UK Recruitment Glossary
Variable Pay
In recruiter context
Different roles have different variable pay structures. Sales: typically 50/50 base/commission with quota-based commission. Banking: 100-200% bonus targets at senior levels. Tech: equity grants vesting over 4 years. Senior commercial: 20-30% target bonus tied to KPIs. Crucial considerations when evaluating offers: actual achievement rate vs target (some companies pay 60% of target on average), bonus discretion (contractual vs discretionary), clawback clauses, vesting schedules. Variable pay calculated correctly often dwarfs base salary at senior levels.
Related terms
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Zero-Hours Contract
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Cold Application
Applying to a job without any prior contact, referral, or recruiter conversation.
Salary Band
The pre-set min-max pay range an employer has approved for a given role level.