News

Online v old school: employers fail to click

News

Philip Brown

15 November 2014

Rising pay home and away

Little surprise that London topped the league for the biggest salaries in the UK. Neither is it a surprise that the South East followed closely behind in second place. The revelation that Scotland was next on the list may raise a few eyebrows – particularly as the salary survey was filled in around the time of the referendum. As for relocation, nearly a fifth of respondents said they were happy staying put and the majority of those prepared to move would expect a pay rise of between 11% and 20% in return. The reported average overseas salary might not quite fulfil those expectations – but it did come in higher than anywhere in the UK at £56,398.

Bonus box

Last year signalled the return of the bonus. Good news again in 2014 as it looks as though it is here to stay. But only for some. In fact, like many of the financial-based results this year, responses around bonuses revealed little has changed over the past 12 months after dramatic 2013 hikes. There was just a single percentage point drop in the number of those surveyed who didn’t receive a bonus this year from 41% to 40% – though this did tally almost exactly with the number of respondents who expected one as part of a benefits package. Steady, positive results, but still nowhere near the dizzy heights of the £11,000-plus delights of the early noughties.

The social network

There is a clear discrepancy between the way job seekers and potential employers feel about social media, in particular, LinkedIn. Some 22% of respondents say they use it at least once a day and a further 21% once every two to three days. More than half think an updated profile is “very important” when looking for a new job. But just 2% of employers cite LinkedIn as their recruitment method of choice, the lowest of every option including Twitter (5%) and Facebook (3%).

Could your online profile be as important as your physical location when it comes to career progression and salary increases? Respondents reveal they are increasingly turning to Linked In and Facebook to up their chances of scoring a new job. But be warned – potential employers might not be on the same wavelength. Rising pay home and away Little surprise that London topped the league for the biggest salaries in the UK. Neither is it a surprise that the South East followed closely behind in second place. The revelation that Scotland was next on the list may raise a few eyebrows – particularly as the salary survey was filled in around the time of the referendum. As for relocation, nearly a fifth of respondents said they were happy staying put and the majority of those prepared to move would expect a pay rise of between 11% and 20% in return. The reported average overseas salary might not quite fulfil those expectations – but it did come in higher than anywhere in the UK at £56,398. Bonus box Last year signalled the return of the bonus. Good news again in 2014 as it looks as though it is here to stay. But only for some. In fact, like many of the financial-based results this year, responses around bonuses revealed little has changed over the past 12 months after dramatic 2013 hikes. There was just a single percentage point drop in the number of those surveyed who didn’t receive a bonus this year from 41% to 40% – though this did tally almost exactly with the number of respondents who expected one as part of a benefits package. Steady, positive results, but still nowhere near the dizzy heights of the £11,000-plus delights of the early noughties. The social network There is a clear discrepancy between the way job seekers and potential employers feel about social media, in particular, LinkedIn. Some 22% of respondents say they use it at least once a day and a further 21% once every two to three days. More than half think an updated profile is “very important” when looking for a new job. But just 2% of employers cite LinkedIn as their recruitment method of choice, the lowest of every option including Twitter (5%) and Facebook (3%).