Are others seeing quite a bit of chat around people/candidates expecting to receive an offer in the upper to top tier of the salary range for a role? OR current employees seeing company job postings and expecting a raise b/c the salary range posted has a ceiling that is higher than what they are currently making?

I think the average person might not understand what a pay range is and they are mistaking this for starting base pay range....

I see this often. Candidates expect offers at the top of the range, and employees think ceilings mean automatic raises. I explain that ranges cover the full span of experience, not just the starting point.

I see this happening a lot, that people think that they just deserve the top of the range despite not even having all or even most of the qualifications for the job. It makes me chuckle, but I appreciate their tenacity.

i know this is not super common, but I've known people to negotiate beyond the top range of a band based on their experience/qualifications. Of course they always disclose what they're looking for upfront.

which makes me wonder... do any of ya'll explain this in the job posting or provide any clarity around why someone receives the salary amount that they are being offered?

I know for me personally, when I see a range of say $75,000 - $125,000 my thought process is as follows. This is a huge range but not uncommon to see.
If I meet the minimum qualifications, I expect to be offered a salary at the bottom of the range. If I meet some of the preferred qualifications, depending on how many, I would expect an offer higher than the base but my expectation would be reflective of how many/to what degree I meet the preferred qualifications. If one of the preferred qualifications was to know SQL and I’m an advanced SQL user, I would expect a bit more salary than if I was a beginner SQL user or was not familiar with it at all because I have spent many hours learning the skill. If I meet all of the preferred qualifications and was at expert level of the skills and had the certs or whatever is listed, I would expect an offer between the middle and upper end of the range.

I do think employees that see a job that is similar or the same as theirs posted on the company website with a higher pay range than what they are currently making, they would expect a raise. However, I think most people also understand that doesn’t happen without at least a convo with their manager about a pay increase but I think overall, they know there is no reward for being loyal to a company and they may start looking outside the company for better paying jobs because they know they can make that money elsewhere as a new hire.

As far as “explanation” in a job description, I’ve only ever seen vague sentences that say something along the lines of “actual salary is based on location and qualifications”, which is vague enough to not be worth including, in my opinion.

It is kind of surprising how people just misapprehend that those numbers are a range. And the top end would apply to a unicorn candidate with tons of relevant experience who comes highly recommended. Most people applying are going to be somewhere near the lower end of the range. Maybe not the absolute bottom, but somewhere just a bit higher than there.

It’s my expectation as a candidate and it’s my practice as a job poster, to have the STARTING range posted. I would never list the top of the range for the position. Don’t list it if you’re not gonna start someone in that range. I’m typically at the top of the range and I let them know right out of the gate that’s where I am and that I won’t take a pay cut. Because wages have dropped significantly in my area. It’s challenging to find a job that pays comparable to my current rate.