asking for them to share, and explaining why it’s helpful to.
So, why start the campaign now?
“I wanted to show there are benefits to both the applicants and businesses in being transparent,” he says, adding, “And hopefully this makes it easier for anyone else who is asking the same questions, too.”
Matthew and many job applicants have expressed that it’s “time to end the salary guessing game.” Here he answers some questions that get to the crux of the issue.
Q: Why are salaries and rates not published or transparent?
A: “I understand why businesses might not be transparent – existing employees might realise they’re being underpaid, sometimes the role hasn’t actually been signed off or the budget hasn’t been agreed yet, often it’ll be as simple as wanting to see what level candidates are coming in at, so they don’t have to pay market rates.
I’ve seen talent professionals explain that it can also lead to candidates asking for “more than they are worth”, or that it leads to people only asking for the top end of the salary range – but that’s why transparency is a good thing: it forces the business to evaluate the true market value of the role, and the true value of the role to the business – and not get caught up in what someone is asking for, but offering remuneration linked to the role (not the person).”
Q: Why are candidates encouraged by recruiters to NOT bring up money in initial interviews?
“It’s entirely possible they’re putting people forward who they know have a higher salary expectation than the role.
Recruiters need to show they’re able to put a volume of talented candidates forward, even if some of those turn out to be “too expensive”.
But I don’t think recruiters are to blame here – this is often a business decision, not the talent person.
And I know many talent and recruitment people will often push for salary transparency, and the rate is not being shared.
If businesses are transparent from the start, it saves everyone time, money, and exasperation.”
Q: Why is asking about salary seen as crass?
“Talking about money isn’t crass. I’m providing my skills; you’re paying me for it. I don’t see petrol stations asking me to pop-in before they tell me the cost of the fuel. It doesn’t happen anywhere else, so let’s not accept it in hiring either.”
Q: What do you think will change in the world of recruitment if more job postings reveal salaries and rates?
“Research shows that if you’re more transparent with rates and salaries, everyone benefits.
You’ll get a more diverse pool of people applying; we’ll close the pay gaps across factors like gender and ethnicity; we’ll see less time wasted sorting through people who aren’t affordable; candidate experiences will improve; trust in employers improve, and there’s even evidence to show it reduces employee turnover.
The future of work needs to be more human, and more empathetic, and the power dynamic in hiring needs to be more balanced between hirer and candidate. Anything we can collectively do, to remember the “human” part of HR, the better.”
Freelancers deserve transparency and respect. By advocating for clear salary information, Matthew and millions of freelancers believe they can create a fairer and more efficient work environment for everyone.
Here are a few reasons why salary transparency is as good for candidates as it is for companies, according to Matthew:
1. It closes the pay gap: Research consistently shows that hidden salaries perpetuate pay gaps based on gender and ethnicity. When salary ranges are not disclosed, women and people of colour are often paid less than their white, male counterparts Transparency levels the playing field and ensures fair compensation for all.
2. It reduces turnover: Companies with transparent pay practices see a 17% reduction in turnover rates. This saves businesses money and creates a more stable work environment for everyone.
3. It enables faster hiring: When salaries are clear, candidates self-select, leading to a faster and more efficient hiring process. No more wasting time on interviews for projects that don’t align with your income goals.
4. It gives hiring companies and recruiters a wider reach: Job postings with salary information attract more applicants. Job postings with salary information receive 50% more applications – and 85% of Gen Z respondents in Adobe’s Future Workforce Study said they would be less likely to apply for a job if the salary range wasn’t disclosed.
5. Salary transparency provides an improved candidate experience: Transparency builds trust and shows respect for a freelancer’s time and expertise. It creates a more positive and professional interaction from the outset. 80% of candidates feel uncomfortable or extremely uncomfortable when prospective employers ask questions about their current salary, and 82% of respondents said seeing a salary range would give them a more positive impression of a company
6. It cuts the guesswork: Knowing the rate upfront allows freelancers to make informed decisions and focus on projects that fit their financial needs and career goals.
Are you a freelancer with a cause or have something to share?
Do you have something to share that could help freelancers navigate the ups and downs of being self-employed or a fixed contractor or umbrella company worker? Share your professional thoughts and tips in our comments section or get in touch to be profiled by reaching out to editor@buzzvestor.com
Who is Matthew Knight?
Matthew Knight, a freelance strategist, working with brands like LEGO, Adidas and Google, and runs Freelancing.Support – a guide to independent work. He lives in London with his two daughters and confides he drinks too much coffee. He is asking freelancers to share his campaign document called Share Salary Info.
