University Recruitment Job Salary

[FitAt50]

I have a interview next week for a Recruitment Cooridinator at my local university. I am currently a recruitment manager on £38k and the new role has a salary range of £25,138-£29,605. I want to get away from the stress of my current role and happy to take a pay cut but was hoping to go in at the higher end of the pay scale (if I am offered). I just wondered if anyone had any knowledge if this was possible, or if they would only offer me the starting salary. My CV clearly shows my current salary and I have seen this job advertised twice before, I think it may be proving hard for them to fill .

Many thanks

I work at a university and I’m sometimes involved in recruiting. The grade would be non negotiable but we would certainly allow negotiation over the pay point.

That might be different for other universities though. I turned down a job at another one because they insisted they could only offer the bottom of the scale.

At my institution they appoint at the bottom of the scale except in exceptional circumstances. Never beyond the scale. Universities are really struggling financially at the moment which makes it even less likely. Sorry! Maybe I'll be proved wrong but honestly I think it's not likely.

I believe our institution’s policy was to recruit up to two or three above the bottom of the advertised scale at the manager’s discretion for exceptional candidate. I think it would be very unlikely to be offered at the top of the scale.

I have negotiated a starting salary at the top of the university scale. Downside is that there is not much progression (beyond union negotiated annual pay rise). You will likely need evidence of your higher salary.

True re progression too.

ime, only quite senior people (Proffs, VC and deputy VC & boss of estates etc) get to negotiate. Every other external candidate starts at bottom of stated range. That includes if you leave & come back 5 years later, you go back to the bottom of the scale.

That said, Uni jobs are still very sought after in our area because of the ultra-flexible working pattern.

Thanks for all the comments. I was hoping for around £28k but will see what happens.

This wasn't my experience. I have only a mid level professional services post (similarto careers). I negotiated to start at same salary as previous role, which was top spinal point of advertised grade.

At my current uni I was told that standard is bottom spinal point and the hiring manager has authority to offer the next spinal point up. Above that apparently it needed to be signed off by finance, but in the end they offered me that second one up without having to go to finance! And I’m also mid-level professional, not senior even in my directorate, never mind SLT of the uni as a whole. Good luck!

Most universities don't like to offer top of the scale as there is no incentive for the applicant to stay as they aren't getting to progress up the scale(we started almost everyone at the bottom or the lower end). Factor in the shit payrises these days at uni too (0.5% one year), and they'll leave within a year or two.

It also isn't the stress free life people think. I know people off with stress, people don't get replaced just like other sectors.

I left just over a year ago after 15 years. Never felt happier.

Some institutions automatically offer at the bottom spine point but are open to negotiation based on previous experience and salary. Others are not.

I don't know if you can tell which way an institution will go.

Ditto re bottom of the scale but you need to ask. Good luck

This thread has terrible advice! Of course you can negotiate no matter what level you’re on. As someone currently in a job you’re in a great position. If I were you my starting position would be that you need your current salary matched.

I understand that you’re stressed in your role but you should look for a less stressful role at at least the same pay, a pay cut of £10k is more than a quarter of your salary! And presumably universities don’t do bonuses either. Don’t underestimate the stress of a significant reduction in income and earning potential.

Keep looking I would say, look for roles that pay the same or ideally more than your current job. Stress is often about workplace culture so your aim should be to find a great new workplace and a higher salary, not take a 1/4 pay cut for something that might end up being just as stressful.

Use your current salary as negotiation leverage to get more salary. Tell prospective employers you’re really happy in current role so they at least match but ideally increase your salary to get you. Our work is always desperate for HR and recruiters so you should be in a strong position.

@Sconehenge do you work in HE? I don't think anyone is advising the OP not to negotiate, just speaking from experience of the reality of jobs in that sector.

@Sconehenge in HE you go in on a band/grade, that band maybe 6 and go up to £35k with discretionary points to £38k (These are just random figures for example purposes). They'll tell her at offer stage or interview stage what to expect salary wise. We used to tell people who were earning more that they'll start at the bottom no negotiation and are they happy with that.

She could try negotiating but there is no way they'd match her salary, she isn't some super star academic whose research would bring in worldwide recognition. Admin staff are just not as important as academics (rightly or wrongly) and can easily be replaced.

Work in HE and have a team I recruit to as vacancies become available.

Put simply if the role is hard to recruit to you can go to even top of scale if needed (not saying it's usually done, just that I have personally done so more than once - in a hard to recruit area, it's sometimes necessary). The pay scales do not align even with other public sector roles so recruitment is challenging.

However - it's very unlikely for coordinator / administrator / anything other than technical / hard to fill roles. You having much more experience isn't a valid reason to bump you up unless they can't fill that role without offering you more than bottom of scale.

Should note - am v senior though so am sure its different if the recruiting manager has not got as much 'sway' (Sorry to say, ime HE is v hierarchical in that way)...as have definitely heard the 'we can't appoint except to bottom of scale) from others in the business.

I joined HE two points below the top of my scale making me temporarily below my previous salary. I negotiated on the basis of the experience I brought to the job. Fortunately I joined more than 3 months before the pay review so qualified for an increment part way through my first year of service. When I reach the top of the band I’ll need to think about seeking another role if I want more salary. That said unofficial restructures do happen so if you’re one of the chosen few magical uplifts can be granted.

Good luck OP. If you're offered it I'd ask for the top of the scale. Despite our uni saying it only appointed to the bottom of the scale it still appointed higher. Inc at the top if there was good reason.

I wouldn't even consider that drop

Look for recruitment manager roles in a less stressful environment

Dont drop to coordinator. You will be bored

I work in the non academic side of HE. I have been allowed to recruit at the top of the scale but I have to argue it every damn time and I suspect I only get it because my team is both small and unique in the uni so I am not setting precedent for anyone else.

A uni wants a person who meets the essential requirements and hopefully some of the desired requirements too. If they can get that for the lower end of the scale, they will want that, even though that person will have fewer skills and experience than you.

If you are not at the top of a pay scale, where I am, you automatically go up a point every year until you are. This applies to anyone with at least 3 months of service at the cut off date (august, for us) so ask about this as well (ie depending on timing you might start on 26.5 say but go up in a few months to 28)

I recruit in HE, to staff at this sort of level in support roles. It won't be held against you if you ask. I can authorise a couple of additional spine points from the bottom if your experience warrants it. Our Director can authorise another couple. That's generally it though. Occasionally, in true shortage/in demand roles (this would usually be IT or security related, or a world class academic) it will be higher. Not for admin roles though. We don't really take account of what your current salary is ... It's more about what you would be worth to us.

OP

The other thing that may not be obvious to you is that the salary has to be one of the spine points. So you can’t be offered any number in the range eg 27,000. It will be 25,513 or 26,942 or whatever (numbers made up)

You may as well ask.

I work in school admin and asked but they said no, everyone starts at the bottom as standard. HE sounds similar, but always worth a try

You might be lucky, but as someone who has hired in HE, the party line is offer bottom of scale unless you have already been through several unsuccessful recruitment rounds or HR have identified that the post lies in a difficult to recruit area i.e. software developers.

Your biggest issue is thinking that the lower salary band is going to get you less stress. HE will push for everything you have, with little regard for your actual salary band. 'Do more with less' is the current buzz phrase in our institution.

@0palfrootee no I don’t and missed the specifics oops. Thanks for explaining it@SideshowAuntSallyx :)

OP I still think you should find a less stressful role at a different company that pays you the same or better though. No guarantee that this new role would be less stressful and 25% is a big pay cut.

Wishing you all the best for your next step.