20/04/2026
Hi from Harwood HR.
Do you know the #1 reason why businesses overpay for new hires?
Most often, it's because the role was never clearly defined to begin with.
When the job ad is too broad, the wrong candidates apply. Salary expectations inflate because there's nothing anchoring them to what the job actually needs.
A level-based approach to your job adverts changes that.
Here's how:
📝 Define the role by output, not title
What will this person actually deliver? What decisions will they own? What does success look like after 3 months? Get specific and the right candidates start filtering themselves in.
💷 Let the advert do the work on salary
When candidates can see exactly what the role involves, the salary conversation starts from a grounded position. You're not negotiating against assumptions about seniority that your advert left wide open.
📊 Test the market at multiple levels
Not sure whether you need someone junior or senior? Advertise at more than one level with different expectations and salary ranges. You might find that a strong mid-level candidate delivers everything the business actually needs for less than you budgeted.
🏢 Sell what your business genuinely offers
Autonomy, direct impact, closeness to decision-making. For the right person, that can be more attractive than a bigger salary at a larger company. Don't undersell it.
Your job advert is the first filter in your hiring process. If it isn't doing its job, everything after it costs you more than it should.
If you want to sense-check how your adverts are working for you, drop us a message and we can talk it through.
For any HR or recruitment queries or concerns, get in touch with Harwood HR on 0117 439 0119 or at: [email protected]
