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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Feel like I'm on a very low salary for my age

108 replies

Painauchocolats · 09/02/2023 07:52

I'm early 30s, and I have 2 different jobs with slightly varying hours so it's difficult to say exactly, but for a 40 hour week I earn 23.5k. in April it will increase to just under 24k.
Don't want to say which industries but one is notoriously low paying and the other fairly better.
I know I am above minimum wage but when I compare with peers, it seems like most of my friends from high school are on over 30k, and that I could earn a lot more.
I am applying for jobs that pay more so fingers crossed. My take home is about 1650/1700 depending.
I know it shouldn't matter as long as I am comfortable but just feel like I'm selling myself short. I think working 40 hours is enough too.

OP posts:
OnOldOlympus · 09/02/2023 09:08

Walkinmeshoes · 09/02/2023 08:07

@DillDanding £25k for an unskilled admin post. That's almost the same as a newly qualified nurse...

It’s almost the same as a newly qualified doctor too!

RipWheelersHat · 09/02/2023 09:12

Does it vary a lot depending on area? I'm in a town in the south west, I've just had a look on Indeed and there aren't any admin jobs within a 30 mile radius that are offering more than £22k. I'm 28 and on £21k which seems to be pretty good for an admin role around here. I can't imagine any offering £25k or £28k etc

Ragwort · 09/02/2023 09:12

Is it retail? Notoriously under paid - I've been in retail most of my career (now early 60s) and my full time equivalent would be around £22k. I have a degree but that's entirely irrelevant to my job. Fortunately I genuinely love what I do and don't 'need' to earn more.

Userusing1 · 09/02/2023 09:14

I'm retired now but 2 years ago my unskilled admin job paid about £23k which I thought was pretty fair for what I did. OP should be looking at probably £30k+ unless it is unskilled admin like I was doing.

Zhougzhoug · 09/02/2023 09:17

It's not the arts is it? hollow laugh

Rollin · 09/02/2023 09:18

Move jobs, ignore any request for your 'current' salary and focus on what you do want to earn. At your age I was in a similar position, qualified, but in an industry where low pay and rich trust fund kids workers looking for something to do are common.
I took a job in a more commercial role and my base went up by 10K, with performance related pay as a bonus. The first year I went from 25k to 45k.

get paid what you're worth, then with each move your salary goes up.

Oblomov23 · 09/02/2023 09:18

You have a degree and a masters. So it's low. What position do you ultimately want, what are you aiming for, and are these 2 jobs a stepping stone to getting there? If not how do you plan to get there? What job is the next stepping stone to where you want to be?

Ontobetterthings · 09/02/2023 09:22

I bet you work in admin in a university. They pay low salaries.

caramelsauce · 09/02/2023 09:25

I do think you are underpaid with having a degree and a masters. Have you looked at other jobs and salaries you could apply for in your industry? If it’s just a low paying industry are there transferable skills to a higher paying industry?

ErinAndTonic · 09/02/2023 09:27

It depends on your industry massively, I don't think age comes into it.

I was in marketing and moved into project management and doubled my salary. Working with another PM who is 25 and on over 50k. Wish I'd made the move earlier!

doadeer · 09/02/2023 09:31

Well it's hard to say if you're underpaid as so many professions are underpaid. In my sector graduates get £25k, and you can easily be on £60k at 26 but I am in London. It's shocking the disparity in salaries. What are the options in your current role, will it always be on the lower end? How much do you enjoy it?

Notformethankyoukindly · 09/02/2023 09:31

Can you make more of the job which you’re working 8 hours in, as presumably it’s better paid by hour?

Never undersell yourself. Demand more of yourself and of your employers. Good luck OP!

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 09/02/2023 09:32

I’ll never earn a huge salary as I’ve been an EA/PA/admin/receptionist/legal sec at varying degrees all my life.

It does depend how far you want to push yourself in my field as it’s been assumed I should be a top flight EA warning £50k plus but the level of responsibility that comes with that and the pressure is intense. I also don’t think (though I’ve worked a lot) to the corporate world. So I’m currently contracting in government and looking into retraining in something completely different.

My SIL worked/works in the arts for years including managing a gallery and she complained about the notoriously low pay, but that’s common in arts. Now she’s in management but in that area but works much harder for a much higher salary, and she also has to work some weekends and lots of evenings for events.

I agree with others, switch areas or retrain if that will help you.

bobbytorq · 09/02/2023 09:34

Painauchocolats · 09/02/2023 08:29

I do have a degree and Master's, don't want to say which industries in case outing but one's classed as unskilled, I'm now at senior level in the role though, and the other requires my degree but I only do this role for 8h per week.
But it's clear I can do better.

You can definitely do better. Early thirties for me was around 50k and I needed a Masters for that role and it was a middle level position, not senior but I guess it depends on the industry.

Mischance · 09/02/2023 09:38

Do you have a comfortable reasonably stress free life? If so, why rock the boat on the basis of some abstract idea that you should be earning more?

This whole "could do better" doctrine with which school indoctrinates us does not take into account quality of life. I know several qualified teachers who work as TAs in spite of the lower salary because it is less stressful; ditto PhDs working as artisans because they feel it is a more worthwhile way to ear a living.

The first question you must ask yourself is why do I feel dissatisfied. Is it because you do not have enough to live on and are stressed? Or is it because you are making unnecessary comparisons when actually your work/life balance is fine?

OvertiredandConfused · 09/02/2023 09:43

We have just done a big pay review at my organisation. There are a few people who are underpaid for their ability/potential, but not for the role they are actually performing. As part of the process, we have encouraged people to understand how they can move up within the pay band for their role (we band all jobs with one or two pay points between the entry level and top) but also explore what skills and experience they need to get a higher paying role, with us or with someone else.

emmathedilemma · 09/02/2023 09:44

Painauchocolats · 09/02/2023 08:29

I do have a degree and Master's, don't want to say which industries in case outing but one's classed as unskilled, I'm now at senior level in the role though, and the other requires my degree but I only do this role for 8h per week.
But it's clear I can do better.

Well there's your answer, you're not using the qualifications and skills you have to get a better salary!

trampoline123 · 09/02/2023 09:45

It doesn't really matter what your age is or hours are - salaries are based on the job role.

aonbharr · 09/02/2023 09:54

Walkinmeshoes · 09/02/2023 08:07

@DillDanding £25k for an unskilled admin post. That's almost the same as a newly qualified nurse...

and for a whole lot of NEWLY qualified degree level people. Nothing astounding or unfair.

TiaraBoo · 09/02/2023 09:56

We’d pay 25k for a new admin. Pharmaceutical industry.

moonlight1705 · 09/02/2023 09:57

emmathedilemma · 09/02/2023 09:44

Well there's your answer, you're not using the qualifications and skills you have to get a better salary!

Show quote history

That's quite interesting as I have a degree and Masters, which I use in my job and is a requirement to have the knowledge but still only worth £29k so sometimes the industry simply doesn't care as there are plenty of people who want to do it.

I work for a charity in an amazing role but shall never get paid what I deserve for my knowledge and work.

Shinyandnew1 · 09/02/2023 10:03

don't want to say which industries in case outing

Do you really think that if you say you work in education or care, someone is going to say, ‘oh, Sue-it’s you?!’

Did you need your degree or masters to get the job? If you’ve got a degree/masters in history and are working as a teaching assistant-then it’s sadly irrelevant as the job doesn’t require those qualifications and you could do it without them.

More information would give you useful replies here without identifying you.

GizzyDillespie · 09/02/2023 10:07

Virtually impossible to say without knowing a bit more about what the jobs actually are. The only real context we’ve got is how old you are. If this related directly to the number of years experience you have doing whatever it is you do, that might provide some clue, but there’s not really enough to go on from what’s been posted. The pay does look quite low, but seems like it’s anyone’s guess as to whether it’s unreasonably underpaid in an industry we don’t know about. Is there anything additional you can tell us - is it a creative / artistic line of work, which may not be so easy to earn mega bucks from, even if you’re supremely talented…….

Good luck with the job hunting.

lobeliasb · 09/02/2023 10:12

ErinAndTonic · 09/02/2023 09:27

It depends on your industry massively, I don't think age comes into it.

I was in marketing and moved into project management and doubled my salary. Working with another PM who is 25 and on over 50k. Wish I'd made the move earlier!

Yup, I've found the salaries offered for marketing roles are ridiculously low. I have a Masters and six years experience and was recently offered a role in a marketing agency for £22k. I'm looking to move into another business area (data analysis), as the salaries for marketing/PR/copywriting are kept low by the constant influx of new grads who will accept crumbs for pay to get into what is for some reason perceived as a glamorous career.

AIBUYesSometimes · 09/02/2023 10:17

How can anyone comment when you don' t say what your jobs are?

Which subjects are your degrees?

Are they 'vocational' degrees or ones that you did out of interest (eg art or drama or music) but don't lead to any real career prospects?

And- why are to spreading yourself between two jobs rather than one which pays more?

I have DCs around your age. One earns around £50K plus a bonus and company car, the other earns almost £150K (London.) Both have science degrees and one a Masters. They both started off after leaving uni on grad salaries at the time - maybe around £26K then.