A word by Kanti Mokgohloa

As a final-year university student, landing an internship feels like the gateway to your future career. After years of hard work and dedication, you’re eager to apply your knowledge and start making your mark in the professional world. The interview process is often an exciting, if nerve-wracking journey that dictates how everything will playout. So the excitement of finally landing it is sometimes worth more than silver—finally, a chance to prove yourself professionally.

So imagine this: you’ve prepared, gone through the interview process, and after several rounds, you feel confident that you’ve found a great opportunity. But imagine this: you’ve made it all the way to the final stage, excited to sign the contract, only to realize that the salary—something you’ve been wondering about all along—has just now been disclosed and its nothing like what you have expected.

Unfortunately, this scenario is far too common for students and recent graduates. While salary is a crucial part of any job decision, many candidates go through multiple interview stages without knowing what they’ll be paid until the very end. Here’s why discussing salary early on in the process is not only important but necessary.

1. Setting Clear Expectations
Knowing the salary range from the start helps set realistic expectations. It’s not about whether the salary is high or low—it’s about understanding upfront what the compensation will be so you can decide if the role aligns with your needs.

2. Respecting Your Time
Both your time and the employer’s time are valuable. Without salary transparency, candidates often invest time in multiple rounds of interviews, only to discover at the final stage that the offer isn’t a good fit for them. If the salary had been disclosed upfront, it would have saved time for both parties and allowed you to focus on opportunities that align with your expectations.

3. Building Trust
Salary transparency early in the process builds trust. As a job seeker, you deserve honesty from potential employers. When a company withholds salary information until the contract stage, it can feel like they’re hiding something, which may lead you to question their overall transparency and culture.

4. Empowering You to Make Informed Decisions
When salary is discussed from the start, you have the information you need to make informed decisions throughout the interview process. If the salary meets your expectations, you can move forward with confidence. If not, you can choose to negotiate or explore other opportunities. The key is that you’re not left in the dark, wondering if the role will ultimately meet your needs.

Conclusion
For final-year students and graduates stepping into the professional world, internships are critical milestones. They should be a time to learn, grow, and apply your skills—not a time for uncertainty about whether you’re being compensated fairly.

In a competitive job market, where young professionals like the Gen Z intern are looking for fair opportunities, transparency about salary is not just a courtesy—it’s a necessity. Let’s shift the conversation toward fairness and open dialogue, ensuring that all candidates have the information they need to make informed decisions about their futures.