By: Sandra Benskin


Although our survey splits roles into three levels: junior, middle and heavy weight – according to years of service, your true value is also determined by factors other than that.

If you feel you deserve a salary increase above the standard 5% to 10% your company is offering, ask yourself this question: ARE YOU ADDING VALUE OR JUST FILLING A SEAT?

It is our experience at Ad Talent that the three main factors employers look at when deciding who to employ (especially if there is a choice of a few) are: talent, experience and attitude.

If your learning curve flattened after your first year in your current position and you have continued with the same tasks for the past 6 years, then technically you would qualify as a well-practiced junior. A valuable senior candidate is one who has used each year of work to grow and learn, has gained knowledge, applied that knowledge and learnt from resulting mistakes.

For example in the Creative arena, a designer who has only designed business cards and logos for five years without doing much else would add less value to a studio than one who has worked on a variety of different projects, including packaging, brochures and annual reports. When an employer compares these two candidates clearly the second designer would add more value to the studio. All creatives need to stay ahead of their game by being in touch with current trends, knowing the latest software and doing proactive work.

If you work in the Public Relations field, have you improved your writing skills, has your network increased, have you extended your knowledge by working on a variety of accounts? What added value can you present to a prospective employer when asking for a salary increase?

If you are in client service or marketing, have you kept abreast with local and international trends, are you being perceived as an expert in your field, have you done any additional courses that have you empowered you? What makes you stand out amongst your peers?

So prior to taking the salary survey to your boss and demanding a salary increase, first establish whether you are worth it.

Visit our PRESS OFFICE: Ad Talent is a vibrant, dynamic business with branches in Johannesburg and Cape Town specialising in the communications industry. Our business is about shaping careers and growing business by identifying the best candidates in the industry and introducing them to your company where they can make a significant, long-term contribution.- more....

[10 Jan 2008 13:12]

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