Graduate position likely salaries?

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1734 posts

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#666269 2-Aug-2012 15:01

45k is good pay. I am not in IT but they aren't that much diff to other professional roles.
Even 40k is good. Maybe the larger orgs would pay more. Obviously you could go less as well. There is also the issue with catch 22. Employers want experience but one needs to get it first.

mattwnz

20141 posts

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#666274 2-Aug-2012 15:07

floydbloke: It's quite a harsh question for someone who is just entering the full-time workforce.

On the flip-side, it is also a fairly standard interview question these days and interviewees should probably be prepared for it and determine their market-value beforehand.

It was all so easy when I joined the post-office back in '84. This is your age, this the job title (designations they called them back then), this is how much you'll get paid (was about $9,300 p.a. if I recall)

Yes but I am just wondering what the question is for. Is it to show that the applicant is greedy or naive, or they have unrealistic expectations on their worth. I doubt it has very much to do with what the job will actually pay them, unless they give a low amount, and that could be the figure they will pay, as it is in the interests of the business to pay as little as possible.

Someone I know who has recently applied for jobs actually initially asks what the salary range is before the job, and they ask for it so it doesn't waste both of their times. So that is possibily one way around not getting asked the question. Possibly different though for new graduates.

rayonline

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#666278 2-Aug-2012 15:11

It might be just the generic set questions re: pay.
I have been asked that for non grad jobs too. Non IT.

Maybe it is to see if you are in the ballpark. And not to waste time in choosing the preferred applicant knowing that the pay rate is sig off.

The larger orgs tend to have established pay rates to work from ..

Ragnor

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#666562 2-Aug-2012 21:35

timmmay: A grad gets $50K?! Most software development grads aren't worth much for a couple of years, they have theory but no experience in what's useful in the real world.

reven: 6 years ago I started on 40k then 3 months later went up to 44k, that was straight out of uni with a BSc majoring in computer science.

insane: Having said all that, those in my course who had some experience and went into programming roles back in 2007 started out between $43 and $50K.

Similar to me, I started on 40-50k back in 2003, .NET programmer/developer in Auckland out of uni (Bcom infosys).

The likes of Geni, Datacom, Intergen and many others are pretty much always hiring.

timmmay

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#666565 2-Aug-2012 21:37

I think I was on about $35K when I started out as a grad, but that was around 2000. That was higher than average for a grad back then, but then student loans were smaller too. I had friends on around $30K.

nickd

447 posts

Ultimate Geek

#666639 2-Aug-2012 23:58

When I went for my first job a couple of years ago I told the company that I wasn't that worried, as long as they paid me what they thought was fair. I was pretty happy with what they came back to me with, I don't think they liked having to name the amount first though.

stevenz

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#666873 3-Aug-2012 12:19

IT is one industry where you are much better off moving to Australia. When a friend went from NZD$45K to AUD$80K doing the _exact_ same job simply by moving from Wellington to Canberra, you've gotta wonder.

The numbers quoted here seem in-line with what I've experienced locally though. Not surprising there's supposedly a staffing shortage in the local IT industry.

@KnightNZ

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Asrafrate

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#666875 3-Aug-2012 12:21

Always hated this question because while you may know your value and the value of the skills you provide, in NZ most IT roles are under valued to begin with compared to similar roles over seas.

Zeb A.
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timmmay

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#666879 3-Aug-2012 12:23

stevenz: IT is one industry where you are much better off moving to Australia. When a friend went from NZD$45K to AUD$80K doing the _exact_ same job simply by moving from Wellington to Canberra, you've gotta wonder.

The numbers quoted here seem in-line with what I've experienced locally though. Not surprising there's supposedly a staffing shortage in the local IT industry.

40K is very entry level IT, helpdesk or similar.

Remember the cost of living's a lot higher in Australia.

stevenz

2802 posts

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#666899 3-Aug-2012 12:35

But it's not _that_ much higher (especially in boring old Canberra). At the time there were significantly better incentives for 1st-home buyers as well. No idea if that's still the case.

@KnightNZ

mattRSK

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#666917 3-Aug-2012 12:47

stevenz: But it's not _that_ much higher (especially in boring old Canberra). At the time there were significantly better incentives for 1st-home buyers as well. No idea if that's still the case.

It is changing at the end of the year to 15k for a first home that is new. Available to NZers.

ajobbins

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#666943 3-Aug-2012 13:14

I got a grad job with a large IT multinational 3.5 years ago (Beginning of 2009) in Wellington.

Started on $44k plus bonuses (which turned out to be a fraction of what was promised, despite being in the top 10% of performers).

Fast forward 3.5 years later and I am now on a comfortable 6-figure salary.....in Melbourne. I move up pretty fast and held some management positions, but the big salary jump was definitely when I came to Oz.

timmmay: Remember the cost of living's a lot higher in Australia.

Disagree. Dollar for dollar, my cost of living here is less. That said, there are a lot of tax complexities and I do pay more tax here. I won't be buying property here because a) We don't plan to be here more than a couple of years b) Stamp Duty would just be a total waste of money for a short term purchase in a depressed property market and c) the VIC government has removed their incentives for first home buys of newly built properties, so now you can only get the $7k federal grant - which is only a fraction of what we would have to pay in stamp duty.

But overall - cost of living here = less

Twitter: ajobbins

timmmay

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#666955 3-Aug-2012 13:22

Interesting. So it's less after currency conversion, less with the currency ignored, or less as a fraction of your total income? Probably all three.

I know when I was in Australia I was pleasantly surprised how much cheaper taxis are than NZ.

khull

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#666962 3-Aug-2012 13:27

there is something grossly unfair about my pay then

stevenz

2802 posts

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#666974 3-Aug-2012 13:45

Now now, you don't want to begrudge the CEO his new toys.

From what I see around this place, the real money seems to be in administration.

@KnightNZ

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