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Stop Losing Clients
Over a Maths Problem.

Your client asks what $145K plus super looks like as a daily rate. You're on the call. You need the number now. Not after the call. Not in a follow-up email. Now.

By PM Project Change · 4 min read · May 2026

The mental maths that costs you accounts

You're mid-conversation with a hiring manager. They have approved a salary band. You need to translate that into the format the candidate understands - daily rate ex super, hourly on a 35-hour week, annual package inclusive. Whatever the candidate is benchmarking against.

So you do the mental maths. You round a few numbers. You say something like "roughly $700 a day" and hope the candidate does not come back with a spreadsheet that proves you were $40 off.

That $40 isn't a rounding error. It's a credibility problem. Your client expects precision. Your candidate expects accuracy. And the competitor agency that sends a clean rate breakdown on the first email is the one that wins the brief next quarter.

What keeps clients coming back

It's not just about filling roles. It's about how you fill them.

You already know the relationship is everything. The recruiter who gets repeat business is the one the client trusts to handle the details without being chased. The numbers are one of those details.

Speed on the call

Client says "$160K package". You say "that's $660 daily ex super, $90 an hour on a 38-hour week". No pause. No "I will get back to you". Instant credibility.

Fewer back-and-forth loops

When the rate is clear from the start, candidates self-select properly. No surprises at offer stage. No "that's not what I was told". Cleaner pipeline, faster close.

Offer acceptance rate

Candidates reject offers when the package "does not look right" compared to what they expected. Apples-to-apples conversion from day one prevents this.

Time to fill

Salary confusion slows everything down. Misaligned expectations mean rejected offers, restarted searches, and frustrated clients. Clear numbers compress the timeline.

The tool that does it for you

Bookmark it. Open it on every call.

We built a free salary converter designed for exactly this situation. You enter any rate - annual, daily, hourly - and it converts to every other format instantly. Including and excluding super. On both 35 and 38-hour weeks.

No sign-up. No app to install. No data stored. It runs in your browser and the table updates as you type. Keep it open in a tab alongside your CRM. When the client gives you a number, you give them back five.

Salary Converter tool showing $1,000 day rate converted to annual, hourly, and weekly rates with and without superannuation

One input. Every rate. → Open the Salary Converter

“This is great, I’ve already saved it to my favourites.”

Senior Talent Delivery Manager, The Network

Send it to your candidates

When they can see the numbers clearly, the conversation is easier for everyone.

The salary conversation is one of the most awkward parts of the process for candidates. They get a number, they're not sure if it includes super, they don't know how to compare it to their current rate, and they don't want to look like they don't understand their own worth.

Send them the converter link. Let them play with the numbers privately. When they come back to you, the conversation is about whether the role is right - not about whether the maths adds up.

That's one less awkward phone call for you and one more candidate who trusts you to give them straight answers.

Your KPIs, simplified

Every metric that matters to your desk is affected by salary clarity.

Faster time to fill

Clear rates from the first conversation mean fewer misaligned candidates entering the pipeline. Shorter search, faster close, happier client.

Higher offer acceptance

When candidates understand the full package from day one, there are no surprises at offer stage. The number they expected is the number they get.

Better quality of hire

Candidates who self-select based on accurate rate information are better-matched placements. Better match, better retention, better repeat business.

Client retention

The recruiter who gets the details right without being chased is the recruiter who gets the next brief. Precision is a competitive advantage.

Bookmark it. Use it on every call.

Free. No sign-up. No app to install. Opens in any browser, on any device.

Open the Salary Converter

Frequently asked questions

Can I use this on a call with a client?

Yes - that's exactly what it's designed for. Keep it open in a browser tab. When a client gives you a salary or rate, type it in and read back the conversions instantly. The table updates as you type, so there's no waiting.

Does it handle both inclusive and exclusive of super?

Yes. Every conversion shows both the excluding super and including super amounts side by side. The current Superannuation Guarantee rate of 12% is applied by default, and you can toggle it depending on how the rate has been quoted.

Can I export the results to send to a client or candidate?

Yes. The converter includes Export to PDF and Export to Excel options. You can generate a clean rate comparison and attach it to an email or save it against the role in your CRM.

Is any data stored or tracked?

No. The tool runs entirely in the browser. Nothing is sent to a server. No cookies, no tracking, no data collection. You can use it for any client or candidate without compliance concerns.

Why 35 and 38-hour weeks?

38 hours is the Australian standard full-time week under the National Employment Standards. Many professional and corporate roles operate on 35 hours. The converter shows both because clients and candidates may be benchmarking against either standard, and getting this wrong changes the hourly rate significantly.

Are these calculations AI-generated?

No - and that's the point. When you're on a call and you read out a number, you need it to be right. Not "AI thinks it might be". The calculator is coded with standard formulas. Same input, same output, every time. The maths doesn't change depending on how you phrase the question. The results are as reliable as a spreadsheet formula, because that's essentially what they are - just faster and already built for you. That's why it works for client-facing conversations.