Ask the headhunter

A.E. asks:

Recently, I had several interviews at a high-tech startup about a fun and challenging position. I guess the talks went well because during the meeting with the CEO, I was asked to think about a salary proposal. I still have some time to ponder this, as I’m also having a technical interview in two days.

I came to the Netherlands from Asia six years ago, after having worked a couple of years on international assignments for several American chip companies. My initial salary here was ‘adjusted’ for the 30 percent ruling. As a result, my gross income was lower than that of colleagues with a comparable position, but my net earnings were a little bit higher. When this tax scheme ended after 5 years, my salary took a big dip. Currently, my net income is 30 percent lower than before. My attempts to convince HR to do something about this have so far been unsuccessful. Some time ago, I was promised a promotion, but nothing has happened since.