The next time you look at the careers pages and see an advert for a position you might be interested in, don’t be led astray by the very attractive salaries published there, as these top packages are generally granted only to the very best in the field.
These job advertisements can create unrealistic expectations with job seekers, who frequently assume they are worth more than they actually are in terms of their experience and skills, according to Debbie Goodman, MD of Jack Hammer Executive Headhunters, which places many of the top executives in South Africa’s leading corporations.
She says: “Job seekers are led to believe that they should be earning a salary equivalent to the figures published in the recruitment columns, but this is often not the case. These advertisements merely indicate a salary range based on the prospective employer’s budget for the role, which will then be adjusted according to the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
“With less experience, an employee will earn at the lower end of this range, which many job seekers don’t initially realise.
“Just because there is a R800 000 budget put aside for the advertised position doesn’t mean you will automatically earn this should you get the job.
“As a headhunter we often need to manage candidates’ expectations by looking at the experience and skills they have and realistically explaining their worth to them. We then help them negotiate a market-related package with the employer.
“We must also walk a fine line ourselves in keeping both the interests of our client and the candidate in mind at all times — negotiating the fairest, most market-related package for both parties.”
Goodman says there are occasions when hiring managers (senior managers or executives) will feel reluctant to offer a higher package than they are earning themselves to a candidate with superior or scarce skills.
This can result in creating a cap on salaries at the company, with top employees sometimes ending up earning less than their market value. When it becomes apparent that the packages being offered to new employees are below the norm and are failing to attract the most desirable candidates, this may cause a total remuneration restructure within the company.
Small entrepreneurial companies often battle when trying to attract top new talent, as they may need to offer packages that exceed the salaries of the founding directors, who usually started out earning nominal packages and may not have adjusted their salaries appropriately over time, observes Goodman.
“Having a qualification like a CA doesn’t automatically mean you will earn similar amounts should you move across industries. Your salary range will frequently depend on the sector; for example, a CA working within a more lucrative sector, like mining or finance, will tend to earn more than someone with exactly the same qualification and experience in the retail or publishing sectors.”