Totaljobs.com > Career Advice > Jobseeking plus > Salary: quick guide
Salary: quick guide
A healthy work life balance and job satisfaction is just as important as a good salary. But when your dream job looks like it will leave your pockets empty, what are your options?
Should I stay or should I go?
If you want a complete career change, the jobs on offer are likely to be entry roles that pay less than your current employment. This is not always the case, especially if you have transferable skills, but don't let a pay cut deter you from a more rewarding future. Factor in the benefits. Look past the salary on offer and consider working times, travel and above all, job satisfaction. As you gain experience in a new field, your salary will start going up again.
To get an idea of what kind of salary you can expect in a job that interests you, try out our salary checker. Updated from our own jobs database, it calculates the average minimum and maximum salary you can expect for your chosen profession.
The cost of change
We've all got bills to pay and most of us tend to live within our means. So if we're earning good money we usually upgrade and spend to what we earn. This can make switching careers hard, but not impossible.
One way to approach this is to write down what you earn and what you spend it on and then look at where most of your income is going or where you could cut back on spending. If there's still a big deficit it becomes a question of how much you value your dream job. Perhaps you could source an extra income, maybe rent out a room at home, cycle to work or relocate? There are always possibilities. If you're seriously considering following your dream you may want to speak to an Independent Financial Adviser (you can find them listed at www.adviceonline.co.uk).
Earning potential
Salary negotiations usually begin once a job offer is on the table. Most recruiters leave some room for negotiating remuneration packages, so if the initial offer isn't quite what you were expecting, it's up to you to make sure you get what you deserve.
Settling for too little could affect the way you feel about your new role, but bear in mind if you hold out for too much the job offer could end up being withdrawn.
Whether you're a junior jobseeker or a seasoned executive, try to avoid saying what salary you want up front. An employer may try to get you to name your price, but for the best package, negotiating a deal with them is the key. Once a recruiter has made it clear they want to offer you the job, the bargaining can begin. One thing to remember is that any untruths about previous salaries will be discovered on the day your new employer receives your P45.
For more advice on negotiating pay, check out our salary and taxation pages.
To browse for jobs, click here.
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