As a single mother, Ms Fortney jumped on the chance to double her salary as a legal assistant when her former boss opened an office in Washington.

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Chinese banks sometimes outbid Western banks because they often offer commission-based pay allowing a sponsor to double his base salary in a good year, the bankers said.

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Like a flashback to 1990s Silicon Valley, Smith recounts that one employee, after six months on the job, received an offer to double his already high salary.

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He recently eliminated the job of marketing director, a role with a six-figure salary, and plans to double ad-word spending this year.

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If I had a chance to double, or close to triple, my salary my first year out of the military, I would do so in a minute.

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Instead of the standard 1, 000 rand a month in salary, he offered the Orkney miners a base salary of 750 rand plus a profit-sharing bonus that could double their pay.

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