Yes, I'm unabashedly honest with them. If they are happy with their job me telling them changes nothing for them. If they are looking for a career change it add

Yes, I'm unabashedly honest with them. If they are happy with their job me telling them changes nothing for them. If they are looking for a career change it adds a bit of motivation so that investing the time and money in schools or bootcamps is a good investment. If they have a lead that pays above my current salary they know to bring it to me, otherwise they know it's not worth my time; and there are lots of places trying to pay far under market for developers. It helps me advise friends and family so they can watch for opportunities that aren't serious. A job posting 20% under market is a red flag. I was very close to becoming a substitute teacher. Then a teacher shared their salary with me. Even with the all the benefits it still wasn't worth it.