Salary range in a job advert for a council

[flowersrain]

So I'm desperately applying for jobs at the moment and I am seeing a lot that state that the salary is £20-27k pa or £24-27k pa. I would be happy with something around £25+. When a job advert states a range, does it mean that you will start on the lowest with the possibility to progress to the highest, or that your starting salary will be inbetween the 2 figures depending on your skills and experience?

They'll do their best to start you at the lowest point, with the logic that in a new job you can't be fully effective. You can usually negotiate that up a bit if it's not an internal transfer, but not by a huge amount because then there's no progression. So your first example would be a huge no-no, but your second would probably be ok.

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett that's interesting. Any ideas why they would post such a wide range - £20-27k? I think I am probably overqualified for the job in question so would hope to be starting on a decent amount in light of that.

Hi there. I recruit for public sector a lot. You state the band width so that everyone knows where you could start and/or end on and that to go beyond that scale would not be possible for that job.

Crude rule of thumb. You get placed at the bottom of the scale UNLESS you already earn more that that, then you tend to get matched at the same level or slightly above. So if you already earn 25k, chances are you would be placed at that point.

Remember to look at the overall package. The pension should be good and you can move up the pay scale quickly.

Good luck in your job hunting!

Oh, and sometimes they don't have the top end budget for that year so have to place you lower in the scale. So if a 5 year project, the budget plus overheads might be capped per year with cost of living and inflation points added year on year.

Sorry if too much detail.

@itsBoooisntit

Hi there. I recruit for public sector a lot. You state the band width so that everyone knows where you could start and/or end on and that to go beyond that scale would not be possible for that job.

Crude rule of thumb. You get placed at the bottom of the scale UNLESS you already earn more that that, then you tend to get matched at the same level or slightly above. So if you already earn 25k, chances are you would be placed at that point.

Remember to look at the overall package. The pension should be good and you can move up the pay scale quickly.

Good luck in your job hunting!

@itsBooisntit Thank you for this. I would definitely be ok with it matching my current salary, especially due to the perks. How would they know what I already earn? Would they ask me at the point of job offer?

@itsBoooisntit

Oh, and sometimes they don't have the top end budget for that year so have to place you lower in the scale. So if a 5 year project, the budget plus overheads might be capped per year with cost of living and inflation points added year on year.

Sorry if too much detail.

No, no - all info is helpful!

@itsBoooisntit would it be worth emailing the hiring manager (details are on the application page) and asking about salary, whether if I already earn within the range it would be matched? Or better to leave it?

I'm worried that I may spend hours and hours prepping for a job interview only to find at the end that the money is less than what I'm on now.

Sorry for all the questions, I am really desperate for a new job and my anxiety is sky high right now.

You discuss salary when offered the job, not before. Don't email anyone! Or mention at the interview. If they're experienced they will know you won't want a salary drop. Always best to negotiate once offered the job and not before.

It's the council. If they have the budget they will match and pay the salary fine.

Stick to the core objective of, do I like this job? Do I really want it? If you do then putting the effort in is just something you have to do and you always run the risk of not getting it.

@itsBoooisntit

You discuss salary when offered the job, not before. Don't email anyone! Or mention at the interview. If they're experienced they will know you won't want a salary drop. Always best to negotiate once offered the job and not before.

It's the council. If they have the budget they will match and pay the salary fine.

@itsBoosisnit Is this the case even if the lowest end of the salary is 20k and the upper is 27 and I want 25?

In my experience, yes. You always match. Standard practice.

I think 20 - 27 is a ridiculously broad range tbh and if you're already worried about being overqualified you should explore the role very carefully at interview. It suggests to me that there are a lot of people doing that job for a long time so someone's come up with a progression scale based on service length (we have to give Jemima a rise because she's been here for 100 years...). OTOH it could be a typo??

Standard range in a LA band is three or four scale points - but occasionally grades will be merged by an authority (no clue why). To get from 20k to 27k would be a scale 5/6 merge from £21,589 to £26,317 and 7 scale points

Oh and I have been appointed top of scale as an external and have appointed on top of scale

Thanks everyone. I guess I will have to apply and just see what happens!

The two bands will have slightly different criteria so one band might be if you have a degree and 5 years experience. If you don't have that then you would be in the lower band. If the job spans two bands then you could move up in time.

The council will interview and offer the job to the top candidate. Top candidate can then negotiate on salary. They will be reluctant to appoint that far up the grade (ie, at 25k for a 20-27k post) because they would assume you’ll be looking to move on very quickly. Also, they usually have a development zone which goes from the bottom to halfway up the grade (ie, £20k to £23.5k) and often can’t appoint above that.

It’s definitely not a typo! That’s normal for council salaries.

In my experience public sector jobs are much less likely to negotiate on salary - expectation is usually stated that you start at the bottom and work up unless you’re transferring from a role in same organisation where there may be more wiggle room.

@TooExtraImmatureCheddar @GingerAndTheBiscuits this seems very different from the experience of @itsBoooisntit?

Here are the band widths for Grade 5 and 6 for the council I recruit in. So in comparison to your job advert it would cross two grades. That is unusual IMO. I wouldn't overthink it though. Just apply and negotiate if you're successful. If they want you and have the budget they should match. If they don't, it's up to you whether to compromise or not.

Oops

@itsBoooisntit

Here are the band widths for Grade 5 and 6 for the council I recruit in. So in comparison to your job advert it would cross two grades. That is unusual IMO. I wouldn't overthink it though. Just apply and negotiate if you're successful. If they want you and have the budget they should match. If they don't, it's up to you whether to compromise or not.

They should really have the budget if they state it in the advert though surely???!

Thank you for all your help, this is such a minefield!

It’s generally more of an indication of “this is where you’ll end up” as you would usually move up a spinal column point each year.

In theory it's qualifications and experience etc but the only times I've ever known anyone start above the minimum are when the chosen candidate is moving from a job where they already earn above the minimum.

They will be reluctant to appoint someone who "needs" to be a the top of the scale because dissatisfaction due to lack of salary progression is a big thing in public sector jobs, where people have reached the top of their scale.

@RunBackwards

In theory it's qualifications and experience etc but the only times I've ever known anyone start above the minimum are when the chosen candidate is moving from a job where they already earn above the minimum.

They will be reluctant to appoint someone who "needs" to be a the top of the scale because dissatisfaction due to lack of salary progression is a big thing in public sector jobs, where people have reached the top of their scale.

Thank you! I don't need to be at the top but I do need to be at £25k at the very least - that's 2k below the top of two of the jobs I have applied for and 3k below the other one so I might be ok?