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Take it or leave it?

Help me with the job offer

Pupca
post 19.May.2012, 09:09 AM
Post #1
Joined: 19.May.2012

Hi there,

I would like to know your opinion on following offer from one of Stockholms company. Currently I am living in the Czech Republic and would like to move to Stockholm. I have got an offer in IT field. I have got 5 years experience in IT field and 3 years experience at the same position as I would be performing in sweden. I am even certified for this job by global association. (Sorry for not sharing the details but I guess it would not be very fair). They have offered my 30 000 SEK. As I dont know how it goes in sweden I was wondering if that is good or not and if I would be able to survive on that?

Thank you!

Martin
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jan.petras
post 19.May.2012, 11:56 AM
Post #2
Location: Uppsala
Joined: 19.Apr.2011

Before or after tax?
If it's before tax, then you'll end up with a bare minimum salary, but plentiful nonetheless (As in: you'll still have more money left at the end of the month than you currently do in Czech Republic). But, probably you'll be frustrated as your salary will be in the low 20's after being taxed.

If it's after tax, then that's a good salary.
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Pupca
post 19.May.2012, 01:31 PM
Post #3
Joined: 19.May.2012

unfortunately it is before tax sad.gif thank you for your opinion. And to be hones I have pretty much same salary here in Czech Republic, and I think the cost of living is incomparable
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hatim
post 28.May.2012, 02:33 PM
Post #4
Location: Stockholm
Joined: 31.Dec.2010

30k is definitely low for 5 years experience, but over here experience in Sweden is what counts most. I started at 28 with 3 years professional experience and now I am crossing 35 in a few months.

What your current employer offers you as first salary is a good indicator of what you are worth to them. After your first salary there are only minor increments every year. Stay in Czech republic, you will probably be better off with accommodation and savings.
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PDX
post 28.May.2012, 02:44 PM
Post #5
Location: Stockholm
Joined: 2.Aug.2011

30k SEK in Czeh sounds like a good deal, congratulations. In Stockholm, however, we are talking about a mediocre level of income and likely below "market" level. You will not be dumpster diving, but you won't be buying any property soon.

However, you have to take into account the overall benefits. In Sweden, these are outright luxurious: lots of paid holidays, union-controlled overtime pay, unbelievably long paid parental leave, job security etc etc.

If you're young, want to start a new life in Sweden, learn the language etc and you are unlikely to land other offers, then why not.. otherwise, you may want to look if there are other options.

~~~PDX~~~
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rtharper
post 28.May.2012, 03:28 PM
Post #6
Location: Stockholm
Joined: 2.Feb.2011

QUOTE (Pupca @ 19.May.2012, 09:09 AM) *
Hi there,I would like to know your opinion on following offer from one of Stockholms company. Currently I am living in the Czech Republic and would like to move to Stockholm. ... (show full quote)

That is the starting salary for many new grads with degrees in computer science. Have you negotiated your salary at all? Salary negotiation is quite common in Sweden, and if that your initial offer, I would counter it, as you are worth more than that if you are truly a skilled IT professional with 5 years' experience.

The initial offer I received was too low, in my opinion, and my final salary offer was 20% higher than their initial offer after negotiation.
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wondering
post 28.May.2012, 03:56 PM
Post #7
Joined: 3.Oct.2011

A lot of you have commented that 30 K is perhaps a bit low.

But in your opinion what is a good salary for the person ?

Having looked at different salary positions and using www.lonestatistik.se sites does help to give a guide. i mean in Sweden switching jobs to really increase salaries rarely help. Also a lot of the IT jobs are consultant level. So it means that if you do not have projects then you go back to a base salary.

But honestly sometimes I am amazed by the comments where people say 30K is an average salary. Or is it just me ?
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Migga
post 28.May.2012, 04:12 PM
Post #8
Joined: 26.Jul.2011

I think living in Stockholm has alot to do with it. Sure one can live cheap in Stockholm but for the most part it`s likely that you will have higher living expenses then in a mid sized town. 30 sek is good and perhaps abit over average but it`s not all that stunning when it comes to Stockholm. It`s all relative to where you live.
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Bender B Rodriquez
post 28.May.2012, 05:09 PM
Post #9
Joined: 25.Mar.2006

QUOTE (wondering @ 28.May.2012, 04:56 PM) *
A lot of you have commented that 30 K is perhaps a bit low.But in your opinion what is a good salary for the person ? Having looked at different salary positions and using www ... (show full quote)

It depends on what you do in IT. For a software engineer I would say in the range 40-50k is quite normal in Stockholm.
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wondering
post 28.May.2012, 05:50 PM
Post #10
Joined: 3.Oct.2011

When you say 40-50 K ... how many years of experience are you talking about ?

3 ? 5 ?

Developer ?

QA Manager ?
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Bender B Rodriquez
post 28.May.2012, 07:26 PM
Post #11
Joined: 25.Mar.2006

http://it24.idg.se/2.2275/1.449304
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skumdum
post 28.May.2012, 11:18 PM
Post #12
Joined: 28.Jun.2011

Even a nurse with 5 years experience makes 30K.
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aino
post 29.May.2012, 01:11 PM
Post #13
Joined: 14.Jan.2010

IMHO, just saying you're in IT field for 5 years is not enough information. I know some parts of IT where 30K is a decent salary, and others were it's way low. That said, if you're not negotiating at all, you're doing it wrong.
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John.Smith
post 30.May.2012, 10:49 PM
Post #14
Location: Sweden
Joined: 12.Sep.2011

30k salary in Stockholm with your experience is 'ok'.... not good not bad. I would aim to go for maybe 32000 so see if this is possible.

However, where I live (up North), 30K would be considered to be good and above average. Then again our cost of living is low compared to Stockholm. With regards to salary increments, this is also subjective. I have gone from 35000 to 50000 in 3 years... depends on your negotiation skills.
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Fishtank
post 31.May.2012, 10:34 AM
Post #15
Location: Västra Götaland
Joined: 25.May.2007

I think 30K is low salary for sure in Stockholm.

Howevere, there is other side to it. This is your chance to break it in swedish job market. If you have job lined up, then move can be a bit easy. Read the other job seekers struggle on this website.

First job in any new country usually is not always best job but if I were you, I will take it.

You can come over, see how things are, learn language to a certain level and then switch job to something better. The IT market seems to be good as of now in Sweden and there is demand for IT profs is what I keep on hearing from folks in business.

I started on 23000 SEK as student from Swedish University and they did not consider my previous experience of 4 years in Core IT Development field. I was treated as newbie on block.

Negotiate. If you have family(GF/Wife/Children) to support then keep them informed on that while negotiating.

Any normal(non scumbag type) swedish employer knows what it cost to live in city like Stockholm and usually is fair in offers.

Even back home if you have same salary, then in Sweden, it will different quality of life for you, new experience for you, new chances to learn new language, make new friends. Depends on
what you want and how much risks you can take.

Of course, if you have family and children then that is whole another set of priorities, ain't it?

Good luck.
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