this is why i can’t post jobs here. the range would be from X to 2.5X, depending your skills/experience/etc, and that kind of range is more of a turnoff than no range at all

Any range is better than no range at all

Even huge gap could help to see potential opportunity. For example, tons of companies are promise above average and competitive salary. In the final stage they said, they have strict upper limit. And that limit apparently is not competitive at all. However, I am not sure about situation worldwide, so please take it with grain of salt.

https://www.recode.net/2018/4/30/17301264/how-much-twitter-google-amazon-highest-paying-salary-tech Like this is pretty interesting wrt. pay. It makes me want to ask, “When you say ‘competitive’ do you mean relative to Facebook, Google or Netflix median salaries”?

By saying competitive I mean salary which is about top of salaries in the similar companies around you. I am assuming you didn’t want big changes or relocation, which could be more beneficial than salary. In my opinion, in SF bay area competitive salaries should start from 150k for skilled developer. For example, I got an offer. Very similar job description, same perks and competitive salary. After negotiation HR said, it could offer at least same salary, but there is a limit 50-70% of my current salary. Time wasted. And this is happening very often.

My fear is more that I’d post a job that says 100k-250k, you assume you can negotiate for the 250k, but lack of skills/experience get you on the lower end, and then you think the range was misleading, and it would waste everyone’s time. Personally, if I saw a range like that, I’d be skeptical, because I’d assume they’re going to throw me in the lower end. Alternatively, I could post something for every level we hire for, but it’s effectively the same issue. I rarely meet candidates who don’t think they’re a level or two above where they should be.