Graduate jobs - why are starting salaries so low?

Traditionally you could get into what we now refer to russel group unis with BBC at A level... you can't talk about grades now and grades then as if they're the same thing.

Anyway employers probably know what they actually want better than you know what they want... and if they decide not to discriminate against post 92's it's because they've decided it's not important, rather than dosser students cheating the system.

You are right about being unable to compare grades across "eras".

My offers in 81 were:

CCC from Exeter (Geophys with Eng Geol)
BC from Bath (Geophys)
CC from QMUL, (long title..nuclear engineering)
EE from Essex (Physics with Laser Technology)

Grad employment prospects were dire then, IT was new and paid well.

I think many employers are differentiating between pre and the majority of post 92 Unis, indirectly, and they do it by having a UCAS points filter. Obviously if someone has good A level grades but goes to their local post 92 Uni (maybe a sick parent needs care), then they will pass that filter and why not if they have good A levels, obtained a good degree, and know what they are talking about at interview and most of all, have great interpersonal skills. But if a student attended the same Uni with BCC standard offer grades they will struggle with a significant number of employers due to the UCAS points filter.

Once you have a couple of years experience, and a track record of delivery, then UCAS points and degree classifications lose their significance in most fields.

When I said wrong, I meant what the poster was saying about graduates being worth more than an employee in his/her 50's coming to the end of his career. The reason this is wrong is because the older employee would have greater experience/contacts/specific company knowledge that would be impossible for a new grad to have.

That is why all of the companies you have listed above whilst all above £25k, pay more as you increase in experience. For example I started as a grad at PwC in 2007 in London and my salary increase from the start of £28k to when I left 3.5years later at £42k. This was due to increased experience (and not necessarily increased workload).
I remember having the same conversation with my colleagues in our first year there, with a couple whinging that £28k in London was not enough, and after a long debate we did actually come up with the fact that at the time, we didnt really contribute a hell of a lot to warrant the salary in the first place.

But hey, at the end of the day - you are worth what someone is willing to pay you (in financial terms).

What is the average UCAS point cut off for IT graduate jobs (assuming there is one)?

Also, I take it that it only counts your A2 results and disregards AS?

The only one I'm aware of is Consultancy at Accenture which is 340 (I got 320 )

My first Grad role was £15.5k pa

It quickly rises though if you're good at what you do and can prove the value. I do chuckle though when I see people assuming just because they have a degree, they'll be worth 20k, 25k, 30k+ to a company.

My first Grad role was £15.5k pa

It quickly rises though if you're good at what you do and can prove the value. I do chuckle though when I see people assuming just because they have a degree, they'll be worth 20k, 25k, 30k+ to a company.

Chwirkytheappleboy - thanks, I tried to reply but post needed approving by moderator.



Read it in the newspaper, I think it was referring to IT related graduate jobs though.

You can go on the Prospects website and see for yourself.

My first Grad role was £15.5k pa

It quickly rises though if you're good at what you do and can prove the value. I do chuckle though when I see people assuming just because they have a degree, they'll be worth 20k, 25k, 30k+ to a company.

Yes, they may be buying potential, but you still can't expect to walk into a job with a high salary. If you have no experience why should they pay that much for you? As I said, you have to earn it. £20k is not something you should turn your nose up at esp with the competition for grad roles these days.

I agree but why are management consultancies paying stupid money like this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9090664/Oxford-graduates-pull-pints-in-dire-jobs-market.html

What makes her worth £45K, with at most 22 years experience, assuming she started working from birth?

Because management consultancies have loads of money, and missing out on their preferred candidates would be much more expensive for them than paying them a few thousands extra.

I agree but why are management consultancies paying stupid money like this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9090664/Oxford-graduates-pull-pints-in-dire-jobs-market.html

What makes her worth £45K, with at most 22 years experience, assuming she started working from birth?

She'll be generating more then £45k for her employer. That's not her fault, that's for her clients to worry about as they're the ones paying over the odds when they could try and hire someone to keep this work in house.

I'm a consultant working between IT and Geoscience disciplines in the operators, and have been for the past few months since I graduated last year. I make my company around £180k a year, if not more. This isn't a significant amount of money in the grand scheme of things but is important to note when I take home less then this management consultant.

I could give you a business case for why I'm worth £180k. I can't do the same for her as I don't have a clue what she does, but I imagine her day rate, if that's how she is sold will be large. Large enough for her to pay back her employer twice over, probably more.

Only sales people make money, unless you sell you are just a cost to the employer.

Only sales people make money, unless you sell you are just a cost to the employer.

When you took that first grad job, did you have a decent idea of how quickly your salary would rise if you did reasonably well?
Most people I have spoken to find this the most important reason to go for places with high starting salaries. Even those are sometimes hard to find out (or you won't find out until you get an offer as all sources just say 'competitive salary), and information on salary progression is hard to find.

I understand what you're saying, but thats a very black and white way to view it. A sales manager and consultant is just a title. When on site im a consultant, a sales man and ultimately an asset to my employer. I'd be surprised if a consultant didn't try and create value for its employer when on site.

All of my managers so far have viewed it that way. If my managers could outsource my job they would do it in a heart beat.