It has long been known that Romanians are not happy with their wages. Consequently, it is certainly surprising that some Romanian managers are refusing net monthly salaries that can go up to 20,000 US dollars (630 million ROL) and benefits that are worth even more.
"During our recruitment campaigns, there were cases when several Romanians that had applied for a top management position in the banking system actually turned down a monthly net salary worth 20,000 US dollars and benefits that exceeded the salary's value," George Butunoiu, managing partner with Alexander Hughes Romania (top management recruiter) told Ziarul Financiar. Butunoiu would not say whether the candidates were not happy with the salary or simply did not want to work for the respective company. "There were several factors," Butunoiu said.
In the top of the biggest salaries refused by Romanians, the second position is also filled by a job offer for a top management position: 15,000 dollars in monthly net income, for the position of general manager.
According to Alexander Hughes Romania data, salary offers go down as the advertised position fills a lower spot on the corporate ladder, from the top to the middle management positions. However, the candidates' demands stay the same.
"There were cases when several applicants for a position of financial director, human resources director or attorney with a prestigious firm turned down jobs that could have netted them 7,000 US dollars monthly," Butunoiu added.
Employers offering $5,000 net salaries for art directors in advertising were also turned down, just like those that were willing to shell out $4,000 monthly for a marketing manager or a sales director. As for the information technology, certain specialists did not accept an IT manager position remunerated with 3,000 US dollars monthly.
"These are not the biggest salaries paid in Romania for the respective positions, but some offers that several people refused. There are bigger salaries, but those are exceptions. The biggest salary I have seen in Romania was 500,000 US dollars annually (gross salary), which means more than $40,000 monthly. This kind of money was budgeted for positions of bank presidents and vice-presidents," Butunoiu stated.
Minerva Cernea, country manager of recruitment company Pedersen & Partners says that it is not the financial package that makes the applicant turn down the offer. "A candidate will turn down such an offer either because it is a position he does not want or because he does not agree with the job description," Cernea explained.
One thing is certain, though: Romanians no longer have to leave the country to earn a hefty paycheck. They only have to get to a top management position, as the financial benefits rival those offered by the companies from the neighbouring countries.
"The big salaries in Romania are close to those paid in the developed countries and, in some cases, they are even bigger. For instance, the accountants and financial directors often make more money in Romania or in the neighbouring countries than their peers in the developed countries," Butunoiu said.
miruna.lebedencu@zf.ro
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