Advertised Salaries...


Most of my candidates know me.  We have a good relationship. You build trust over time but people buy into people and if (as a recruiter) you are genuine, have good opportunities, are honest and communicate really well, you'll do alright, better than alright.  I pride myself on getting back to people and try to go the extra yard - and with the honesty, I'll always be realistic without being patronising or negative. 

And yet. I don't think anyone ever sets out to be a Recruitment Consultant. I didn't.  But I evolved from marketing into recruitment and whilst I'd have no interest in being a recruiter of, for example, van drivers, I love what I do and I genuinely get a kick from getting people great jobs and helping them on their quest for the perfect career. (Another blog there - does the perfect career exist?...).

Many recruiters are doing the job as a transient role.  You'll see this with many of the big recruitment names.  They'll train up hopeful juniors...who then after 6 months decide that they'd rather not be doing that after all.  Something to do with the targets and pressures associated with traditional recruitment. So whilst, once again, I've veered off the point before I've got there. There is an important point to be made which is to find recruiters who you buy into and who listen and who get back to you.  Work with them closely but treat the rest like necessary evils...after all, you never know, they might just have the right role so don't shoot yourself in the foot by limiting yourself. I don't think ANY other recruiter would say this!  But skill will out.

So. Back to the point.

I've had some grief recently from candidates who have bemoaned the fact that many roles advertised online are advertised without a salary.  So I thought I'd debunk a few myths and truths about recruitment advertising.

Mostly...When a client calls me with a brief, they'll give me an overview of a role and what they're looking for. Typically, because I know the client, I'll know what they're looking for. I'll know the culture, the environment, the hours, the work life balance and pretty much  who would suit them.   If it's a new client, I'll find all that out.   I don't always get a job description. In fact, it's rare.  Particularly on the agency side.... In-house marketing is different, they have HR teams to write specs and resource to do that.  So the typical conversation will be me asking for salary boundaries.  Sometimes, a client will say, we have a max salary of X.  In which case, I will advertise the salary as X.   But after several years in the industry, I know that there is sometimes wiggle room.  So if I'm talking to candidates who are looking for more, I'll manage expectations on both sides and see if there is mileage there.    Genuinely, if I think that a client will pay more.....or that they'll go the extra mile themselves to get absolutely the right person, I'll do my best to get a candidate in front of a client.   Believe me, if a recruiter thinks they can make money, they will do their best. Without sounding like a shark, we'll be trying to fill what we can!   Generally speaking if  a recruiter says that they can't secure you the salary you are looking for....they can't.  They'll make more money themselves if you secure a higher salary so they won't be pitching you out there at a lower than expected salary.

So as with traditional advertising, recruitment advertising is all about attracting interest and converting that interest into desire and action.   Firstly, if I advertise a role on any online platform, it's a genuine role.  It's not worth my time to advertise fake roles.   Secondly, if I advertise a role, I'm keeping things quite broad.   I'm from a direct marketing background and I've learned that if you segment things too tightly, you lose all interest because you just whittle things down too far.  People can do anything and I prefer to think broadly - then whittle it down.  I know clients and I know candidates - the job is essentially to match like minded people together. 

One of the reasons I got into recruitment was to try and be different from the rest.  I think honesty is a HUGE part of this.  So many times in the past I felt I was fobbed off or lied to (as a candidate).  Individuals respond much better to honesty.  But equally, clients and employers are not always transparent in the recruitment process and that can make things very difficult.  Trying to explain why a situation has changed or goalposts have been moved.  I do try to remind people to remember what it is like with shifting sands in their current workplace - it happens everywhere.  I do have to trust that if a client gives me a brief, they are genuine and I'll do my best to fill that role.

Eventually, I come to the point.   I'll advertise a role with a salary that the client has indicated that they will pay.   Having been in the industry long enough, I'll know if there is any movement on that.  I'll know if they'll budge at all, a lot or a little.  Again, trust me, I'm a recruiter.   If I can place a candidate, I will.    Has a client ever not disclosed what they'll pay someone? Nope, never.   So as with the case if a recruiter asks to send you to a client who they haven't disclosed the name of, equally here, tell them to cop on if they aren't giving you more details on the money.  If you think a recruiter is being a bit 'fudgy' then get them to divulge where the boundaries are.  There are always boundaries.

From my experience as a candidate, I know that there is nothing worse than being sat at home, out of work, waiting for the phone to ring.  Wondering why a recruiter isn't calling in response to your email or application.   Now, as a recruiter, I know that clients don't always call regularly, don't always give feedback and that recruitment can come on and off the boil.  As a recruiter, I'm the go-between and that means sometimes that no news just means, no news.

Digressed again.   In-house roles do tend to be different.  They have defined bandings. They won't budge on the salaries. Rarely wiggle room but sometimes they can do stuff on bonus and benefits.  Recruiters should advertise the actual salaries because seldom is there any movement.  It's where you see salaries of  £22,368 - £25,469.  No logic there but each to their own in their bandings.  Independent companies tend to be different.  What are you worth to us?  That's their question.   The salary will be in line with that.

Best advice I can give?  Meet your recruiter.  Get them to buy into you. They'll then pitch you to all appropriate clients.  But it may take time and the more senior and the more expensive you are, the longer it will take.  That's why I always recommend that you sit tight in your current role before you resign.  It's much easier to be looking for a new role whilst gainfully employed than when you are out of work and likely to be much more 'needy' to future employers.  Reading that, it looks awful, apologies, but the psychology of recruitment is extensive - and that's probably another 200 blogs!