Worldismine

Bonjour

Made a speculative application. Got a response so their probably interested. The company is an ad agency and the role, although undefined at present, will probably be a mixture of strategic and creative stuff.
I have Marketing and Advertising degree, well finished everything except for dissertation which I differed and working on now. I am able to use Photoshop, InDesign, and Flash, at present probably an intermediate but with all the books I am going through will hopefully improve. What I want to know is how much I should ask for, ideally a figure that will keep them interested but allow me to settle on the maximum I could get and also what would be termed top, average or a low salary. Next and most important is housing allowance, how much should I ask for, what should I expect both in terms of maximum and average, and then come the extras eg bills, transport, flights home to London etc again what to ask for and what to expect in terms of max and average. I am single and born in the UK, here is list of my expectations,

One bedroom apartment, in a modern complex with communal pool and gym.
A salary that allows me to save, I dont really drink, probably go clubbing once in a blue moon. Would Ideally like to be able to afford to live comfortably and have some of life's luxuries and probably save for a deposit on a property.
One flight home per year, could I expect more and how much holiday should I expect, both max and average.

And any other extras I should ask for, basically I need the going rate for everything, both in terms of the maximum and average

Thanks

Ethos83

One bedroom apartment in a decent complex with a pool. So, let's take Al Barsha. Minimum 110,000 for a tiny one bedroom, 120,000 for a more comfortable one bedroom. building will have pool and gym.

Car. Can lease a car from Diamondlease for ~2,000 AED/month.

Weekly living expenses, including food, gas and mild entertainment, around 500 AED, or 2,000 AED/month.

Expect at least 4,000 to 5,000 for car and monthly living expenses. Factor in 10,000 AED/month for a one bedroom. How much do you want to save? 5,000 a month?

Total monthly salary should be 20,000 AED, or 240,000 AED for the year.

Hello.Kitty

oh, ok, I'll reply... although I don't actually know anything about your job sector!

Subtle hint though, first off... have a look at the wiki!

Anyhow, apart from that, from what you've said in the post, you're *about* to get your degree and are still working on your graphics packages skills... I'm guessing that you don't have much experience (that's not a dig or a problem), although I could ofc be talking to someone who's been in the field man and boy and has gone back to Uni just for the formality!

Experience will decided not only your salary, but also your bargaining power. Have a look what kind of salary you'd expect to get in GB, add on £30k and then convert into AED. This will give you an impressive figure that would allow you to pocket the equivalent of your gross salary back in the UK. The £30k represents a very approximate figure for your yearly rent - it could be more, or it could be less.

If you do the same for your ideal net uk salary, then you'll have a figure that represents you not actually making any money by coming over here.

Logic says that aiming for somewhere in between the two would be "a good thing"

There, simplistic to say the least, but it'll give you an idea.

As for the going rates for everything, assume that it's around about the same as back in the uk - some things are cheaper, some are more expensive.

Also, you'll find that the company will break down your salary into various allowances (car, house, flights, salary). It's just for show more than anything else.

Hmm... goodness knows they need some talent to ramp up the quality of adverts over here!

Worldismine

Just sent an email to them, side stepped the actual salary, and said housing allowance was most important, and would require an allowance that would allow me to rent a one bed in nice area with pool and gym etc. Then I said the salary I would accept would be contingent on housing and other allowances, what I would get back home, and what UK nationals in similar roles in Dubai are getting.

Hello.Kitty

yup... an alternate way of doing it is to ask them to make you an offer and then you can mull over that. Companies will always try to get you to give them a salary range in the hope that you'll be conservative and reasonable and that they'll get away with a lower pay-out.

What you've said to them is still pretty wooly. My reaction is first "oh, ok, well, let's give him a decent-looking housing allowance and then cut back on other parts". They'll probably come back to you with an equally wooly response, to try and get you to give them the figures they want to hear.

The various allowances are just on paper, so to speak... you'll get a lump sum at the end of every month and it'll be up to you to choose how you spend it.

Be bold and specific about what you're looking for. They're business-minded too, so will have done their sums already.

NorthernLad

Careful - if you're here a couple of years (and longer) your gratuity payment will only be calculated from your salary.

In your position, I'd ask to get housing allowance that will cover first six months rent cheque (for decent apartment now I'd expect this needs to be 100,000dh) then work on a good salary.

Blue Cat

speak to Spugsy, he works in this environment

housing 120k for sure

Spugsy

I get 75% of my pay as just pay, 15% is housing and 10% is bits and bobs,

things is I basically get a single paycheque, I don't get housing upfront wither with this being an english agency, so I have to get a bank loan every year, usually at about 10% interest.

So just work out how much in total you'll get a month / year and work it out from there.