To think that wages have gone down A LOT in the past 20 years or so

[Poetrypatty]

I'm looking at some roles where the amount offered is probably what would have been offered for that job, or possibly even less, than what you'd have got paid in about 1999. And that's often for graduates where you wouldn't have needed a degree back then and you do now. That's not even taking into account inflation or house prices.

I'm talking started and mid level office roles in particular rather than NMW jobs. I do think at the higher end wages have gone up, managers etc. For those who are old enough to remember, AIBU?

I was working for the NHS from 1997-2005. Grade 4, mostly, not brilliant wages, but I got by.

The same roles are now the equivalent of Grade 2/3. Which I could get for doing a significantly less specialist/having done them, a far, far easier role. Except for when they're only available as Adult Apprenticeships, where the money is next to nothing and nobody can possibly do them without either top up benefits, a sizeable lump sum in the bank or a spouse earning a significantly higher income than average.

I saw the same in Local Government where, rather than paying an adult a decent wage or even a living one, they'd change the vacancy to an adult apprenticeship and get it done practically for free.

I think that if you want somebody to do the job, you pay them a real salary, don't restrict opportunity to those who can afford to work for peanuts and don't penalise the people who are prepared/able to take that hit by not recognising the work they're doing is just the same.

DH earned £30k + 10 years ago, changed careers (made redundant) now on 26k . Both semi skilled.

' I feel like job descriptions now want so much as well, often seems more like one and a half jobs or two jobs rolled into one.'
Just wanted to say I agree with this so much. I was job hunting five years ago for a uni admin job which uses similar skills to my industry. I decided not to pursue this type of role but looked again recently and the criteria for similar roles is crazy but the pay is the same as five years ago ?! :(

@IrishMamaMia

' I feel like job descriptions now want so much as well, often seems more like one and a half jobs or two jobs rolled into one.' Just wanted to say I agree with this so much. I was job hunting five years ago for a uni admin job which uses similar skills to my industry. I decided not to pursue this type of role but looked again recently and the criteria for similar roles is crazy but the pay is the same as five years ago ?! :(

Didn't admin used to be quite a good job?

I have a couple of friends who do that type of work and it sounds horrendous!

Saw a couple of roles recently, £24-27k. Twenty years ago they would have been advertised as £25-30k, with much better benefits (better pension, maternity leave, sick pay etc)

My salary was 18.5k in the year 2000. I remember thinking it was good for the charitable sector. That same role is 21.5k in 2021. However food, fuel and housing is astronomical!

Lots of roles under 30k wanting significant relevant experience and or qualifications.

I am in awe of the amount some people earn on mn. Its kind of polarised with jobs qhere it goes up regulalry and then all these under 30k ones where there's a lot expected before you even get the job.

I've resisted the increase to hours and wish others would too.

When asked by recruiters to do more than 35 hours, I simply point to the pay, and tell them they will need to increase the salary accordingly if they want 5 more hours a week of my time. Oddly enough they don't want to do that.

More than 35 hours a week is a nightmare with childcare.

It would be really interesting to hear from some of the other sectors where wages have grown.

I am a senior lecturer at a London university and our wages have definitely stagnated. However, my students noow expect to walk into a 50k graduate job which is very different from when I graduated twenty years ago from an arguably better university.

Not my field, but my understanding is that salaries for newly qualified lawyers have increased quite a lot in last 15-20 years

www.chambersstudent.co.uk/law-firms/law-firm-salaries-compared

I’d be interested to hear which other sectors have seen good salary growth and if that’s for early career or experienced hires

The starting salary for my job is quite a bit higher than it was. It also routinely includes a whole package of benefits that weren’t available back in the 90s. Healthcare, pension, car allowance, none of these were that common for graduates in my industry but are standard now.

I am in awe of the amount some people earn on mn. Its kind of polarised with jobs qhere it goes up regulalry and then all these under 30k ones where there's a lot expected before you even get the job

Agree with this

What sector is that BoredZelda?

I’ve always wondered why Labour (supposedly the champions of the normal worker) have pushed ahead with virtually unfettered immigration in they way they did and still do? An infinite pool of labour = depressed salaries and greater pressures on housing, healthcare, education, the roads etc. The BBC complains about a 20 year high in job vacancies caused by Brexit and how, shock horror, employers are now having to offer ‘higher salaries’ to tempt workers. How utterly dreadful .

Law firms differ wildly. Whilst yes, the big US firms and magic circle pay their trainees and NHS absolutely stonking wages in exchange for their souls, you are not seeing the "norm" and many regional and especially high street firms pay very little. Sometimes less than NMW when you work out the hours expected to be put in.

I thought statistically this was the case for the majority of jobs.

I had a retail job in the early 00s on weekends. The pay was actually not bad. I should of sacked off uni, worked f/t & just bought anything property wise & Id be far richer now.

They really have it's shocking!

What hasn't helped at all is the tax credit/benefit supplement thing.

NOT benefit bashing AT ALL I'm on them myself I just think that when it's claimants in full time work they should instead be receiving an actual living wage! Paying those in full time work tax credits etc in actual fact subsidises EMPLOYERS who are getting away with horrific treatment of employees now.

I've not worked for several years as I'm disabled. Employees had more rights when I worked too this 2 year nonsense is awful too!

Unfortunately while we have a Tory govt this won't improve, though I'm not sure it would improve ENOUGH under a Labour govt either given the current shadow cabinet.

@SallyLovesCheese for that to have kept up with inflation according to Bank of England inflation calculator it should be approx £46000

Completely agree with LaetitiaASD about ALL growth being sucked up by the super rich and yes, tracable back to Thatcher. I saw a documentary about it years ago. I don't know why we little people put up with it.
Worse, live expectancy is actually falling (pre covid) in parts of the country.

When I left uni (mid 00s) 70/80k for a senior/management position was considered a good wage. Those roles pay the same now.

A lawyer in a MC firm can earn 100k but more high street firms have probably seen stagnation.

A family member works in a MC law firm, partners can earn 1-2m so that's extreme'

Ah see Id see 70-80 as a good wage now!

Those roles defo paid similar to that years ago.

I would consider it a good wage but is that because i've just accepted stagnation.

I left uni in 2008 and got a job in my field starting at £14.5k. Went to £17.5k after about a year. My interview for that was a relatively informal chat in the staff canteen.

Now I'm applying for a very similar job. Salary is £17.5k. I've had a phone interview, a panel interview and a project to do. Recruitment process has taken 6 weeks and counting. Companies are making people jump through hoops for very little.