Salary survey for junior/mid-level employees puts engineers at top

12 Jan 2016

Job Mail's first annual Salary Survey reflects the average monthly salary a junior to mid-level employee can expect to earn in 2016, from an administrative role all the way through to an engineer. It aims to help learners and employees make an informed decision when choosing a career, based on the potential income it promises to deliver.

Salary survey for junior/mid-level employees puts engineers at top

The Survey shows that junior managers can earn on average between R10,000 and R15,000; a professional career path in the information technology and construction fields can deliver an income of between R17,000 and R25,000 and an artisan, can make anything between R14,000 and R18,000.

Industry	Position	Ave salary
Administration	Secretary	R8,000
Health and fitness	Fitness instructor	R8,500
Property/Facilities Management	Maintenance professional	R9,000
Sales/Marketing	Sales executive	R10,000
Tourism/Hospitality	Duty manager	R11,000
FMCG	Retail store manager	R13,000
Trade/Artisans/Technical	Carpenter	R16,000
IT/Computer	Architect	R17,000
Building/Construction/Mining	Contract Manager	R22,500
Clearing and Forwarding	Sales executive	R22,500
Engineering	Chemical engineer	R29,000

Tough year ahead creates change

This year is going to be dotted with increases, from inflation and interest rates to food and electricity prices set to rise. The tough economic conditions will not only force consumers to think twice about spending their well-earned money, it will also see them assess their take-home salaries.

"These increases will mean that every cent is going to count and employees are sure to evaluate their income to ensure it is market-related. We're are also likely to see more employees investigating job opportunities, either with their current employer or elsewhere, to ensure their careers are moving forward and with it a salary increase," says Angelique Robbertse, product and marketing manager for Job Mail.

"Changing career paths and the possibility of obtaining a new qualification is a significant decision to make, especially if employees are in their thirties and forties, with a spouse and dependents.

"Our survey makes use of data from our site to determine the average salary one can expect to earn when pursuing a career in a particular industry and with a specific job title in mind.

"The job market is in flux, as employers' and employees' expectations change. Nine to five jobs are no longer the norm as some twenty and thirty year olds are after flexibility and significance, rather than eight-hour workdays and a high-earning salary. People also tend to change jobs more often and staying with a company for twenty years is no longer the norm as it was with our parents and their parents."

Freelancers increase

Similarly, technology is liberating companies and employees. Employers are opting to use more freelancers or on-demand workers who can do the work they like when they want to and at the same time, the company can increase its freelance workforce when there is a requirement.

"All these changes, coupled with the current slow economic growth we're experiencing are impacting salaries. We hope that our salary survey will guide learners in the process of making a decision on what to or if to study and similarly employees considering a career change," she says.

"Matriculants and job seekers need to do their homework before they decide on a career path. They should also keep in mind that salaries are not only determined by a candidate's skills and experience, but by factors such as the region the company is situated in and its size," she explains.

Online course offered

Job Mail has partnered with GetSmarter, an online education company, to offer job seekers a chance to win an online short course valued at R14,000. To enter, register as a job seeker on Job Mail and once registered, send an email to az.oc.liamknuj@retsamboj. Entries close on 26 February 2016.