A recent survey by Pure’s marketing recruitment team has revealed a gap opening in the region between employer and candidates’ salary  expectations when it comes to switching jobs.

Following on from our Compare my Salary report earlier this year, we carried out a follow-up survey to delve deeper into the salary expectations of both potential candidates and clients within the marketing industry across the Eastern region.

The results showed that while half (50%) of all employers believed a 5% salary increase would be a reasonable amount for a new marketing employee joining the business, the expectations among potential candidates were actually far higher. When candidates were asked what percentage increase in salary they would expect when moving roles, over a third (35%) said they would envisage a rise of 11% or above compared to less than a quarter (21%) being happy with a 5% increase.

Kelly Earl, who heads up the Marketing division at Pure, said: “It is interesting to see this gap between client and candidate salary expectations. This could be because we are seeing increased competition for talented marketing employees, making candidates feel more empowered to consider negotiating better terms.”

The survey results did emphasise that salary was not the only consideration for candidates looking at new career opportunities. While over half (64%) of the candidates surveyed said that their salary was related to their feelings of job satisfaction, over a quarter (28%) said the job opportunity was more important. When asked about salary expectations, 14% of candidates said they would be happy to make a sideways move and 7% said they would take a pay reduction for a great opportunity.

Kelly added: “While it’s good practice for employers to regularly benchmark their salaries and to ensure they remain competitive, there will always be other factors which will impact on a candidate’s decision. Training and development, competitive benefits package, strong workplace culture and great employer brand and will all play a significant role in helping to recruit and retain top talent.”

For more information, or to discuss the current job market for marketing roles in our region, contact Kelly Earl on kelly.earl@prs.uk.com.