I am a chemical engineering graduate and gained relevant work experience while I was studying. I’ve been looking for a suitable job since I graduated but I’m struggling to secure interviews for any of the vacancies that have decent salaries advertised. Is there anything you can recommend to change this?
First of all, congratulations on your graduation! Obviously you’ve worked hard throughout university and you should be proud of such an achievement. Your skills will undoubtedly be of great value to the chemical engineering industry and this value will increase as your experience grows.
This brings me to my next point, which is to ensure that you aren’t too focused on your ideal salary to accept roles that could provide hugely beneficial experience and get your career off to a flying start. All too often graduates, especially those with a technical degree such as chemical engineering, view their qualification as a “golden ticket” to substantial salaries. Then they are disappointed when they come across graduate vacancies advertising lower-than-expected salaries.
Remember that “graduate” vacancies are applied for by those with two, or even three, years post-graduate experience, so it is possible that you’ve been disregarded for the vacancies with “decent” salaries because the competition has been more experienced than you. Companies must ensure that they follow The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations that came into force in 2006, so don’t assume that everyone applying will be a recent graduate.
What’s important is to remember that gaining the right experience is crucial at this early stage in your career, so think twice before you disregard an opportunity because of the salary on offer. This is especially significant if your living expenses are fairly minimal. Do you have a mortgage or are you living back with your parents and paying board? Can you afford to accept a lower pay level in favour of the experience that will set you apart from other candidates when it comes to securing your next role?
I cannot stress enough how important it is to view the type of experience more favourably than the salary on offer when it comes to graduate vacancies. Be enthusiastic, show what you have learnt – both in practical terms as well as academically – and be ready to take on challenges that you encounter in order to further yourself.
I don’t know if this was the answer you were hoping for or not, but I’d like to believe that it has given you something to think about. The reality is that not everyone can attain those headline salaries that are published in the press. Being flexible with your desired salary will pay off in the long run, when your experience will enable you to negotiate a salary that more accurately meets your requirements.
