To think this salary is an insult?

[FlyingSolo16]

I’m a solicitor and recently interviewed for a position. Five rounds of interview, meetings with different people within the firm, etc etc.

Get to the offer stage and the “competitive salary” they’re offering was £27,500 a year. AIBU or is that an insult?

Aren’t most newly recruited lecturers on zero hour contracts now?

It dependss on days or hours worked? One day...not unreasnable. 4 or 5 days very.

What do you do that you genuinely consider just above minimum wage excellent?

Edit: apologies, don't know why the wrong poster was quoted.

What type of work? That makes a huge difference. I think it’s a myth that solicitors earn big bucks. all the ones I know work for the LA and this isn’t shocking low for an NQ.

37.5 hours a week! It’s disgusting. Sadly very typical of areas outside of London.

Rent here averages about £1,000 a month so you’d barely be able to afford to rent on it.

For any solicitor I think the starting should be at least £30,000 to £33,000. It’s a hell of a lot of training and work to get to that point.

I pay all 3 of my admins more than that. Insulting indeed.

That’s mad! Trainee teachers start around £30k

The dept in the industry I’m in pays new graduates the equivalent of £35k and if you are on shift you get an extra 33% on top!

Weirdly low salary. But maybe it was a warning sign that they put you through all that without even naming a ball park salary.

Blimey - it’s a criminal defence or very general law firm presumably?

I’d look at public sector in house roles tbh in your shoes!

That’s madness. As a NQ I was in that in 1998!

YANBU that is a disgusting salary I would have baulked at 5 interviews though and wouldn't have done more than 2. It really does only take 2.

I agree with your figure of £30-33k for a NQ solicitor.

Were they surprised when you refused?

DS got paid the same for his starting salary for a grad role outside of London. Took it as it was the only offer they gave.

Not that I’ve come across at my place/department. There’s always been associate lecturers on zero hours contracts but also substantive staff as well.

i think full time teaching roles start at around £33k? I might be mistaken there. I considered a pivot to teaching but I like my annual leave too much 😂

I work at a well.known retailer in the head office and entry level jobs pay pretty much that, they like a degree but it isn't a.deal.breaker.
I'd also.want.more than £33k.If I'd gone through all that training!!
Hope you find something better

That is absolutely shocking. I saw a director of legal services role advertised the other day for £65k which I also thought was crazy for a director level salary.

I'm currently looking for a new job and the salaries I'm seeing are just mental. Meanwhile the cost of everything is going up and up and up.

Not criminal defence. It’s private client but they pay all solicitors the same and they have multiple departments

ridiculous.

basically trainee rate

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/hr-and-people-management/recommended-minimum-salary-for-trainee-solicitors-and-sqe-candidates

How old are you OP? I assume you're a grad?

And this one has some qualified figures but doesn’t specify NQ
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/becoming-a-solicitor/how-much-do-solicitors-earn

@FlyingSolo16 I agree OP. When you consider that a Foundation Year 1 doctor's starting salary in England is £36,616, rising to £42k in FY2, the salary you were offered is insultingly low and well done for rejecting it ("competitive" my arse!). Although you don't state the practice area, the NQ jobs listings in the Law Society Gazette underline the fact that they were taking the piss: https://jobs.lawgazette.co.uk/jobs/newly-qualified/

That’s ridiculous and my son’s a lawyer in the music industry.
But, he’s looking for a new job and was offered one at 22k less than his current salary! He turned it down, but times are tight!

That’s comparing apples and pears. Solicitors tend not to have the opportunity to kill people.