I don't think it's true that companies "can't hire". Many companies are freezing hiring for now given economic conditions, and the market equilibrium between supply and demand while still apparently candidate centric is nowhere near as favorable as it was a year ago, and the pendulum continues to swing the other way.
Nonetheless, to your point, whether salary ranges are posted or not is likely a moot point. The truth is you might see anywhere near 50-100% dispersion for a role. Figure out what range or number you're looking for, see if they can offer it on the first call, and go from there. If you're really insistent on that as a prescreen, do what I did when I was in your shoes and use a platform like Hired that lets you prescreen offers.
I just think that if I were you, I would be careful about having an attitude that implies "I know why you can't hire and you don't." The process you are in is much more similar to dating than it is to a standardized test being taken. Top hiring managers at top companies are not having trouble hiring (myself included) because they are not squeaky wheels. We're hiring silently, paying above market, getting inbound referrals. And similarly, top candidates are not having trouble sourcing multiple offers because they can command a premium (which was always the case for me when the shoe was on the other foot).
My advice to you would be to rely on your skills and ability to get competing offers which you play against each other to do the heavy lifting of increasing your salary. Then it won't matter whether companies post salary ranges or not. If, on the off chance you aren't able to get multiple competing offers, then I think you have your work cut out for you and I would highly recommend to sharpen your interviewing abilities first as that will serve your career very well in the long run.
Nonetheless, to your point, whether salary ranges are posted or not is likely a moot point. The truth is you might see anywhere near 50-100% dispersion for a role. Figure out what range or number you're looking for, see if they can offer it on the first call, and go from there. If you're really insistent on that as a prescreen, do what I did when I was in your shoes and use a platform like Hired that lets you prescreen offers.
I just think that if I were you, I would be careful about having an attitude that implies "I know why you can't hire and you don't." The process you are in is much more similar to dating than it is to a standardized test being taken. Top hiring managers at top companies are not having trouble hiring (myself included) because they are not squeaky wheels. We're hiring silently, paying above market, getting inbound referrals. And similarly, top candidates are not having trouble sourcing multiple offers because they can command a premium (which was always the case for me when the shoe was on the other foot).
My advice to you would be to rely on your skills and ability to get competing offers which you play against each other to do the heavy lifting of increasing your salary. Then it won't matter whether companies post salary ranges or not. If, on the off chance you aren't able to get multiple competing offers, then I think you have your work cut out for you and I would highly recommend to sharpen your interviewing abilities first as that will serve your career very well in the long run.