The current state of salaries in the Talent Arena

With all the inflation chat, cost of living scare stories and the anecdotes of salaries going bananas, we thought it was about time to map out salaries in the Australian Talent arena to separate fact from fiction.

Here are the results.

All salary ranges reference base salary only and are in AUD.

Recruitment Administrator

Recruitment Coordinator

Talent Specialist

Talent Partner

Executive Talent Partner

Head of Talent

Employer Brand Specialist

Average salary for an Employer Brand Specialist in Australia:

$131,000

People Analytics Specialist

Competing for top ‘Talent talent’ with a low budget?

So, you’ve found the perfect candidate, but after seeing these numbers you're nervous that your salary range is lower than the market average.

Here are 5 considerations for you to remain competitive:

Know what candidates are motivated by, leverage that to your advantage
Think broadly and be open minded about other backgrounds
Be prepared to negotiate
What are your perks and benefits?
Consider borrowing the capability to bridge the gap until you’re in a better position to build it internally

Know what candidates are motivated by

By knowing what’s high on the priority list for your candidates you can come to the table with more to offer.

We chat to many candidates every day, and these are their priorities in 2022/3:

Flexibility is demanded, with the culture in place to support it
Interesting problems to solve / ability to have an impact / make a difference
Opportunity to learn and grow
Job security and how employers showed up during the pandemic
Leaders who empower and inspire
An organisational culture that supports an individual to thrive in and out of work life

2. Think broadly and be open minded

There are many benefits to diverse hiring. By thinking left of centre about the role you’re trying to fill you can cast a wider net, attracting less expensive candidates who are still extremely capable and eager to learn.

What are the skills you need for the position?
Look for transferable skills rather than exact experience
Be flexible and embrace people who have a learning mindset
Be aware of employing people who are ‘just like you’

3. Negotiating offers

Learning the art of negotiation could be what you need to get your deal done. Be ready and armed with the following knowledge so you know exactly how much wiggle room you have, and what you have to offer is ready to be laid out on the table.

Learn your candidate’s current salary, including any benefits, and find out their expectations.
Have a clear idea of the salary range for this role - using this market data together with your internal budget.
What are the other perks & benefits (below) of working with you? Do you have a great culture, can you offer flexible work arrangements, career development schemes?
Is there a clearly defined career pathway? Can you help them see how they will be making a meaningful contribution in the immediate and down the track?

4. Sell your Perks & Benefits

Involve your existing employees directly in designing the perks and benefits you offer. You’re more likely to provide a benefits package which reflects your core company values as well as individual needs, and they are more likely to attract the “right-for-you” employee to join.

Using perks and benefits as carrots for candidates will soften the lower remuneration blow.

A few popular options worth floating to your team are:

Paid Parental Leave
Salary Packaging Options
Paid Study Leave and Educational Support
Professional Memberships
Health & Wellbeing Initiatives
Flexible Working
Community Support Initiatives
Social and Engagement Programs

5. Consider borrowing

Even with all of these considerations, the fact remains - not all businesses are competing on equal footing for talent.

As well as variations in salary, you may also be competing against some heavy hitters. And as great as your company is, you’d be forgiven for feeling like you’re fighting a losing battle.

Having another option at your disposal could be the answer in the short term until you’re in position to be able to compete more aggressively.

Benefits of borrowing:

If it’s a new role, you’re able to test the function before committing with a long term employee
It is an instant solution
There is an increase in amazing outsourced partnership options
They can come with a full team / more resources / more skills so you get much more bang for your buck.

6. (bonus!) We can teach you.

If you’re always losing out on the Talent you need, learn from us ways to compete for top talent in your industry. We love to chat about this stuff!

I want to learn!

Industries included in the report:

Accounting
Design & Architecture
Education & Training
Government & Defence
Human Resources & Recruitment
Information & Communication Technology
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics
Retail & Consumer Products
Science & Technology
Other