I remember reading a great piece from a recruiter on why they don't actually share salaries.

The Tldr was pretty much that there isn't always a definite answer to that question.

Giving a range can put off inexperienced people that think they don't have enough experience to make that jump. It puts off people who think the job is beneath them.

It's frustrating but not giving a budget helps keep options open.

When I recruit I sometimes go in looking for one thing and come back with something else.

For example, the last hire I made was for a junior role /second jobber.

We ended up recruiting a 55 year old with 30 years of experience! Cost more obvs, but delivers way more too.

You would have asked for our "budget" and fucked off lol.

I prefer an open dialogue. What are you on now? What are your expectations? What's the market rate? When interviewing you quickly get a feel for what people are wanting and what we might have to pay.

It's all up for debate and discussion. My employer tends to pay a little over market rates because we want solid teams. No dead wood.

We pay good market rates, that's all you'll get from me!