| Am I being shafted? 15:48 - Dec 18 with 4514 views | Sarge |
Need some views on salary as I can’t tell if I’m being shafted or just ungrateful.
I joined a company as a graduate in September last year on the then grad salary of £28k. This was bumped up to £31k in July this year in line with this years starting graduate salary. I’ve since been told by some that this years starting grad salary is actually £32k.
Anyway, in the 15 months I’ve been at the company, I was promoted within 9 months, have received an exceeding expectations performance rating and have been trusted with high level tasks for senior clients, usually something my director would do. Our salary is reviewed at the end of every year and mine has now been raised to £32.5k.
I live and work in the most expensive area in the country outside London and to me this feels like a bit of a p1sstake. Is it?
(For context, the company turns over $10billion a year so it’s not a small business) [Post edited 18 Dec 2019 15:48]
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:23 - Dec 18 with 1094 views | Sarge |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:16 - Dec 18 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Do you work for a corporate consultancy firm? Property sector? |
It’s a tech consultancy that handles Space & Defence contracts. I really like my colleagues and my clients, the actual work I find a little dull sometimes because it’s not what I went to university for but overall I’m pretty happy here and I seem to be quite good at it despite not really knowing what it is I do.
Sounds like from most of the replies that it’s pretty normal so that’s fine. I’ve had LinkedIn offers ranging from £40-80k but I take those with a huge pinch of salt. £40k doesn’t sound out of the ordinary for someone as junior as me at our competitors but £80k is nonsense. | | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:25 - Dec 18 with 1083 views | allezlesbleus |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:01 - Dec 18 by monytowbray |
If you aren’t the boss, a shareholder or working for yourself you’re always being shafted. Capitalism is designed to shaft everyone. |
Very simplistic view.
I know of several very hard working self employed / small business owners who, for a number of reasons, don't make the minimum wage for the 60+ hours they work each week. There are decent bosses / SBO's out there who are struggling to pay their staff (and themselves) as much as they would like to, whilst still keeping the business trading. |  | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:26 - Dec 18 with 1082 views | Pendejo |
Bonuses? Commission? Perks?
£4.5k rise in 15 months sounds good to me... more or less same job 5 years no adjustment to basic pay, though bonuses and O/T tend to add 25%... but I keep schtum as a colleague who has been in our job 10 years longer earns £5k less [though he came from o/s company and I moved across from managerial position elsewhere in the company].
HOWEVER
As another has stated - does your role have a "market rate", if below that seek to get it be that within the current company or find alternative employment elsewhere with someone who will pay it. |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:26 - Dec 18 with 1078 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:23 - Dec 18 by Sarge |
It’s a tech consultancy that handles Space & Defence contracts. I really like my colleagues and my clients, the actual work I find a little dull sometimes because it’s not what I went to university for but overall I’m pretty happy here and I seem to be quite good at it despite not really knowing what it is I do.
Sounds like from most of the replies that it’s pretty normal so that’s fine. I’ve had LinkedIn offers ranging from £40-80k but I take those with a huge pinch of salt. £40k doesn’t sound out of the ordinary for someone as junior as me at our competitors but £80k is nonsense. |
My advice is not to focus too much on the salary at this stage of your career, focus on improving your ability and contacts etc and being as good as you can be.
If the money doesn't come from your current workplace, then it will come from elsewhere.
You cant really benchmark against any 'linkedin' offers unless you have a contract in your hand.
Generate new business, and generate new fees.... thats the only real business case for a pay rise. [Post edited 18 Dec 2019 16:27]
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:27 - Dec 18 with 1076 views | Sarge |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:15 - Dec 18 by chicoazul |
Your salary has gone up nearly 5k in 15 months. I don't think you're getting shafted, no. It sounds like it's going very well and that you are very competent.
EDIT; i'm going to make an assumption here. You're what 23, 24? You are on very very good money for your age group if so. I bet you earn the most of pretty much everyone else in your peer group of a similar age. [Post edited 18 Dec 2019 16:17]
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25 as I did an internship and a masters first.
I think most of my friends back in Ipswich are probably on a little less although I wouldn’t know. Many have more years experience because they left uni at 21. Their net pay is probably more but that’s a Surrey problem, not theirs, mine or the company’s. | | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:30 - Dec 18 with 1059 views | Sikamikanico |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:21 - Dec 18 by clive_baker |
I'm sorry but that's very short sighted advice.
It's not all about money, especially at (presumably) a relatively young age given he's little more than a year onto a grad scheme. Yes pay is important but also think of the bigger picture. I knew I was underpaid for at least 5 years in my early 20's but also knew that my employer was a great CV stamp in the industry (arguably the best CV stamp in the industry), and showing progression there for a few years meant that when I did cash my chips I could do so to a much greater extent that by jumping earlier. Not to mention the exposure I got to some of the best talent in the industry, training, development, job security etc. Large firms often pay less but there a wider benefits that should be considered.
Edit: OP if you're being shafted that's definitely one for HR, not TWTD. [Post edited 18 Dec 2019 16:46]
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I also worked underpaid in my 20s and agree that salary is not the only consideration at that stage. He however seems to be someone very much concerned with what he is getting compared to everyone else. | | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:37 - Dec 18 with 1025 views | monytowbray |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:22 - Dec 18 by chicoazul |
Nah. Stay put in your first job after graduating for at least 4 years. Build a network and show loyalty. |
Doubt his boss would have much if they needed to let someone go and protect their salary. |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:38 - Dec 18 with 1031 views | Sarge |
Thanks all for your advice and info, it’s useful to see what other places are like. My manager wanted to discuss it with me in the new year anyway so will do that but I’m not going to make a fuss because it sounds like it’s reasonable. I’ll keep doing this until I get bored and then see what’s available. | | | |
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:39 - Dec 18 with 1021 views | monytowbray |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:25 - Dec 18 by allezlesbleus |
Very simplistic view.
I know of several very hard working self employed / small business owners who, for a number of reasons, don't make the minimum wage for the 60+ hours they work each week. There are decent bosses / SBO's out there who are struggling to pay their staff (and themselves) as much as they would like to, whilst still keeping the business trading. |
13 years in the work place and 8 in my profession will do that to someone. No matter how hard you work if you’re an employee someone is always doing less and getting paid more. | |
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:41 - Dec 18 with 1010 views | clive_baker |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:37 - Dec 18 by monytowbray |
Doubt his boss would have much if they needed to let someone go and protect their salary. |
I see where you're going with that, but showing loyalty isn't an altruistic act, it's advisable purely from a selfish perspective IMO. It looks good on your CV and thus will benefit you in the market. A CV that shows progression, a few promotions in the same company etc and an ability to hang around in an organisation is highly sought after. |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:45 - Dec 18 with 1000 views | clive_baker |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:39 - Dec 18 by monytowbray |
13 years in the work place and 8 in my profession will do that to someone. No matter how hard you work if you’re an employee someone is always doing less and getting paid more. |
They're probably also inheriting a lot more risk. 75% of businesses don't reach year 8, and it's not the employees that are asked to personally guarantee debt and lose sleep wondering where their next sale is coming from to pay their staff. There's a bit to be said for working for someone else. | |
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| Am I being shafted? on 16:53 - Dec 18 with 995 views | Swansea_Blue |
Completely depends on your sector and role. If £28k was the company standard starting salary 15 months ago and you’re now on £32.5k, then no you’re not being shafted. If the industry average starting is around £28-30, then no, you’re not being shafted.
If you’re concerned, do a bit of research - there are websites out there that show salaries for different sectors with loads of different metrics.
£28k as a starter sounds good to me, but I care from an environmental background. |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 17:34 - Dec 18 with 976 views | eireblue |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:45 - Dec 18 by clive_baker |
They're probably also inheriting a lot more risk. 75% of businesses don't reach year 8, and it's not the employees that are asked to personally guarantee debt and lose sleep wondering where their next sale is coming from to pay their staff. There's a bit to be said for working for someone else. |
I think this view is somewhat simplistic.
I tend to work for small start-up companies.
Yes the people that have the higher risk/reward are not the employees.
However employees in small companies are still taking a risk. They need their chosen employer to be successful as well.
The companies that I have worked for, the founders tend to understand that the risk/reward, extends to all employees. Employees are taking a risk by being employed by a smaller company, versus, say in the case of the OP, a company with a 10B turnover.
Therefore all employees will share a risk, and good owners understand this. So will also reward all employees, proportionately, in the case of success.
In your scenario, if the staff don’t get paid, they could be the ones also struggling to feed a family, that can lose them sleep as well.
As an aside, to the OP, if you want more pay, make a material difference within a small company. Of course, the risk is that the small company fails. [Post edited 18 Dec 2019 17:35]
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| Am I being shafted? on 19:25 - Dec 18 with 949 views | BloomBlue |
1) does your company have pay bans of market rates? If the latter then you don't have an argument. Remembers this is 2019 not 1974.
2) does your company operate on a promotion basis, prove the promotion was correct and then receive the increase in wages? Remember this is 2019 not 1974 |  | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 21:48 - Dec 18 with 917 views | WD19 |
You will be working for the next 40 years. Stressing about a few £ here or there will do you no favours. If you deliver for a company in the long term, a good company will see you alright.
That’s not to say be a mug, but getting hung up on small differences will drive yourself mad and make you no friends.
Grad starting salary at my place is £25k and that is in London....although that means nothing. |  | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 23:04 - Dec 18 with 885 views | WicklowBlue |
I had composed a lengthy response based on my experience in the tech sector...then accidentally refreshed the page and lost it all. Allow me to quickly summarise my thoughts from a similar experience in my career to date:
Salary is not the be all and end all when starting your career.
Large corporates tend to pay less but offer more in terms of personal development programs and benefits (pension/health care/work environment/Stock (RSUs etc) Stability etc)
You have more opportunities for promotion in a large corporate.
Having experience in such corporates are a big plus on your CV.
I would suggest you need to step back look at the big picture. Do you have opportunities to develop yourself in your current role and demonstrate that you are key talent?
Most importantly, do you enjoy the work you do? If so grab any opportunity that presents itself and remember you are competing for that top 9 box rating or equivalent. That is a much stronger position to really drive your salary or open up external opportunities. |  | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 23:07 - Dec 18 with 883 views | Ewan_Oozami |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:07 - Dec 18 by footers |
Especially for sex machine private detectives. |
Sex Machine Private Detectives? That's my next band name right there! |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 00:14 - Dec 19 with 856 views | monytowbray |
| Am I being shafted? on 23:07 - Dec 18 by Ewan_Oozami |
Sex Machine Private Detectives? That's my next band name right there! |
Shot gun vocals. | |
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| Am I being shafted? on 10:26 - Dec 19 with 780 views | StokieBlue |
It really depends on what you want. If you want money right now then you could see it as being shafted but at this stage of your career getting a good reputation for delivering and being trusted by senior people to deliver is more important than a grand here or there.
That reputation will decide whether you get promotions and bigger pay rises in the future as well as giving you the opportunity to move to another company if the remuneration isn't what you want in a few years time.
SB |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 12:36 - Dec 19 with 749 views | BrixtonBlue |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:01 - Dec 18 by monytowbray |
If you aren’t the boss, a shareholder or working for yourself you’re always being shafted. Capitalism is designed to shaft everyone. |
Not quite everyone. |  |
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| Am I being shafted? on 13:17 - Dec 19 with 733 views | ElephantintheRoom |
It's a two way thing. YOU think you deserve more - difficult to say without knowing what you do with all of one year's experience. Your employer can replace you with a graduate so they probably think you're getting the right salary.
A big turnover company may not be making any money | |
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| Am I being shafted? on 13:40 - Dec 19 with 706 views | Sarge |
| Am I being shafted? on 13:17 - Dec 19 by ElephantintheRoom |
It's a two way thing. YOU think you deserve more - difficult to say without knowing what you do with all of one year's experience. Your employer can replace you with a graduate so they probably think you're getting the right salary.
A big turnover company may not be making any money |
Replacing me with a graduate would have been a more expensive option until yesterday. I have no quibbles with the actual amount I get paid, what irked me was getting promoted and then the promotion pay rise essentially taking me to what I’d have got had I joined as a graduate in September anyway.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter, it’s a decent amount and to respond to some of the other replies, I don’t enjoy what I do so for me this is an opportunity to build up soft skills, cv experience and then when I actually discover what it is I enjoy doing I’ll go do that.
Only reason I’m hung up on salary right now is I’m desperate to be able to buy a house one day because I’m sick of giving away £1k a month to live in a tiny flat in a sleepy suburb. | | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 13:46 - Dec 19 with 695 views | BrixtonBlue |
| Am I being shafted? on 16:23 - Dec 18 by Sarge |
It’s a tech consultancy that handles Space & Defence contracts. I really like my colleagues and my clients, the actual work I find a little dull sometimes because it’s not what I went to university for but overall I’m pretty happy here and I seem to be quite good at it despite not really knowing what it is I do.
Sounds like from most of the replies that it’s pretty normal so that’s fine. I’ve had LinkedIn offers ranging from £40-80k but I take those with a huge pinch of salt. £40k doesn’t sound out of the ordinary for someone as junior as me at our competitors but £80k is nonsense. |
"I seem to be quite good at it despite not really knowing what it is I do." - love this line!
A lot of LnkedIn 'jobs' are actually just recruiters trying to get you on their books. | |
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| Am I being shafted? on 13:57 - Dec 19 with 678 views | gordon |
I wouldn't make decisions based on salary at your age. A working life is awfully long, and it's really important to just work out what kind of work you want to do, and then to position yourself to get the right kind of skills and experience to get there. If that means a bit less or a bit more salary now, it shouldn't matter too much. |  | | |
| Am I being shafted? on 14:00 - Dec 19 with 674 views | gordon |
The other thing is that if you don't really like what you do, then think carefully about whether you want to buy a house and get a mortgage - it could basically cut off your options, because retraining or changing career normally means a drop in salary, at least in the short term, which a big mortgage might make impossible. | | | |
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