One of the primary reasons that many people consider moving to the UK is because of the better earning potential. However, there is also the higher cost of living to consider if you plan to work in London. Compared to Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Italy the variance is significant. However, for Northern European cities in France or Germany the costs are fairly similar. Keep in mind that living a little further out of central London could reduce your living costs.

The salary you ask for needs to take various factors into consideration. Here are a few of the factors that can influence your worth:

• Technical experience – either in a specific technology or in years in a particular field or industry.
• Specific industry sector – Experience in a particular sector or qualifications in finance or accountancy, for example, can often increase your value depending on the current demand in the industry.
• Communication skills – This goes beyond basic language skills and includes the ability to communicate clearly with clients and colleagues even on technical subjects. The ability to do this will be to your advantage.
• Management skills – project management skills and people management skills are valuable attributes to have. This type of experience can help secure you a more senior position.
• MBA qualifications – higher level qualifications that cover more than one specific sector will be a major asset to any company that hires you.

Taking all these things into consideration, here is a very rough guideline of the level of salary to be expected for various positions in the UK at present:

• EPM Consultant with 2 to 5 years’ experience can expect between £40 and £55k
• Senior EPM Consultant with 5 to 8 year’s experience, between £ 55 and £70k
• Principal EPM Consultant or Manager with 8 to10 year’s experience can qualify for a salary between £ 65 and £90k
• EPM Practice Lead could get offers between £ 80 and £120k.

One significant point to consider when relocating is that the offer you receive from a client will only be your starting salary. From the clients perspectives there are certain risks involved with hiring you. You and your family may take some time to settle into the new community and may even decide that you don’t want to stay. With a limited network and sometimes not so strong communication skills, there are elements of development the client will need to focus on with you.

However, with people that are committed we often find that they progress quickly and as a result their salary also goes up. If you demonstrate your skills, experience and expertise, you will have the opportunities to be rewarded for your worth. In this competitive market, clients are aware that if they do not reward you, you will be snapped up by a rival.