My mat cover job advert is offering a higher salary than I’m on

[Penny31]

Hi

Im going on maternity leave soon and I’m a bit miffed that my role has been advertised at a higher salary than I’m on. Only by about £3k but even so...

I know that the successful candidate might not get offered the maximum amount advertised but I’ve seen an email from one of the candidates asking for at least £1k more than I’m on.

I see this an opportunity to negotiate a pay rise or is it something to discuss when I return? I want to come on slightly less hours so I don’t think it will be the time to discuss a pay rise!

I’ve been in my role over 10 years and have just received excellent feedback at my annual review.

Advice appreciate!

Getting someone for a temporary role like this is harder, as they’re less stable. Interims are often paid a bit more for this reason. You can always ask though.

Good luck, but be prepared / have good rebuttals for them saying 'it's a fixed term contract, the role by definition is not permanent like yours is, as such we need to offer a premium over what we'd offer for a permanent job, in order to attract people to the role.'

Fixed term contracts tend to offer a little more in my experience, as the employee usually won’t be getting the full benefits you enjoy as a perm member of staff, such as a pension. Some people don’t like the instability, so the extra cash might be an incentive.

“I’ve been in my role over 10 years and have just received excellent feedback at my annual review.”

I were you I’d request a pay rise on this basis, focus on the value you add to the company with your experience and skills, and sidestep the maternity cover question. If you deserve a pay rise, you deserve one, regardless of how much the person covering will be paid.

Do you know the rough salary level for similar roles in other companies?

I temp, currently doing a maternity cover, and am paid around 10-15% more than the permanent role equivalent. This covers downtime between positions and compensates for the uncertain nature of the work. I have a vast range of experience, can hit the ground running, and am very good at what I do.

If a fixed term position paid the same as a permanent position then all the good temps would just take permanent jobs instead, leaving the role to be filled by a less capable candidate.

If you deserve a pay rise then negotiate one, but don't use this as a reason why. Also do it before you go on mat leave, as your temp may well turn out to be better at your job than you.

On an interim basis, paying £3k more may actually be 'less' than your salary. As a fixed term contract, this person has no access to some extremely valuable benefits, including the maternity leave you're having right now, as well as longer term job security.

If the person hired is likely to have significantly less experience and need training or more support, or if £3k is more than 10-15% of your current salary then you'll have a better argument. If not, then as a manager I'd not be that impressed with someone who was off for 12 months, then came back wanting the same as someone being compensated for an insecure post. Will you also he asking for flexible work options, part time work etc? If so, I'd save your fire for that.

Thanks all. I think I might ask for a salary review off the back of my recent appraisal but not mention my maternity cover salary. See what happens.
I do want to go down to 4 longer days rather than the 5 I do at the minute so don’t want to hamper my chances with that.

It sounds as if you need to be more assertive. In general women are less assertive than men when it comes to negotiating salaries and pay rise. DH has helped me to be a bit more confident. It really doesn’t hurt to be bold. If what you’re asking is too high they will just say no or offer a lower amount, no harm done. And I really don’t think you need to worry about wanting to go part time after mat leave yet, because that will be a completely separate negotiation. One doesn’t have much to do with the other really (except that if you work fewer hours then the pay rise will be more affordable for them )

When i went back to work after mat leave, my DH managed to successfully negotiate a big pay rise (long overdue) and going down to 4 days a week to have a day with DS.

It can be done!