Page 18 | to ask if you think this salary is reasonable or am I being greedy?

bkyegres · 2023-05-06T15:47:17+00:00

I qualified as a solicitor in 2016, so I’m around 7 years pqe. I’m paid 62k in Bham, commercial rather than private client work. I’ve only just paid off my student loan last year and honestly I feel like the firm are taking the piss… all the studying and expense feels ridiculous to be seven years on and barely over 50k. Obviously I know what some other firms pay and I can look into it further with recruiters but I am starting to wonder if you have to join a new company for any decent pay these days?! I could have skipped uni and worked my way up to this salary by now so it all seems a bit pointless.

3BSHKATS · 08/05/2023 20:01

Every time Ive moved jobs it's been for 20% more money, if you stay in a role you'll be offered a 5% yoy payrise at best

FarmGirl78 · 08/05/2023 21:21

MargotBamborough · 08/05/2023 19:53

Oh aye, so if you'd qualified as a solicitor like the OP has instead of bimbling around in a job with a non graduate salary you'd be happy to be paid less than your peers, would you? It's all relatively, after all.

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As I said, my answer was to the specific AIBU question. She is BU to not think it's a decent salary. If she's not happy with that salary and could get more elsewhere then she would NBU to move elsewhere.

As you seem so fixated on me in particular, I'm happy to eloborate. My salary is graduate salary for my field. Of course I'd happily get paid less than my peers if there were reasons this workplace/job was better for me than other locations/slight variations on the roll/particular designation. At one point I was getting 8k more to do it elsewhere but I wasn't happy there. I've also turned down £13k bonus for working the exact same hourly week under different conditions. I absolutely love where I am. There's flexibility. Theres freedom. Those are valuable things. I'd happily get paid less to keep those things rather than move elsewhere when I'd be very hard placed to find similar. I've actually cut down to 4 days a weeks recently as I don't need a full time salary. And my equivalent fulltime salary is perfectly average for my field.

Life isn't just about money.

MargotBamborough · 08/05/2023 21:39

FarmGirl78 · 08/05/2023 21:21

As I said, my answer was to the specific AIBU question. She is BU to not think it's a decent salary. If she's not happy with that salary and could get more elsewhere then she would NBU to move elsewhere.

As you seem so fixated on me in particular, I'm happy to eloborate. My salary is graduate salary for my field. Of course I'd happily get paid less than my peers if there were reasons this workplace/job was better for me than other locations/slight variations on the roll/particular designation. At one point I was getting 8k more to do it elsewhere but I wasn't happy there. I've also turned down £13k bonus for working the exact same hourly week under different conditions. I absolutely love where I am. There's flexibility. Theres freedom. Those are valuable things. I'd happily get paid less to keep those things rather than move elsewhere when I'd be very hard placed to find similar. I've actually cut down to 4 days a weeks recently as I don't need a full time salary. And my equivalent fulltime salary is perfectly average for my field.

Life isn't just about money.

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Good for you.

But this thread is about money. Specifically about how much money a 7PQE commercial solicitor in Birmingham should expect to be earning.

JFC.

GnomeDePlume · 09/05/2023 11:51

@MargotBamborough exactly!

The question: is £62k a decent salary for a Birmingham based solicitor with 7 years PQE specialising in commercial work?

I'm not surprised OP has given up on this thread! The constant whining about how it is more than a teacher/nurse/whatever earns is nonsense and irrelevant and smacks of simple jealousy.

People go into these other careers knowing what the pay scales are. If you don't like it, do something else.

Many careers don't have structured pay scales. The only way someone can find out if they are being paid on par with the market is by asking. But don't ask on mumsnet as only teachers and nurses are worthy.

Emdubz · 09/05/2023 20:52

GnomeDePlume · 09/05/2023 11:51

@MargotBamborough exactly!

The question: is £62k a decent salary for a Birmingham based solicitor with 7 years PQE specialising in commercial work?

I'm not surprised OP has given up on this thread! The constant whining about how it is more than a teacher/nurse/whatever earns is nonsense and irrelevant and smacks of simple jealousy.

People go into these other careers knowing what the pay scales are. If you don't like it, do something else.

Many careers don't have structured pay scales. The only way someone can find out if they are being paid on par with the market is by asking. But don't ask on mumsnet as only teachers and nurses are worthy.

This.
Bet the OP wishes she’d never asked the question that she was entitled to ask without being compared to nurses and teachers.
If it makes the nurses and teachers feel better, I work in a prison and earn less than you but I knew that when I went into the job.

Laurag1988 · 09/05/2023 22:28

Lots of jobs can get over 60k if your in the right sector switch firms op

Laurag1988 · 09/05/2023 22:29

My husband started with no qualifications depends on the trade/sector you choose

TimesRwo · 09/05/2023 22:30

imnotsadyouresad · 08/05/2023 19:58

This only shows NQ salaries, not PQ salaries. https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/law-firms/law-firm-salaries-compared

However, it gives you an idea of the huge variations per law firm and region.

If you think you're good at what you do, talk to a recruiter and move. Because you could get paid more. But you're unlikely to get that massive bump staying with the same firm.

The only issue is, and I know we won’t ever find out as Op won’t be back, that we don’t know what type of firm she’s with. If she’s at a city firm listed on the site, then her salary is on the lower side. If she is at a small one office firm, then not necessarily.

Laurag1988 · 09/05/2023 23:17

This with bells and whistles everyone with a brain cell knows what they sign up for

Laurag1988 · 09/05/2023 23:20

Emdubz · 09/05/2023 20:52

This.
Bet the OP wishes she’d never asked the question that she was entitled to ask without being compared to nurses and teachers.
If it makes the nurses and teachers feel better, I work in a prison and earn less than you but I knew that when I went into the job.

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This is what I was responding to

imnotsadyouresad · 10/05/2023 02:10

TimesRwo · 09/05/2023 22:30

The only issue is, and I know we won’t ever find out as Op won’t be back, that we don’t know what type of firm she’s with. If she’s at a city firm listed on the site, then her salary is on the lower side. If she is at a small one office firm, then not necessarily.

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But it does show that if the OP sizes up (and accepts the jump in work that would entail), they could earn significantly more. Of course, they'd need the experience and grades to back up that kind of move.

As the underlying question has been around salary rather than work life balance, it's worth considering.

Really, the best advice is to talk to a recruiter. They will know what salary is achievable.

Stewball01 · 23/05/2023 13:47

This.

Teachers think their salaries are important because they work so bloody hard with little appreciation. Japan pays their Teachers proper salaries. Fancy working with those awful children.