SalaryHow much do you earn? We ask a Dutch person that every week. Today: Beau (27) works as a policy officer at the national government, in the Allowances department.
What do you earn?
“I earn 3936 gross per month, net I then have 3136 euros left.”
Are you happy with your salary?
“For my age and the amount of energy I have to put into my work, I’m certainly happy with it. I know that many of my peers earn a lot less. Recently a mortgage advisor told me that I have a nice income and that I can buy a house on my own. My income makes me independent. This is my second serious job and I now earn about 50,000 euros a year, including holiday pay.”
What are your secondary employment conditions?
,,I work 40 hours a week, of which I get paid 36 hours. The extra hours I work are paid out as vacation days. This way I earn 12 extra vacation days. I receive a full travel allowance with an NS Business Card. Furthermore, I have arranged: telephone, laptop and a tablet if I wish. You can choose between iPhone and Android.
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Employees feel that they should not complain about salary, because it is not about the money
In addition, I can travel first class when I work on the train or go on a work visit. My pension is still a long way off, but I’m with the ABP pension fund. That seems to be quite reliable. When working from home, I can declare my costs for a good workplace and apply for a work-from-home allowance. I am also allowed to take various courses that are paid for me. I just signed up for the 800 euro course.”
Have you negotiated your salary?
“I looked up the scales in the collective labor agreement beforehand. I wanted to earn 3000 euros net anyway. My goal was scale 11, step 1: with that you earn 3782.52 euros gross per month. My employer immediately offered that amount. I was fine with that, I didn’t want to be greedy either and I agreed. It was at least 500 euros more than at my previous employer. I have now moved up another step.”
Do you know what your colleagues earn?
,,The majority are in the same pay scale as me, but on a higher step because they have been working there for longer. However, I do notice that they are not very open about their income. If you ask a civil servant what they earn, you will only be told ‘11.3’, which stands for scale 11, step 3. It is really a culture thing. If you work for the government, you are somehow quite proud that you are doing something for society. Employees feel that they should not complain about salary, because it is not about the money.”
How do you see the future?
“I found out that people at a ministry are different from me. I’m a junior and like to learn new things, but people are too busy to explain anything to me. I often get the comment: ‘If I have to explain it to you, I might as well do it myself’. The projects I’m put on are so syrupy. I’ve been working on something that could be done in two weeks for months. Sometimes I have to come up with work for myself. Because I don’t have many tasks, I also do volunteer work at the Salvation Army today.
Also read at Intermediary: 15 tips for a successful salary negotiation
I miss seeing the direct impact of my work. The victims of the allowance affair, for example, we have been working on that for so many years and still the suffering has not been alleviated. It all takes years for the new policies to be implemented, and those people are suffering now. That is why I also do volunteer work next door, because I want to help now.”
Does Beau earn enough?
Age: 27
Number of years of relevant work experience: 2
Education level: university
Number of working hours per week: 40
Position: policy officer
Level: policy
Industry: Central government
According to the Salary Guide the average salary for her position is EUR 3737 gross. ,,How funny, I didn’t expect to earn more. Now I feel even better about my salary.”
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What is the Salary Guide? 7 Questions & Answers
1. Based on how many hours of work per week is the salary based?
The salary is based on a 40-hour working week.
2. Is the calculated salary including or excluding holiday pay?
The monthly salary shown does not include holiday pay.
3. Does the calculated gross salary include or exclude commissions and/or bonuses?
The forecasted gross salary excludes variable components such as commissions, bonuses and so on.
4. Does the calculated gross salary include a 13th month?
No, the predicted gross salary is a ‘normal’ monthly salary without settlement of a 13th or 14th month.
5. I work for a multinational with 10,000 employees worldwide. However, the Dutch team consists of 50 employees. What do I choose for company size?
The size of the organization is limited to the number of colleagues in the Netherlands.
6. What does budget authority mean?
This is the maximum amount you can spend for professional purposes and for which you do not need permission from a manager.
7. How often is the information that serves as the basis for the National Vacature Bank Salary Guide updated?
Salaries and fringe benefits are not static data, but are constantly evolving.
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