How do we show the salary? A Q&A with Sophie O'Brien of Pollen

As a Sector Champion for We Show the Salary, early careers recruitment agency Pollen includes salary details on every job ad and encourages other employers to do the same. Pollen uses task-based hiring instead of CVs to help inclusive employers access high-potential, early-career talent from outside the usual networks – so we asked Sophie to tell us more about how including salary info on job ads supports social mobility and inclusion in entry-level hiring.

Why is showing the salary an important issue for you and the work you do at Pollen?

We believe too many hiring processes rely on hidden rules and insider knowledge, which locks people out of opportunities and wastes time for everyone involved. When salary is shared upfront, it levels the playing field. People don’t need to guess their worth or invest time in roles that were never right for them.

Transparency also helps employers. It encourages the right people to apply, helps others opt out early, and builds trust from the very first interaction. That leads to better matches, stronger retention, and a more respectful experience on both sides.

When salary is shared upfront, it levels the playing field. People don’t need to guess their worth or invest time in roles that were never right for them.

From your experience, how does this practice help promote social mobility and inclusion – particularly for candidates from marginalised backgrounds?

Showing salary plays a really practical role in promoting social mobility and inclusion because it removes hidden barriers that often disadvantage people from marginalised backgrounds.

When salary isn’t shared, the process often favours people who have the time and financial security to go through a hiring journey without knowing whether the role will actually be viable for them. Candidates from under-represented or lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to undervalue themselves, opt out of applying altogether, or accept less than they deserve simply because the information isn’t clear or accessible. Some even reach the final stages of a process only to turn down the role when they realise they can’t afford to take it.

Candidates want clarity upfront so they can make informed decisions about where to invest their time and energy.

At Pollen you work closely with early-career jobseekers. Does the topic of salary transparency come up often in your conversations with candidates, and what feedback do they share?

For many people in our community, salary isn’t just a 'nice to know' detail. It’s a deciding factor. In fact, 78% of our community say salary is one of the most important factors when applying for a role.

The feedback we hear is very consistent. Candidates want clarity upfront so they can make informed decisions about where to invest their time and energy. Many early-career jobseekers are balancing financial pressures like rent or supporting family, so applying for roles without knowing the pay can feel risky or unrealistic.

How does task-based hiring combined with salary transparency reshape what fair recruitment really looks like?

At Pollen, we see task-based hiring and salary transparency as two simple shifts that fundamentally change what fair recruitment looks like.

Task-based hiring shows what someone can actually do, not just how polished their CV is or how well they know the rules of what has become a hiring game. When you combine that with salary transparency, the whole process becomes a clear and equal exchange. Candidates know what’s expected of them and what the role offers in return, and employers get to assess real capability rather than what’s written on a piece of paper.

Today’s candidates expect openness and fairness, and organisations that lead with clarity stand out.

This removes hidden barriers and builds trust from the start. For us this is not a 'nice to have'. It’s better business. When expectations are clear and people are assessed on what truly matters, employers make stronger hiring decisions, reduce mismatches, and build teams that stay and grow.

Finally, what advice would you give to employers who are still hesitant about showing salary information on their job ads?

We would encourage employers to see this less as a risk and more as a practical advantage. When salary is clear, you reduce back-and-forth, avoid mismatched expectations, and build trust from the very first interaction. Candidates self-select more effectively, which saves time, improves engagement, and leads to stronger long-term hires.

It’s also worth recognising that transparency reflects your values as an employer. Today’s candidates expect openness and fairness, and organisations that lead with clarity stand out.

You don’t need to get everything perfect. Just start by being more open than you were before. You will see the impact on trust, efficiency, and quality of hires straightaway.