What is the average Salary Scale for Software engineer in UK and USA

[OilSheikh]

London.

Now, no offense, but server engineers generally are paid considerably less than software developers. Just because you didn't manage to get anything better than a web dev job for £20k did not preclude their existence. London is always skewed by the city when it comes to wages, so lets just look outside.

http://www.theinquirer.net/jobs-deta...ss&PageSize=10

One job, demands only experience with a language, which you should have gained at uni. It is paying £25 to £33k.

Now this is outside of London, and what a cursory glance finds. Impressive graduates in London will get £45k~ at the moment.

Animus, I am handing in my resignation today. I am off to my £100k job. Why have I been wasting my time all these years ?

Do you seriously think that just because you graduated, you will get a job ? Which idiot company will want to employ a total noob with no work experience. There's a lot of risk involved. I did lot of VB coding in my GCSE days and made VCR applications with VB 6.0 but experiences like these do not count. Programming isn't like Web design where you can showcase portfolios of sites you have created.

That job spec you linked to, I applied for hundreds of similar sounding jobs. One look and you think hey, thats easy. after all they just want a Junior person. Yeah... in the background, they ideally go for someone with experience.

[finlay666]

Programming isn't like Web design where you can showcase portfolios of sites you have created.

It absolutely is, why do you think employers ask for StackOverflow profiles, github accounts etc to see coding examples you have done? No offense but a lot has changed in the last 3 years let alone 5 with attitudes

You don't show what you have created, you show that you are competent and have enthusiasm. It's also constantly evolving with skills/knowledge needed so isn't a job you can just 'do' and expect to move up with just experience in the area you start in.

Also don't say you're x when you're y. Originally you said you were a software engineer before spouting incorrect figures with no proof then you were claiming to be on the support bandwagon as a server engineer

[TheAnimus]

Animus, I am handing in my resignation today. I am off to my £100k job. Why have I been wasting my time all these years ?

Good question. I'd guess its a combination of aptitude and perspiration.

Do you seriously think that just because you graduated, you will get a job ? Which idiot company will want to employ a total noob with no work experience. There's a lot of risk involved. I did lot of VB coding in my GCSE days and made VCR applications with VB 6.0 but experiences like these do not count. Programming isn't like Web design where you can showcase portfolios of sites you have created.

They sure as hell do. When interviewing graduates I am mostly asking them about what they've done. If they are from a CS or similar background, about their projects they have done, any interesting assignments.

Normally speaking the ideal candidates are hackers, who might tell me about something really stupid they made just for the fun challenge.

That job spec you linked to, I applied for hundreds of similar sounding jobs. One look and you think hey, thats easy. after all they just want a Junior person. Yeah... in the background, they ideally go for someone with experience.

Erm, but he roles with experience are paying more money. Why would you take a £35k role over a £45k role.

There is a huge shortage of good developers.

BTW I'm hiring a graduate position at the moment, salary hasn't been decided just yet, but will be decent enough for London. The first thing I'd want to see at interview is the passion, the fact they've made things before even if they have no commercial experience.

[b0redom]

Animus, I am handing in my resignation today. I am off to my £100k job. Why have I been wasting my time all these years ?

Do you seriously think that just because you graduated, you will get a job ? Which idiot company will want to employ a total noob with no work experience.

Did you read my post? There are graduate training positions out there. There is a lot of risk involved, and it's likely that employers will want to see experience of coding, OO design, database understanding etc. You're also likely to be tested on data structures, algorithm design etc.

No offence, but I don't think I've ever seen an enterprise application written in VB. You need to be targeting C++, C#, Java etc.

Do I think that just because someone graduates they'll get a job? Absolutely. As long as it's from a decent Uni and they can demonstrate some practical application of their studies.

You need to show aptitude, and the willingness to learn and adapt if you want to move up the food chain.

Incidentally, although I studied Computer Science and Software Engineering, I'm now on the infrastructure side, and I see junior positions paying more than £30k on a very regular basis.

[OilSheikh]

Also don't say you're x when you're y. Originally you said you were a software engineer before spouting incorrect figures with no proof then you were claiming to be on the support bandwagon as a server engineer

I graduated as a Software Engineer. So, yes I am a Software Engineer. But I work as a Server Engineer.

I have spent way too much time in this thread. I am outta here. The OP can choose to listen to people who have a rose-tinted view of the world or he can listen to someone who has walked the path ( which he wants to walk on ) with great difficulty and has learnt a tough lesson.

Olly out.

[TheAnimus]

I graduated as a Software Engineer. So, yes I am a Software Engineer. But I work as a Server Engineer.

I graduated with a degree title. I am not that. I am something more, shaped by my formal education, my on the job experiences and my life education.

That is who I am.

I have spent way too much time in this thread. I am outta here. The OP can choose to listen to people who have a rose-tinted view of the world or he can listen to someone who has walked the path ( which he wants to walk on ) with great difficulty and has learnt a tough lesson.

This thread is a result of people talking about precisely how they see the industry.

I speak as a "Director of Development", in banking parlance I am a MD.

I am also hiring.

So my views are not rose tinted, but what I am personally responsible for hiring, managing and paying but yeah, tell me I'm rose tinted or some such ****. I know some of my competitors are paying £45k. I'm paying much less, because I'm chuffing awesome and it's a privilege to work on my team.

Olly out.

Toodle pip!

[finlay666]

I graduated as a Software Engineer. So, yes I am a Software Engineer. But I work as a Server Engineer.

I graduated as a computer games programmer, I don't go talking as if I have years of professional experience programming on the latest consoles (I have friends that can do that legitimately)

I have spent way too much time in this thread. I am outta here. The OP can choose to listen to people who have a rose-tinted view of the world or he can listen to someone who has walked the path ( which he wants to walk on ) with great difficulty and has learnt a tough lesson.

Then please take off your glasses before giving advice.

I think I'd be hard pushed to say I haven't learned tough lessons, hell I could have gone and worked in London for the banks if I wanted to (I had gone for interviews, almost had lunch with TheAnimus too if the food didn't take so long to arrive, in fact turned down a similar job locally around January because I know it wouldn't keep me interested) but I chose to work in a digital agency (greater variety of technology and project size/complexities) and have done so for a number of years now, so I certainly know about pay on the lower end of the scale being in the city furthest from London in England.

On the other hand I know the entry pay scales at MS are and what the US equivalents are at SDE/SDET I/II having worked there and what agency work can pay from and to at different levels and also those in computer game development, locally and around London.

I might add the place I'm at is also actively hiring currently and could wax lyrical about pros/cons of going through recruitment agencies (having done it) and being on the other side recruiting directly. I know what skills people are coming in with and I know what people think they are worth and it is rarely equal or less than their worth to the company (to start with at least, you would be suprised by the number of applicants that can't complete a simple FizzBuzz question efficiently and explain how they did it)

[TheAnimus]

Finlay, you know I'd pay you next to nothing if you want to move down here. Seriously, I'd be willing to pay you enough to rent a grotty ****hole flat, next to railway lines, but not the station, for 2 years until I had to pay you properly.... Offers on the table!

[finlay666]

It's London (or living as close as I could get to the M25)... so no

I like it up here, we've finally got Krispy Kreme doughnuts

[TheAnimus]

Awww but I'd be paying you like an extra £10k per year. And you'd have all the advantages of being down south. Life here isn't in sepia!

[sam i am]

No offence, but I don't think I've ever seen an enterprise application written in VB. You need to be targeting C++, C#, Java etc.

Just to point out that VB and C# are identical to the .NET JIT interpreter and are essentially interchangeable. Enterprise applications have and continue to be written in Visual Basic.

I personally prefer the C# syntax however, if I had to choose.

As for salaries- a graduate from a respectable university in Computer Science shouldn't consider less than 30k in London as a starting salary, provided they have a portfolio of projects to demonstrate. Or a demonstrable history of commits to open source projects. And they can communicate like a normal human being.

!

[TheAnimus]

VB6 is different to VB.Net.

[sam i am]

He was referring to VB6?

Heh. Oops! (Egg on face)

[Rob_B]

Aaaand I'm lost.....

[Butcher]

Sometimes I get tempted to move to London and double my salary, then I remember it's London.
Also I'd have to get out of games, money is pants in games.

[Rob_B]

I'd love to get into games, something that actually excited me but is it as bad as I get the impression it is?

I once got flirted at by a girl who said she worked in Rockstar in Edinburgh (we were at the pub next door) she seemed enthusiastic admit the place but that might have been the vodka talking..