The Annual OfficeTeam Salary and Workplace Survey findings reported in 2004 show that salaries in the North (not the North West) of England are:
| Position |
Experience - 1 year |
Experience - 3 years |
| Office Manager in the North |
£17,000 |
£22,000 |
| PA/Executive Assistant |
£14,000 |
£20,000 |
| Secretary |
£12,500 |
£17,000 |
| Administrator |
£11,000 |
£14,000 |
| Data Entry |
£9,000 |
£12,000 |
| Receptionist |
£11,000 |
£14,000 |
These findings bear out the research undertaken by the Council for Administration in 2003, which show that administrators are paid less than their peers elsewhere in the country. Yet within the north west, as in any region, there are still salary variations: for example, management assistants, Executive PAs or Senior PAs, fare better in the areas of Greater Manchester and Greater Merseyside than do those in Lancashire.
Think ahead
Firstly, it's important to remember that the North West enjoys more affordable housing and childcare costs than other parts of the country. Add up all the perks your company pays you (including private health care, pension, bonus etc) and your overall pay will be much higher than you think.
Secondly, the salary depends very much on location, sector, size, type of organisation and the nature of the role.
Thirdly, those regions which enjoy greater economic success pay higher salaries.
Fourthly, while salaries are important, they're not everything. We're at work for longer than we think during the week, and your enjoyment factor there will impinge considerably on the overall quality of your life. That said, you need to feel you're paid your worth.
So what can you do to boost your employability and salary potential?
- Boost your skills and develop a niche area, (for example PR, marketing, human resources, finance) to give you that something extra to offer your company. Be able to show your boss what difference it makes to the company and the bottom line.
- Look to see what the going rate is in your sector in your area for a company a similar size to yours by checking recruitment companies' web sites, talking to consultants and checking newspapers. This will give you a benchmark with which you can approach your boss if you want to ask for a pay rise.
- Remember that there are other ways to boost your salary other than pay. If your boss has good reasons why he can't give you a pay rise, maybe he could give you the odd day off, or pay for a training course you want to do instead. Be flexible in terms of what you're paid in, but don't be afraid to move elsewhere if you think the time is right to move on.
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