Why is your current basic so important to agents? It is kind of irrelevant. Surely the number that is important is the number that would tempt you away from your current job. There is so much more to a job than salary…

I have been asked to provide a breakdown for my current role which I think is a bit bloody cheeky.

Things like increased risk, further to commute, longer hours, holiday, life assurance, pension, flex, bonus, prospects, rebuilding your profile all come in to it. Not all of those have an easily disclosable number associated with them.

Shall I stick to my guns or give them a break down with things like ‘longer hours = +5k’ etc?

well if you don’t tell the truth and get offered a new job the employer can decide you are not to be trusted..

I thought the point of an agent was to get an interview, your the one that has to get the job, so your the one who can decide if the amount you are offered matches the position and responsibilities. If giving that info improves your chance of an interview then give it, if you think it dosnt then dont. Simples.

Let’s get this straight from the off – at no point am I talking about being dishonest. As far as I’m concerned this is a negotiation showing your hand in terms of what you are currently on seems a sure fire way of only getting a small incremental rise which I’ve got no interest in and would probably mean worse off per hour therefore not bother with the role.

Apparently they need to pitch you at a certain level.

Agents are pretty sleazy in the main but you do need to keep them on side.

I would tell the agent details of your package but make it crystal clear that the offer needs to be worthwhile and not just a couple of thousand over what you get at the moment

Presumably what you are on now has no relevance to the figure(s) that would be necessary to tempt you to a new employer.
So spill.

This will give them a ballpark figure to work with so you are not offered anything unsuitable surely ?

I was a consultant but did all my own negotiations, as I am in a pretty specific role and knew what the going rate was. When I went back to being employed, I disclosed what I was on and they made their offer accordingly, and I took it for less money as they offered better conditions.

My brother is a consultant, and was offered a position for about half his usual day rate, he took it as it was constant work for two years, rather than the usual casual contracts.

Let them know what you want outwith salary as well.

But in reality they will probably just send you everything that is vaguely in your field that crosses their desk.

Because the most important factor in getting a well paid job is already having a well paid job.

On a similar (vaguely related!) note what do those of you who do consultancy work do as a day rate when the work is full time and relatively long term?

My wife has always been employed but has been offered a 5-6 month stint at a company (working at their premises). Currently negotiating if this is a fixed term employed or a consultancy position. We’ve seen the online calculators for working out a day rate but most of them seem to factor in significant periods of no work, personal office outlay and marketing etc which aren’t appropriate.

Oh, and once I worked out that recruitment consultants were just mercenary sales people with neither the best interests of the employer or employee at heart and just interested in lining their own pockets my future relationships with them improved markedly.

Why is your current basic so important to agents?

Why is it such a secret?

Your basic speaks volumes about what your current employer thinks of you, and the level that you operate at etc etc.

It also means that they will not offer you roles that are far below your current basic, unless you tell them that money is irrelevant.

Also the agency charges a % based on your basic, so the more they can get the better, they’re certainly not going to try and get you paid less than you currently earn.

Also the agency charges a % based on your basic, so the more they can get the better, they’re certainly not going to try and get you paid less than you currently earn.

That’s not really true – they get paid based on moving people around.
Ergo, it’s better for them to move you full stop. Better to try to move you to a lower paid role than not to move you at all.

If you’re particularly cynical, then the best scenario for the pimp is to move you to a role that you’ll be happy with just long enough to claim his/her commission, and then move you again.

I always wondered, if you lied, would anyone ever know?

If you’re particularly cynical, then the best scenario for the pimp is to move you to a role that you’ll be happy with just long enough to claim his/her commission, and then move you again.

And even better if your current firm will use them again to fill your current spot even if they have others on their books that are a better fit for the firm in question.

And even better if your current firm will use them again to fill your current spot even if they have others on their books that are a better fit for the firm in question.

Hah, I remember a pimp headhunting a colleague and then as soon as he’d accepted asking him “So, your position is open now?”

Cougar – Moderator
I always wondered, if you lied, would anyone ever know?

Well I only said this as my old job turned someone away after his p45 came in and finance worked out his previous pay from that, told HR and they raised it with him. He told the truth, that he had lied originally to get more money and they gave him a months notice there and then. Sent him home on garden leave.

Yes but takehome is only one factor so it is not measuring apples with apples.

If I have a job with more stress I want to be compensated as such, just like if my commute goes from 15mins to 2hours, just like if my pension is worse, or I have less leave entitlement or a mobility clause in the contract

Reckon I will cost it all out and give arbitrary numbers to factors that can’t be accurately costed as that’s a subjective point and can’t really be argued.

My point still stands it is about the amount you want to be paid for their job & package rather than your current basic + 10%.

Your basic speaks volumes about what your current employer thinks of you, and the level that you operate at etc etc.

Not really, it says more about the pay policy of the company esp if you have a commission related job where the commission could be multiples of the basic…..

.

On a similar (vaguely related!) note what do those of you who do consultancy work do as a day rate when the work is full time and relatively long term?

My wife has always been employed but has been offered a 5-6 month stint at a company (working at their premises). Currently negotiating if this is a fixed term employed or a consultancy position. We’ve seen the online calculators for working out a day rate but most of them seem to factor in significant periods of no work, personal office outlay and marketing etc which aren’t appropriate.
except she’s going to be on her ar5e in 6 months. so it’s entirely appropriate. also check IR35 libility.
3x her current paid rate if it’s basically the same role she does now, otherwise more, if there’s increased responsibility/liability as she’s a contractor. employed short term, err, well that’s not much different to a contractor, bar 2 weeks paid holiday, sick pay, no need for indemnity insurance, and someone filling out the tax returns for her. she’ll still be unemployed at the end, probably. crank it up.

No, however this may or may not be truthful 😉

It’s useful to know because in some sectors it can give an indication of which “grade” you might enter a company on. Unless you’re in finance it’s unlikely if you’re applying for a role that a new employer is going to go much beyond a 10% salary increase for the same sort of role. It’s then up to you to negotiate your own rate.

What someone’s on is a starter for 10. Through the interview process they’ll get a feel of whether they think you’re worth any extra. Good candidates can always command a premium. It’s then down to your or the agency’s negotiating skills.

You may want to be paid an amount, they may not want to pay it.
If your commute goes from 15 mins to 2 hours, that’s generally not “salaried time”. You might want to bump your package up to reflect it, which is where most employers will do current + n% as “can we afford them for the roles we have” (and importantly what grade you enter at – which determines your internal cost and how easy it may be to sell on your services if that’s relevant) straight away.

Having said all that, I’d tell the agency what I wanted for any role (assuming your skills are in short supply), and what I’m currently on. There is a credibility / experience / “current perceived worth” view as CBMotorsport says. Believe it or not, it’s quite a good filter (in my sector anyway).

As Toys says, current (old employer) is normally checked when you send in your P45.