First salary request? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: etstudent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 02:44:16 am
content: I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get an interview for an Electro-mechanical technician position I applied to. They gave no salary indications on the application except it says "to be negotiated". Now I just graduated, like just graduated from my ET program, so what would you think is an in-line right starting hourly wage to request? I was thinking $17.00 but what do you think? Thanks for any guidance.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 02:51:57 am
content: No idea about the US, but the minimum wage in Australia is $16 ($31K/year)A new graduate tech could probably expect $40K or more here I suspect.Dave.

author: etstudent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:00:23 am
content: WOW! Australian minimum wage is 16 an hour! Awesome, I'm the only one here that thinks the minimum wage should be 15 an hour. Thanks for the info, I forgot once again to say I live in NJ.

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:00:35 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 06, 2012, 02:51:57 amWait so a 16year old kid makes $16 minimum??

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:06:45 am
content: Quote from: FenderBender on December 06, 2012, 03:00:35 amYup! plus 9% Superannuation and applicable penalty loadings. The Chinese and Indians who do all our manufacturing off-shore do so for lesser remittances,

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:23:20 am
content: Sheesh...I made like $6 something when I was working a a minimum wage job.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:53:49 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on December 06, 2012, 03:06:45 amDon't forget the 20 days annual leave a year for full time employees.Dave.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 03:57:07 am
content: Quote from: FenderBender on December 06, 2012, 03:00:35 amNo, it's less for juniors:http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/national-minimum-wage/Pages/default.aspxOnly gets to $16 when you hit 20. Can be pathetic under that age.Dave.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 04:11:03 am
content: I tweeted a photo of a pay slip from my first job once (Technical Officer), but can't find it. IIRC it was $23K/year, maybe $11/hour?That was in the late 80's, and I was 17 at the time.Dave.

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 04:21:22 am
content: You spoiled brats, you Aussies are. No incentive to get a better job with wages like those.All jokes aside. That is pretty impressive.

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 04:22:24 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 06, 2012, 03:57:07 amAt 18, I'd gladly take $11/hour minimum!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 04:28:59 am
content: Minimum wage here is around $100 per month, and no working under 16 ( rigggggggghhhhhttttt................) both of which are regularly ignored.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 04:41:42 am
content: BTW, when negotiating salary,neverfall into the trap of responding with a value when asked. The correct response is "what are you offering".Then when they tell you, the correct response is a roll of the eyesand a chuckleDave.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 04:56:08 am
content: Quote from: FenderBender on December 06, 2012, 04:21:22 amBefore you think of emigrating consider that until recently $1AU has been a lot less than $1USA Toyota Ordinary in US money starts at $22,055http://www.toyota,com/camry/ the same piece of automotive boredom in our wide brown land would begin at $30,490http://www.toyota.com.ao/camry/sameDo the comparisons for software and electronics and the difference is a chasm.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 05:01:15 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 06, 2012, 04:41:42 amCorrect! The second quickest way to bum out of the interview process is to ask "how much pay do I get" without mention of what you may have to offer. The quickest is to ask "what sort of car am I going to get!"

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 05:10:59 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on December 06, 2012, 04:56:08 amOur aussie batter is worth 82.5cents according to the Big Mac index:http://www.thebigmacindex.com/?from=AUD&to=USD&value=1Dave.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 06:10:28 am
content: Until they standardized apprentice/trainee wages they were pretty shocking; like $7.50 for an adult (270/week) for a first year, that doesn't buy you much at all (here in Australia at least).

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 07:01:32 am
content: I don't know Australian specifics, so take the following with a grain of salt.Depending on the job / company / industry there might be a union active. The union might already have done the negotiation for you, whether you like it or not. Even if a union doesn't direly be covering your particular job, if they are big enough they set an example / trend for salary in an area or industry. So it can be beneficial to for you to figure out if a union is meddling in your area (i.e. check their website for the collective agreements they have).Where I live it is common practice among employers not to negotiate at all or not much when it comes to entry level jobs. Especially large companies have internal standards, or are bound by union agreement, of what they pay for an entry level position. In particular for the "nothing special" kind of job. It simplifies recruiting, budgeting and reduces envy between those working the same job in the company. These companies more or less directly tell you what they are willing to give you, and you can take it or leave it. For fun you can ask for a bit more when they tell you their number. If it is still within their internal standard range for that position and they like you, you might get it, if it isn't they will stick to their first number.Employers then differentiate later after they have seen you work for some time and offer you a salary raise (or don't). Even the first salary raise is often pre-planned and budgeted in very large companies and not much negotiable. At least not the upper limit :-), the time of the raise is sometimes a bit negotiable. I.e. when you obviously perform very well you can give them a hint by asking about a raise.

author: _Sin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 11:10:18 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 06, 2012, 04:41:42 amYeah, thirded. The only reason anyone asks that question is so they can make an offer as little as possible.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 12:31:42 pm
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on December 06, 2012, 07:01:32 amYes, but they are always willing negotiate down!That's why you never fall into the trap of saying a number yourself if asked.Most times it's not even negotiated at a meeting, they will simply send an offer letter. Then you either take it, leave it, or negotiate.Dave.

author: etstudent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2012, 06:43:44 pm
content: Wow that turned into quite a discussion. I guess I will says "what are you offering" then? Sounds like a right answer to me. Thanks guys.

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2012, 01:08:07 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 06, 2012, 04:11:03 amIn 1990 our minimum wage was $3.80/hour. Yeesh!

author: aluck
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2012, 02:48:15 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on December 06, 2012, 04:56:08 amIn Russia a cheapest Camry goes for $31,000http://www.toyota.ru/cars/new_cars/camry/index.tmexAnd the minimum wage for full-time employment is roughly $141 USD. So much about prices.We have a very restrictive custom duties on vehicles "to protect the local manufactures". And the local manufacturers (actually, there's just one major player with about 90% share of local vehicles market), being protected by the government, just keeps making outdated clones of older cars. Just recently they introduced a new model equipped with AT, A/C and even ABS! Airbags are still in top models only. Reliability? Ugh, I would consider a 10-year old Chevrolet much more reliable than a new Russian-made car.