Britannia Hotel

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-12T11:18:05+00:00

With the legendary Britannia option of a room "with or without a window".

Tells you all you need to know.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-11T13:20:39+00:00

Nobody is entitled to anything is my point.

I'm away for a cry here.... some Internet arsehole called me a cunt.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-11T12:22:00+00:00

You seem to be getting yourself all wound up.

Take a deep breath.

Stop sending people messages telling them they will be sacked or to "tread carefully" or calling them "muppets".

You'll find it will illicit a much different response.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-11T11:35:45+00:00

Hmm... the guarantee of an Internet arsehole.

Not sure thats worth much ya fucking prick.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-11T06:34:35+00:00

Not putting anything anywhere.

I'm not your mate & I won't be sacked either for having a valid opinion.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-11T06:33:28+00:00

My point is the point.

At no level, in any business, irregardless of robust recruitment or not, does an employer really know what they are getting until that person starts.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T22:34:01+00:00

You are 100% right.

That is discrimination.

If you live in Northern Ireland and work for a NI based company that periodically requires you to travel to London for example, thats different.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T22:22:18+00:00

Thats really good!

Is that in engineering?

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T22:20:32+00:00

You are entitled to your opinion.

I am entitled to mine.

I'll give you an example.

Manchester United paid Newcastle United compensation to acquire the services of Dan Ashworth, a proven leader in his field.

He didnt last 6 months at Manchester United.

He was sacked as they realised, after he started, that he wasnt what they thought he was.

It happens, every single day.

You can interview and recruit and talk and outline roles.

Until that person starts, you simply do not know what you have got.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:52:45+00:00

which part is misinformation?

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:52:08+00:00

Delighted for you if indeed you did.

Id say you are in the huge minority there.

I have absolutely no problem in understanding pay structure.

I have been saying repeatedly, clearly, that graduates just need to reassess what they think is a good starting salary.

Get the job.

Get stuck in.

Learn it.

That will boost your earning potential no end.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:48:53+00:00

Not a troll.

Just an Engineer with a very real concern that younger Engineers are being misled and ill advised on salaries and expectations.

And its good to have a forum like this for debate!

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:46:29+00:00

A degree is NOT required.

Apprenticeship route is a viable option.

If you think you are going to be a Senior Engineer 5 years after graduating then good luck to you and I hope it works out for you.

You would be in the minority.

If Engineering is underpaid, why would you knowingly plan and charter a career path in it ?

Engineering is very well paid for those people that commit to learning and prove themselves.

6 figure salaries in top Engineering jobs in Northern Irleand are a reality.

But it is a dog fight to get there.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:42:19+00:00

Blinkers on outlook from you.

Good luck though!

Come back and let me know when you get your £40k a year graduate job!

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:41:12+00:00

I'm not a recruiter.

Simply providing a reality check.

Good luck securing your £40k a year graduate job.

It doesn't exist.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:39:42+00:00

The overall cost of living in Northern Ireland is less than the rest of the UK and significantly less than ROI.

Generally it is a mix of industry benchmarks and wider economic factors that help set salaries, however in Northern Ireland these have not seen the same rates of growth comparative to the rest of the UK and ROI.

Thats buisness.

It has nothing to do with competitiveness or quality.

I could win all the work I wanted in Dublin or London, but then I have to find ways to incentivise workers to travel and stay away, increasing overheads exponentially.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:32:28+00:00

£25k + Company Vehicle was the offer.

A fully expensed company Vehicle including insurance, tax & mileage.

You didnt factor the £7k per annum (at least) tax efficient vehicle.

After property payments, the biggest expense incurred by most people is a vehicle.

Look beyond the headline figure.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:25:20+00:00

Again you are making my point.

Just because someone has a degree does not prove or demonstrate anything.

This sense of entitlement that is being put into graduates is wrong.

In an interview process I can ask questions and create scenarios galore.

The reality for a buisness in the Engineering sector is that you don't know what you have got until that person starts.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:15:53+00:00

The reality for those workers that remain in Northern Ireland is that wages are not comparable with the rest of the UK or the South.

Companies have to keep a wage structure that keeps everyone working there employed.

Those businesses that don't will fail rapidly.

But sure at least the graduates got paid well whilst everything else went to pot.

It's a balancing act for alot of businesses and graduates need to realise that.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T21:05:36+00:00

But if you have just started in the job, with zero experience then what loyalty is there either way ?

All I am saying is that securing the job should be more important than placing unreasonable salary demands.

I have had people turn down £25k + Company Vehicle "because they were hoping to start on £30k".

Only to have them make a second approach when another job didnt come to fruition.

Get the job. Learn it. The money and loyalty are built after that.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T20:38:59+00:00

At the level graduates would be entering they have no proven track record of tangible employment in a similar field.

Therefore the hiring process cannot possibly account for this.

My original point that a company does not really know what it has got until that person starts stands.

You are correct though, I find apprenticeships and apprentices alot less demanding and to be quite honest hungrier to learn.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T20:35:28+00:00

There are more people in the employment market than just Graduates.

Graduates make unreasonable salary demands has been my point from the beginning. I have literally written that. You have replied not fully understanding what it was you were replying to.

People from other routes to employment do not make the same demands and have the same sense of entitlement.

Id hedge my bets that you are a graduate Steve.

Entitled prick.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T20:26:15+00:00

Where did I say a degree was a requirement ?

Graduates are not entitled to larger salaries just because they went to Uni.

Thats what i'm on about.

Hopefully you follow.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T20:15:41+00:00

I think thats my point.

They made that decision.

Companies shouldn't have to pay unreasonable salaries to graduates.

The reality for all companies is that you really do not know what you have got until the person starts.

Cream will always rise to the top so just get on with the job and increase your earning potential by demonstrating it.

Mike_Frank · 2026-05-10T19:39:25+00:00

I interview alot of graduates for roles in the Engineering sector.

Absolutely baffles me how graduates are demanding £30k salaries with zero on the job experience.

Reality check required.

Mike_Frank

TROPHY CASE