Salaries are still a taboo subject in the world of hiring. Overcoming this is key to finding yourself on the receiving end of a better paycheck. Here’s why. 

As recruiters we find ourselves on the frontline of salary conversations on a daily basis. 

For a placement to come together we have to encourage openness on both sides of the table. 

Our role is finding a middle ground in what is in your best interest and what is also in the client’s best interest. It’s a two way street where both sides need to be open from the very start -  transparency breeds trust.

And yet, we also know that talking about money can be awkward. 

It’s made a lot harder when there can also be a great deal of misinformation spread (see point 1 below) when it comes to money and what to expect. 

Spoiler: There are no 50% raises, even here in the Middle East. The industry average is somewhere around a 10-15% raise between positions. 

We’re fast entering a situation where supply is starting to outweigh demand on the candidate side. The market is picking up again and the GCC is proving incredibly popular from talent all over the world.

Pricing yourself fairly going into a new search is starting to become a vital part of the screening process for clients.

So how do you get the best value for yourself in an interview process? Here’s three tips to master the salary negotiation. 

My first job in Recruitment was working back in the UK in a market that was very candidate-led. 

What this meant was clients and jobs were plentiful but good candidates were not. It was an industry that was highly specialised and required X amount of years spent studying before it could be entered. 

The best source of new candidates was referrals. If I did a good job with someone they were likely to give me their friends details to work with me. This was great as they had a strong buy-in and social proof of what I could do and were likely to stick with me.

I was being referred siblings, godparents and best friends and the biggest issue I encountered was this. 

People were rarely truthful - even to their closest friends and relations - about how much they were earning. 

When it came to negotiating offers, I would very often be hamstrung by ‘Well X told me they are earning Y so that’s what I’m holding out for’ when in reality they had inflated their salary quite significantly. 

I thought it was a revealing insight into the way we can be as people and it brings around this lesson: know your own worth and stick to that. Anything else - even from your closest friends - is just noise.

Salary negotiations are a two-way street and not something to be feared. The cliched HR monster looking to grind over every last penny of your potential salary offer doesn’t exist. 

Reaching this point of a process is a culmination of hours of time expended at both sides of the table and likely a stage where everyone wants to see the deal get done. 

To make this as smooth as possible, both parties should have been clear and communicative (preferably in writing) on salary expectations and ranges from the very beginning. 

In my experience, 90% of the time, if a salary negotiation falls through it’s through moving goalposts on either side of the table. 

It’s very rare we get to the end of a process and if the above has been followed there are any surprises.

It’s also worth noting that if an offer is fair and within expectations - it’s not a requirement to negotiate. 

If a company has shown you the respect of matching your ask, then I’d say for you to show the same respect back and accept without further complications. 

There might be an occasion where this is no level of negotiation that can bring what is a fair package your way. These instances are in the minority but they do happen. 

As with anything in life you should always trust your gut. 

My general rule of thumb is that you’ve usually got two shots to push back and negotiate on what has been put to you. Do so calmly and with rationale behind your reasoning. 

If things don’t align then it wasn’t meant to be. Don’t sell yourself short if it’s something you’re not comfortable taking. 

Politely decline without burning your bridges. You never know how or when you might come up against people you’ve encountered in later-life. 

We had a candidate reach a final stage of a big process recently only for a late-stage interviewee to pull the plug. He’d met this person before in his previous company and remembered how he changed his salary ask by 30% from his original expectations at the offer stage. 

 Strategy Director (Advertising) - Dubai.

We have been briefed by a large network agency to assist them with a search for a Strategy Director based here in Dubai.

The role requires someone with a strong background in advertising, marketing, and strategic planning, with a proven track record of developing and implementing successful campaigns. 

The successful candidate will have previous experience at a high level (within an agency environment) and be able to demonstrate this during an interview. My client is open to relocation for this position for the right person.. 

Please reach out to me on LinkedIn and I will be happy to chat if your profile matches the requirements.