Advice/Opinion on my current Salary

LJezame on 22/03/2017 - 11:01

Hi guys,

Would like your opinion on my current salary – have a feeling that it’s on the low side but wanted to ask around.

Some quick background: I’m a recent uni graduate who’s landed a full time position as an Account Executive at a PR firm that I interned at for 5 months prior. My title is technically an “Account Assistant” as I’m still on my 3 month probation – but my responsibilities are exactly the same as an Account Exec.

My salary is less than 40k a year (including Super). I honestly wasn’t happy with the offer at all, but felt that I had nothing to leverage with since I was a fresh graduate with no other relevant experience in the field. I’ve looked at my payslips and done the math – my hourly rate is less than $18.

What do you guys think? I'm thinking of bringing this up at the end of my probation period.

TLDR: Being paid less than 40k a year (including Super) as a fresh uni graduate. On a 3 month probation but have interned for over 5 months previously. Account Executive at a PR firm.

Education & Work

Comments

  • ykwon10 on 22/03/2017 - 11:05

    check your relevant award rate and compare.

  • onetwothreefour on 22/03/2017 - 11:06
    +2

    It is low but not below minimum wage, we all have to start somewhere I guess. Have they said that you will get regular salary reviews?

  • k-rokfm on 22/03/2017 - 11:10
    +6

    Youre a fresh uni graduate into a new job - youre not going to be earning 180k+ straight out of uni. Complete your probation and discuss your performance with your manager or whoever is relevant, from that ask about your possible next steps in your career and potential for a payrise

    • Jezame on 22/03/2017 - 11:16
      +3

      Yeah, that's true!
      I'm not expecting that kind of pay at all - just a hard pill to swallow when I realised I would have earned significantly more in my previous retail job than what I'm earning now.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/03/2017 - 11:23

        to add injury to insult, I got paid more for my first office out of school in 2007 than you as a freshy out of uni, I never really contemplated uni at the time either.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/03/2017 - 11:12
    +6

    my advise work for 7 months and leave, tell prospective employers it was a 6 month contract role you do get experience (which was extended for a month), in the end you'll have 1 year experience.

  • Skramit on 22/03/2017 - 11:14
    +9

    Prove yourself over the first 12 months then ask for a pay rise, citing why you are worth it.

    Complaining within the first 3 months will get you nowhere. Do the hard yards first.

    • activ8newbs on 22/03/2017 - 12:39

      I agree with this.

      Soldier through it - it won't be easy. Particularly knowing there is no guarantee that you will get a pay rise at the end of the 12 months.

    • poboy on 22/03/2017 - 15:36
      +1

      Sure ask for a raise, but you won't get much. They know what you're on and your low experience. You get raises by moving companies, which resets what people think of you (you're a graduate vs you have 1 year of experience).

  • Stewardo on 22/03/2017 - 11:25
    +1

    Get experience, good references, don't upset early employers, you have a degree, you need on the job experience, contacts, maturity, knowledge. You need to start at the bottom and work your way up, the money will come if you work hard and impress people. Complaining to people who took a chance on you won't help you. Why not wait 12 months and bring up pay at your annual review.

  • supnigs super skids on 22/03/2017 - 11:40
    +3

    grad lands assistnt job and recken its comparable to an account executive position. LOL!

  • [Deactivated] on 22/03/2017 - 11:43

    Sorry OP but that is a popular job where perks are part of the attraction and pay is low early on. I don't think your employer is being cheap, it's part of the industry. If it's a good opportunity and fun, don't stress about starting salary.

  • railspider on 22/03/2017 - 11:47
    +2

    Wow, the title “executive” has really lost its meaning! (No offense intended OP)

    As others have said, ask for a payrise at your next review, pending good performance. It'll be cheaper for them in the long run to pay you more than to hire and re-fill the position. If this doesn't work out, start looking for a new job while you're still employed and getting paid.

  • hurtsville on 22/03/2017 - 11:51
    +1

    Don't sweat it, we all started somewhere. My first job out of uni had even lower pay. 5 years on I made twice that amount, 10 years on nearly triple that. Just work hard, prove yourself and you will be rewarded.

    Also it's fine to pad your resume out. List yourself as Accounts Exec but give examples of your achievements and responsibilities.

  • cloudy on 22/03/2017 - 12:19
    +1

    Even though your hourly wage works out to be 18, if u include leave and public holidays, etc it would be a fair hit more. Plus I assume tey would invest their you since you're grad, more grad positions I know involve lots of training etc, so it's not all about the money.

  • Cheap Steve on 22/03/2017 - 16:14
    +1

    I worked down a coal mine, with no shoes and even during snow storms and for thrippence. Kids today!

  • shadowarrior on 22/03/2017 - 16:22

    Right now you don't have any reason to ask for a raise and they have plenty of reasons not to give you one. Work for a year, prove your worth, turn the table around. If you do the hard yard, you will then have plenty of reasons to ask for a raise, and they should have none not to give you one.

    You always have to start somewhere.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/03/2017 - 16:58

    40k per year? That seems to be tooo low even for a fresh uni graduate

    • Banana on 22/03/2017 - 17:23
      +1

      I saw a position asking for IT phD and the pay was 45k/year…

      • [Deactivated] on 22/03/2017 - 17:48

        I don't know where you or the OP live but here in Sydney, the fresh graduates are getting more than 40k… The salary ranges from 55k to 65k.

        • Banana on 22/03/2017 - 20:46

          Melbourne. Safe to say my peers and I had a good laugh and the ad stayed up longer than the other ones…

        • [Deactivated] on 24/03/2017 - 16:33

          @Banana: Good for you and your peers …

  • [Deactivated] on 23/03/2017 - 08:51

    You are a graduate with a job.
    Be happy.

  • Seraphin7 on 23/03/2017 - 09:10

    Seriously? Less than three months in and you're griping about pay? In all honesty, if I was your boss and you came to me with this at this stage, I'd basically mark your papers and be looking for ways to get you out the door. Knuckle down, show some value to your employer and then talk $$$$.

  • dashy1 on 23/03/2017 - 13:12

    Put your head down, work hard. network, make a good impression, gain experience and after a year ask for a payrise or move on. In the meantime comb ozbargain to help your money go further. or eat noodles.

  • penguin286 on 23/03/2017 - 17:50
    +1

    I think our expectations are shaped by what we hear or read when it comes to other people's salaries - and they're also most likely to be higher ones. What's probably not heard or read as often is the salaries to the poorest 80% of the world and I would assume that would be less than 40k/year.

    Other positives to think about:
    1. You have running tap water you can drink straight from
    2. Your career has a large climable ladder where as your retail job did not, so over a lifetime you'll earn substantially more
    3. You actually have a job! (I would never want to go through my 9 months of looking for a job)

  • Hardlyworkin on 23/03/2017 - 21:30

    Not that you can expect too much when you first start out… It is possible that amount is less than the legal minimum. Depends on what you do day to day. For example if your role at the moment is mainly clerical in nature then you might be covered by the clerk's private sector award… It's only a possibility but if so then it's worth looking into… Even as a bargaining chip following the 3 month's probation.

  • Inzo on 23/03/2017 - 23:12

    I got a new IT grad this year, and the salary was 60k, and apparently that's what we do fairly frequently

    Role is IT Grad working in internal L2 / L3 onsite IT support team for a 600+ user office

  • Euphemistic on 24/03/2017 - 15:55
    -1

    You need to buy a new car. Around $80k mark should be enough to show that you are worth more.

    Once you've driven it to work for a few days your boss will see you are worth more and up your salary or another firm will poach you with a big increase in pay.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/03/2017 - 16:23

    I would put a genuine effort in the job notwithstanding the low salary. I would also intendedly show my appreciation of the provided opportunity for you to gain experience. Even if you think your responsibilities are exactly the same as an Account Exec., that's not the way employment in professional companies work. After 6 months I would ask to raise the mark citing my performance and highlighting the unique tasks that I have done better than anyone. If there is significant resistance, then I'd first find another job then move.

  • Panama on 26/03/2017 - 22:26

    For context, I had a relative that started a grad role 10 years ago that paid 47k including super. Funnily enough back then, they still used to complain they werent getting paid enough for a grad. So yes they're abusing the oversaturation of unemployed grads like everyone else out there.

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