Talking about salary without losing the offer
Gross or net, what PAYE and NSSF do to the number, and what to say when they ask what you earn now.
Citadel Editorial1 September 20265 minute read
Salary conversations go wrong here for a specific reason: one side is talking gross and the other is talking net, and neither says which.
Always say which
“TZS 1.8m” means very different things before and after PAYE and NSSF. State it: “1.8 million gross” or “1.8 million net”. Every job on Citadel shows a gross range, because that is what an employer budgets in.
When they ask what you earn now
You are allowed to answer with what you are looking for instead. “I am on 1.5 gross at the moment; I am looking at roles in the 2.0 to 2.4 range, and this one looks like the upper end of that.”
What else is on the table
Transport, housing, medical cover for your family, and how many days of leave. These routinely add up to a meaningful part of a package, and they are often easier for an employer to move on than the basic salary.
Do not accept in the room
Ask for it in writing, and ask for a day. Nobody has lost a genuine offer by taking twenty-four hours over it.