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The Big Q: Why won't a company offer me top of their salary range?Posted almost 4 years ago by Client Server

Q : I'm thinking of applying for a role with an advertised salary of between £55-£65k. I'm currently on £40k and the thought of getting close to £65k is really tempting. But, my recruiter says that's unrealistic. Why?


A : A salary jump of that size isn't unheard of, but is rare. In a competitive industry like tech, companies realise that salary is a significant factor in a person's decision to apply for a job, but hiring managers will know the calibre of candidate they can expect a role to attract.

Let's look at the nuts and bolts of how salary banding works. Many businesses will include a salary range as a reflection of where the role exists within its pay structure. A successful candidate may be employed at £55k but will have the opportunity to earn at the top end of the band through exceptional performance. A banding is much less a target, but reflection of where a candidate can reasonably expect to develop and grow in role.

During your conversation with our consultants, they will assess what your salary expectations are. Chances are they will scrtunise your want of a £20k pay increase. In order to reasonably pitch your credentials to our clients, the consultant would need to justify why you're worthy of that level of increase. If you can demonstrate with strong evidence that you are 'worth' the top end of a salary banding, the consultant will put your name forward with that salary in mind. However, with their knowledge of the client's expectations, don't be surprised if it is lower.

We have published advice on how to present your salary expectations during the interview stage so that there are no surprises or bad feelings when an offer is made.