Set salary sights realistically warns The Principle Partnership

According to latest figures from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), the average graduate salary in 2004 is 21,000 per year. And recent figures reported in the Sunday Times* show that London university graduates commanded salaries of up to 24,247 in 2003. But these figures are misleading warns The Principle Partnership and set unrealistic expectations for graduates looking for the first rung on the ladder in their chosen field.

Chris Smith, CEO of The Principle Partnership says:

ìThis type of figure may well be true for a few positions at some FTSE 100 / blue chip companies, but it represents a disproportionate picture of the UK job market. In the charity sector for example, graduates can expect a starting salary of between 15,000 and 17,000.î

However graduate starting salaries are not influenced solely by tables, location or university. Graduates entering the charity sector generally command around 17k if they have gained some experience in the summer months or throughout their degree course. So to some extent graduates can take proactive steps to influence their starting salary. This experience will also assist them in being invited for that all important interview.

The Principle Partnership recently launched a graduate guide to securing employment (attached) which highlights a range of factors that can help to a) secure a job in the graduateís chosen field and b) help command a salary towards the top end of the scale.

Spending a short amount of time gaining work experience, being focused in a particular field and thoroughly researching that field sound like obvious steps, but it is surprising how many graduates do not take them and therefore get invited to fewer interviews and are then forced to accept a salary at the very bottom of the scale.

However well prepared graduates are for the workplace, it is crucial that they are realistic about what remuneration to expect in their first job otherwise they risk spending vast amounts of time searching for their 24,000-a-year dream job. The more time that is spent searching, the less time is spent gaining valuable experience that will increase the starting salary ñ wherever it sits on the scale.