Being realistic?

SmallL

Hello!
I'm going to be graduating this year, predicted a 2:1 : Zoology
I'm currently starting to look at jobs, whilst i have found several suitable roles for my skills/experience im not sure what kind of a wage i should be looking or aiming for.
Ideally i would like either a role in a laboratory or a role working with children/adults that helps them develop skills or supports them if they have mental/physical difficulties.
I have relevant paid and voluntary experience and course modules that fit with both roles.
Personally i was thinking about aiming for a wage at a minimum of 17k per year, is that too low or high?

How do other people 'value' their skills/qualifications?

Takeaway_Addict

aim high and then work your way down.

BugglyB

SmallL wrote: »

Hello!
I'm going to be graduating this year, predicted a 2:1 : Zoology
I'm currently starting to look at jobs, whilst i have found several suitable roles for my skills/experience im not sure what kind of a wage i should be looking or aiming for.
Ideally i would like either a role in a laboratory or a role working with children/adults that helps them develop skills or supports them if they have mental/physical difficulties.
I have relevant paid and voluntary experience and course modules that fit with both roles.
Personally i was thinking about aiming for a wage at a minimum of 17k per year, is that too low or high?

How do other people 'value' their skills/qualifications?

Without knowing where you are in the country it's hard to say.

At your stage of your career I would urge you more to consider the following:

- does the organisational culture fit with your own values
- do you fit with the other staff there
- is there scope for training and development/progression
- does the company have a good repuation

Be wary of taking a job on salary alone!

Also to consider is travel time, non waged benefits like holiday time and sick pay, working pattern (including any shift work).

I would rather work for £14k for the right job in the right company, than £17k in the wrong job in the wrong company.

suburbanwifey

SmallL wrote: »

Hello!
I'm going to be graduating this year, predicted a 2:1 : Zoology
I'm currently starting to look at jobs, whilst i have found several suitable roles for my skills/experience im not sure what kind of a wage i should be looking or aiming for.
Ideally i would like either a role in a laboratory or a role working with children/adults that helps them develop skills or supports them if they have mental/physical difficulties.
I have relevant paid and voluntary experience and course modules that fit with both roles.
Personally i was thinking about aiming for a wage at a minimum of 17k per year, is that too low or high?

How do other people 'value' their skills/qualifications?

I have a friend who recently graduated with a 2.1 in Zoology and they found it impossible to get a job, never mind one paying above minimum wage at 17K. Sadly, most places he applied he was told it was a pretty worthless degree, but no idea if that is true or not. I do know that he now works at a minimum wage job and according to him it was a wasted degree and debt. Good Luck out there, its a tough job market and so many have degrees.

BugglyB

suburbanwifey wrote: »

I have a friend who recently graduated with a 2.1 in Zoology and they found it impossible to get a job, never mind one paying above minimum wage at 17K. Sadly, most places he applied he was told it was a pretty worthless degree, but no idea if that is true or not. I do know that he now works at a minimum wage job and according to him it was a wasted degree and debt. Good Luck out there, its a tough job market and so many have degrees.

Meanwhile I have a friend who did zoology who now manages a reptile house at a zoo. It all depends on the individual.

Fluff15

suburbanwifey wrote: »

I have a friend who recently graduated with a 2.1 in Zoology and they found it impossible to get a job, never mind one paying above minimum wage at 17K. Sadly, most places he applied he was told it was a pretty worthless degree, but no idea if that is true or not. I do know that he now works at a minimum wage job and according to him it was a wasted degree and debt. Good Luck out there, its a tough job market and so many have degrees.

I don't think your degree subject will affect how well you can find a job, as long as you can show you have picked up the right skills and experience and can apply them in the workplace. After all, I work for a construction firm as a project manager/administrator, and I did fashion journalism and Spanish at university! My starting salary was £18k and I've just had a payrise and promotion, so my degree subject isn't holding me back as I'm applying it to other areas.

If you live near London and it's surrounding counties, I would expect a first wage to range from £15-£18k. But don't let a poorer salary turn you off a job, as it might have better prospects than a job that is higher paid, but that's as far as you'll go within the company.

dawyldthing

Sounds like you want to be a support worker. I think theres still quite a few jobs in this area in most areas and isn't too bad. I've been doing it for nearly 2 years. For the skills parts you might want to work in a day centre environment or something. But my boss doesn't get 17k, I think he is on 16k and he has a high work load. It does depend who you work for, but some do pay a bit more than others

SmallL wrote: »

Hello!
I'm going to be graduating this year, predicted a 2:1 : Zoology
I'm currently starting to look at jobs, whilst i have found several suitable roles for my skills/experience im not sure what kind of a wage i should be looking or aiming for.
Ideally i would like either a role in a laboratory or a role working with children/adults that helps them develop skills or supports them if they have mental/physical difficulties.
I have relevant paid and voluntary experience and course modules that fit with both roles.
Personally i was thinking about aiming for a wage at a minimum of 17k per year, is that too low or high?

How do other people 'value' their skills/qualifications?

SueC_2

Being realistic?

Aim for what you like, but at the end of the day it's a buyer's market out there at the moment, and employers will pay what they want to pay, not what you think you're worth.

There are a zillion unemployed graduates out there, thinking they can dictate terms because they have a degree. But it just ain't like that now.

First things first - aim for getting a job. Anything more than that will be a bonus.

Sorry, but that's the harsh reality of the recruitment business at the moment.

SmallL

SueC wrote: »

Being realistic?

Aim for what you like, but at the end of the day it's a buyer's market out there at the moment, and employers will pay what they want to pay, not what you think you're worth.

First things first - aim for getting a job. Anything more than that will be a bonus.

Sorry, but that's the harsh reality of the recruitment business at the moment.

Iv been looking at laboratory jobs for example, for qualifications that i have they vary wildly in pay between 12-19k thats why im asking!
Im definately leaning towards the laboratory/science route although i have a massive advantage in the direction of learning and children with difficulties on the other hand.
I feel with skills covering such a broad range of prospective jobs, i can be 'choosy' and im not going to settle for something that only advertises as 'GCSE's required' for 12k a year.

And im south yorkshire and looking for employment in that area.

SueC_2

SmallL wrote: »

Iv been looking at laboratory jobs for example, for qualifications that i have they vary wildly in pay between 12-19k thats why im asking!
Im definately leaning towards the laboratory/science route although i have a massive advantage in the direction of learning and children with difficulties on the other hand.
I feel with skills covering such a broad range of prospective jobs, i can be 'choosy' and im not going to settle for something that only advertises as 'GCSE's required' for 12k a year.

And im south yorkshire and looking for employment in that area.

Fair enough. Good luck, and I hope it all turns out to plan.

agrinnall

SmallL wrote: »

Iv been looking at laboratory jobs for example, for qualifications that i have they vary wildly in pay between 12-19k thats why im asking!
Im definately leaning towards the laboratory/science route although i have a massive advantage in the direction of learning and children with difficulties on the other hand.
I feel with skills covering such a broad range of prospective jobs, i can be 'choosy' and im not going to settle for something that only advertises as 'GCSE's required' for 12k a year.

And im south yorkshire and looking for employment in that area.

Are we missing something? I can see how zoology may be useful in getting a lab position, but what is the "massive advantage" that you have in learning and children with difficulties? If it's through a previous career in that area then surely you have a reasonable idea of what the jobs and salaries are.