When identical jobs are offered by different firms, but at different salary levels, which one gets the greater number of applications? Surprisingly , it is often the one offering the lower salary rate. Shweta Jhajharia, from the London Coaching Group, has helped many small business owners recruit new staff and says the reason for the surprise finding is because many job seekers have developed a sense of low expectation during the years of the recession. She said: “When they see a job with a similar pay bracket to what they had, they believe they can get the job. When they see a higher bracket, they may  shy away, afraid they are not good enough for the position. Shweta counsels cultivating a higher sense of self-worth. She said: “These candidates have come to believe they are ugly ducklings. In truth, they need to rise up and realise that they are, in fact, swans. “ She also believes employers should raise the level of their salary offers, if they are ultimately to get the best out of their new recruits.