How to assess your value when moving jobs? Career insight from Nicola Wensley: Managing Director, Drayton London Office.
At Drayton, we understand that making a move into a new role is one of the most significant decisions in your career. It’s about more than just a job, it’s about aligning your ambitions, values, and lifestyle with the right opportunity.
Yet, we often see talented individuals zoom in on a single figure, base salary, when weighing up an offer. And while compensation matters, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. That’s why we encourage our candidates to take a broader view, to assess the full package and the role and consider what success really looks like for them.
But assessing the true value of a new role goes far beyond the paycheck. Here’s how to think more holistically, negotiate confidently, and ensure that you are setting yourself up for both professional and personal success.
Think Beyond Base Salary
Base salary is just the starting point. A well-structured package can offer significant value in other areas, sometimes even more than salary alone.
Ask yourself:
• Bonus – How is it measured? Is it tied to company KPIS, personal performance, or both? When does it pay out? What's the historical payout trend? When would I be eligible?
• LTIPs (Equity, Stock Options, Shares) – What could this be worth over the next 3–5 years? The real value of these could be life changing, but worth asking, how likely is the business to scale, sell, grow in value and therefore factor into package negotiations. What is the value of this in a good, bad or medium outcome?
• Private Health Care – Will this be part of the package for you, your family and which provider will it be? Some health care packages are more comprehensive than others. It is also worth factoring in that if you change providers, any pre-existing conditions may not be covered. Is there wellbeing allowances or access to additional support subscriptions?
• Parental Provisions – Maternity and paternity benefits are often overlooked, but they can make a huge difference if you’re planning a family or already have one. It’s worth understanding how much support a new employer offers to working parents, including parental pay, flexible working arrangements, and time off for things like school events or sports days. Some companies go even further by offering support for IVF, menopause, and other life stages.
• Allowance – Company car / allowances, travel benefits, clothing allowances all add up into the wider package.
• Holiday Entitlement – Can it increase with tenure? Can you buy/sell days? Will you have to work over Christmas / New Year period?
• Other benefits – Gym memberships, childcare vouchers, cycle to work schemes, free snacks, discounts, coaching support, training courses, they all add up.
Taking the time to review the full package helps you compare offers more meaningfully, and prioritise what matters most to you. In our experience, everyone has different parts of the package that are more important than others. In a recent appointment, a candidate needed flexibility to visit family in Australia, so holidays were key and of more value to him than a higher salary. We also see that LTIP’s such as equity are more important to CEOs at later stages of their life, compared to someone who is just starting a family and values the strong maternity / paternity package and flexibility to work closer to home.
Factor in the Net, Not Just the Gross
Many candidates focus solely on the gross increase in salary, but it is your net take-home pay that truly impacts your lifestyle.
Tax banding quirks and benefit deductions can make a £5k increase feel far smaller in real terms. In some cases, you might be splitting hairs, especially if the increase tips you into a higher tax bracket with marginal net gain.
Clarify Expectations and Performance Metrics
Before accepting a role, get very clear on what success looks like:
• What KPIs are tied to bonuses?
• Are these goals within your influence and realistically achievable?
• How is equity valued, and what’s the vesting timeline?
Don’t Be the Most Expensive Hire in the Room
While you want to be fairly compensated, being the highest-paid person on the team can backfire. It creates elevated expectations and may affect internal team dynamics. Seek a figure that reflects your value and fits the team context.
Factor in Location, Commute and Hybrid Policies
Your time is valuable, so include it in your assessment. Ask:
• How long will the commute take?
• What’s the net cost of travel (fuel, parking, train tickets)?
• Is there a cycle-to-work scheme or hybrid work flexibility?
• Is the remote policy likely to change?
Do Your Research
Come to the table informed. Understand:
• Market salary bands by role, company size, and sector.
• Typical bonus and equity levels for your position.
• Compensation norms for public vs. private or PE-backed firms
Tip: PE-backed companies often offer more equity and upside potential. Mature corporates lean towards higher fixed pay with less variable compensation.
Know and Communicate Your Value
You are being hired to solve problems and create value. Be prepared to:
• Showcase you have grown revenue, improved margins, or led transformations.
• Quantify your results.
• Link your achievements to strategic business goals.
Grounding your negotiation in impact and outcomes reframes the conversation around value, not cost.
Consider Culture and Long-Term Fit
Even a strong financial offer cannot compensate for a poor cultural fit. All too often we see people take a role because of increased package and regret the decision. A short tenure on your CV costs more than a short termshort-term financial boost. Ask:
• Will I be empowered to lead?
• Do I trust the board or investors?
• Do I have all the tools to succeed? Is there the investment, is the technology there to support growth, can I secure the best team to help me deliver?
• Is there alignment between my values and theirs?
• Can I see myself growing with this role and business?
In some cases, you can use your network to reference the team and learn more about the culture.
Final Thoughts
Negotiating a leadership package is not just about securing more money. It’s about understanding your real value, aligning with long-term business goals, and making a decision that supports both your career trajectory and personal priorities.
Approach the process with curiosity, confidence, and perspective. Too often we see candidates blinkered by the numbers and forget what really matters to them at an offer stage.