BOSTON – A groundbreaking new study from the Institute for Gendered Workplace Mystification (IGWM) has definitively concluded that posting a wide salary range on job advertisements actively deters women from applying. The research suggests that women are overwhelmingly more attracted to job descriptions that offer either no salary information whatsoever, or a tantalizingly ambiguous phrase such as 'Competitive Compensation' or 'Salary Commensurate with Experience (and our current mood).'

'Our data unequivocally shows that the more specific you are about potential earnings, the less likely a woman is to click 'apply',' stated Dr. Eleanor Vance, Lead Investigator and Senior Professor of Obfuscated Human Resources at IGWM. 'It seems the mere suggestion of a quantifiable financial outcome creates an uncomfortable level of transparency that many women find off-putting. They prefer the thrill of the unknown, the romantic notion of a salary being revealed to them like a secret admirer.'

The study, which analyzed over 3.7 million job applications and 14,000 LinkedIn profiles, found a 47% decrease in female applications when a salary range of more than $10,000 was present. Conversely, job postings with no salary information saw an inexplicable 12% increase in applications from women, particularly those seeking 'growth opportunities' and 'a vibrant team environment.'

'It’s a fascinating paradox,' commented Chad 'The Closer' Brogan, CEO of 'Man Up, Get Paid' Consulting. 'For years, we’ve advised companies to keep salary details under wraps to maintain negotiating leverage. Now, it appears this strategy is also a powerful, albeit accidental, gender-specific recruitment tool. We’re currently exploring job titles like 'Unspecified Remuneration Strategist' to maximize this effect.'