A Very Awkward Truth: You Can’t Expect a Discount on Top Tier Talent

Sorry to be the one to break it to you.

Every recruiter has been there: The moment you get handed a role that’s been impossible to fill... and then you see the salary. Oof. It’s way below what the market actually pays for those skills.

Good recruiters live and breathe industry trends. We’re constantly researching salaries, watching what competitors offer, and knowing what candidates really want. It’s our job to stay in the loop and call it like it is.

Meanwhile, it’s not much of a surprise when employers are a bit out of touch.I mean honestly, knowing every salary benchmark for every role isn’t usually at the top of their to-do list. They’ve got a business to run, budgets to wrangle, and sometimes the hiring team isn’t plugged in to the latest market realities.

That’s where we step in with what I like to call the “salary reality check.” It’s that awkward chat where we explain why no one’s lining up to take a role that pays less than they’re worth, especially when every other company in the industry is offering more for the exact same gig.

At the end of the day, hiring great people isn’t just about filling seats. It’s about paying fair, attracting talent that sticks, and building teams that thrive. And that starts with knowing the market and being honest about what it takes.