[jimbo]

Hey Guys

I had a very interesting conversation last night with a corporate headhunter and they advised me that lately theres been an influx of 'expats' who are pricing themselves out of the market hence the reason why they're not getting job offers.

One example is this guy who is from another asian country, He's on 25k HK a month and was approached for a job here in HK, He demanded a salary of $90k HK a month and for additional benefits such as the firm paying for the education for his two kids etc, When asked how he could justify this salary increase demand he just said, Because I feel its what I'm worth and couldn't justify more than that.

So of course the client politely said go away and get stuffed as you're not worth that sort of money and another issue is the attitude problem of some of the candidates, Remember you need them more than they need you.

I've been in the same situation and I know that back in London I can earn 30-40% more than I can here but I know that I can't price myself out of the local market either as I still have plenty of competition for the roles which I'm applying for, Make sure you can justify your worth and always promote your skills and experience at the interview stage.

Local companies will usually always pay less than a global multinational and make sure that you do some research into what the current salary ranges are for the roles you're looking for.

Yes this may seem like common sense to a lot of you out there but theres some guys out there with some totally unrealistic salary demands.

[dougp]

Too true. When you interview someone ("westerners" anyway) with the intention of relocating them to HK, a lot seem to see it as an oportunity to double their salary, get a couple of maids to do all the hard work and put the kids through top private schools at their employers' expense.

Ok, everyone negotiates for whatever they can get, but some were beyond a joke. We've ruled out more than one person just on how much they were asking for, regardless of suitability.

I suppose the outside view of HK has always been that it's swimming in cash and dirt cheap.

[Lammarite]

Originally Posted by jimbo

.....Remember you need them more than they need you........

I agree with everything you say except that bit. My previous company went under when myself and another manager left because we propped the company up so we knew we got paid. Upper management was so weak that when we left it collapsed- they definitely needed us more than we needed them.
Either way, it should be a mutual need- they need your skillset and you need their platform. An employees salary should be 20% of their income as a rule of thumb.

[Lammarite]

Originally Posted by dougp

I suppose the outside view of HK has always been that it's swimming in cash and dirt cheap.

If only this was true!

[PhilE]

I agree with a lot of what's been said (though in IT consulting, I would pitch for 25-30% of revenue). Its important to understand (and be able to market) how much, if any, value you bring to an employer that relates specifically to being an expat. Otherwise why should you be paid more than a local employee with the same skill and experience levels.

If I was back working in London and my old employer hired someone (permanently) from the US (or Asia or wherever) into a similar role and gave them a ton of allowances and much higher pay without justifying why I'd be pretty upset too.

[KnowItAll]

>> He's on 25k HK a month and was approached for a job here in HK, He demanded a salary of $90k HK a month

May be 90K here is the equivalent of what he makes in his home country. The head hunter probably does not have enough international experience to know that people don't work in absolute terms all over the world.

(See the other side of the coin?)

(It is also not about how much you earn .. it is about how much you save)

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

>> He's on 25k HK a month and was approached for a job here in HK, He demanded a salary of $90k HK a month

May be 90K here is the equivalent of what he makes in his home country. The head hunter probably does not have enough international experience to know that people don't work in absolute terms all over the world.

(See the other side of the coin?)

(It is also not about how much you earn .. it is about how much you save)

KIA

He was currently on the equivalent of 25k H.K in Singapore so the figure of 90k hk is definately not anywhere remotely what he makes in his home country including benefits.

He was being greedy and priced himself out of the role.

[Mat]

Originally Posted by jimbo

KIA

He was currently on the equivalent of 25k H.K in Singapore so the figure of 90k hk is definately not anywhere remotely what he makes in his home country including benefits.

He was being greedy and priced himself out of the role.

But you didn't say it at first that he was from Singapore

Le's assume he was making 25 K in a remote part of Africa or China..then 90 K in HK does not sound so ridiculous...

However being at 25 K in Singapore and asking 90 K in HK is obviously a bit greedy

[discobay]

If I was being paid 25k in Singapore I would definately demand more to come to work in Hong Kong.

[KnowItAll]

Well, if he is from Singapore, lives in an HDB flat, his kids might want to go to the local Singapore International School ... etc ...

The money equation can get very seriously messed up when a married person with kids needs to move, compared to a single person. Don't forget .. he was approached by the company...

I agree that he perhaps did not leave much bargaining room when he said $90K... but still, I do think that the request might have been reasonable.

(I know.. a lot depends on what he would have been doing and what his other expat peers might be making in the same company. Sometimes people tend to think that the packages are exclusively for the gwailos ... and f' the asians.. they can adapt)