IT graduates have been warned not to sell themselves short after a panel of experts said their employment prospects would be harmed if they raised the issue of salaries in an interview.

The advice was given in a web-cast run by recruitment web site ITjobsforgraduates.com, which included comments from accountancy firm KPMG and financial systems supplier Fidessa.

The online discussion participants said graduates should not ask about salaries in an interview, saying that large companies will pay the market rate.

But other groups, including unions and rival recruiters, have told graduates not to sell themselves short.

The panel’s advice is unhelpful to those it claims to be assisting, and should be treated with scepticism, said Peter Skyte, national officer at trade union Unite.

“If this is the quality of the advice offered, any graduate should think twice about taking it, and they should question whose interests are being represented,” he said.

“Any employer worth its salt should be open and transparent about the salary of the position on offer. Of course graduates should do their homework, and the salary on offer is a mark of that.”

Jon Butterfield, managing director at IT recruitment agency Rethink Recruitment, said: “Salary for most people, including graduates, is critical in the decision-making process.

“Given the level of debt the majority of graduates have as they enter the jobs market, they need to know how much the job pays. I think to attend an
interview as a graduate and mnot know or ask about the salary is naive.”

In a competitive market, graduates should be assured that they are being given a fair salary, said Ross MacDonald at ITjobsforgraduates.com.

“Starting salaries for IT graduates tend to be about £18,000 to £22,000. It is not right to ask about salary when attending an interview because in this competitive market, employers are constantly comparing and contrasting what they spend on graduates.

“Candidates who want to maximise their opportunity to land their ideal position should consider that asking about salary particularly early on could mean that they are not looked upon as favourably as other candidates who do not touch on the subject,” said MacDonald.

A Fidessa spokesman agreed, but said the company might ask a graduate what salary they were expecting and “correct that if they were outside the amount they would pay”. And a KPMG spokeswoman said the company never tells graduates salary details until they make an offer.

ITjobsforgraduates.com advertises jobs ranging in salary from £12,000 to £40,000 per annum.

“There will always be salaries that are slightly higher or slightly lower than the average, but we are trying to assist graduates to understand what kind of salary is generally on offer. It is very important for graduates to know that companies, particularly the larger ones, have strong progression plans in place,” said MacDonald.

Steffan Hughes, branch manager at IT recruitment group Computer People, said: “In a first interview, steer clear of salary questions. But graduates applying to less-established graduate recruiters need to be aware of their worth.

“Sometimes in an interview situation if you like the job, there can be a tendency to undersell yourself. Do your research and be realistic as to where you fit.”

Graduate IT salaries:

• IT graduate starting salaries have dropped by £3,000 over the past 18 months, according to research from the Association of Graduate Recruiters.
• The median starting salary for IT roles is now £25,000, down from £28,000 in
  February 2007.
• But across all sectors, the median salary is £24,500, up from £22,953 last February.
  IT student numbers have fallen 50 per cent in the past three years.
• Graduate vacancies at IT vendors have fallen 14 per cent compared with 2007.