Dietrich Graf von Reischach, Interconsult: "It's right that companies have budgets at the start of the year. But much more important for negotiations are achievements such as increased turnover, successful projects and the like."

© Interconsult

Salaries do not arise in a vacuum; in addition to personal performance, they are always linked to the economy, company success and competition on the labor market. In the electronics industry, these key drivers have remained as stable as an Azores high in midsummer for years.

The "applicant market" for electrical engineers is unchanged and career prospects are good. Companies are vying for the rare graduates. They often have an employment contract in their pocket even before they graduate. And if they don't, the duration of unemployment until the first job is found is limited to a few months, as the VDE reported at the end of the year. The unemployment rate for electrical engineers is below 2.5%. Long-term unemployed electrical engineers, i.e. those looking for work for more than a year, are the exception.

This is the basis for the salaries for office and field positions in electronics, which Interconsult has been collecting and evaluating since 1982, including this year. The report is based on information from 136 companies (128 manufacturers and 8 distributors) in the fields of active, passive and electromechanical components, broadline distribution, ASICs, microprocessor systems, network technology, computer software, computer hardware, automation technology, EDA, ATE, measuring instruments/measuring systems, medical electronics, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and systems, and commercial positions.

The average increase is 3.55%. The highest increases are in computer software, the lowest in automation technology. However, this is due to the already high level of salaries in this sector, which is spoiled by success.

Salaries are again being influenced by two main drivers this year: firstly, the extreme shortage of specialists in some areas (sales, application, development and design). Small and medium-sized companies away from the major cities or in the direct vicinity of the big names in cities such as Munich or Stuttgart are suffering from this in particular. And secondly, due to the still positive economic development, which helps to achieve the targets and bonuses that supplement the fixed salary. This is why companies have to go along with salary rounds, sometimes to the limit of the salary structure, says HR expert Dietrich Graf von Reischach. Alternatives? There aren't really any. "Otherwise you won't get any good people."

What role do factors such as flexible working hours, job security or benefits such as working from home or paid training play? Can companies use them to combat salary competition? After all, occupational psychologists say that salary is overrated as a satisfaction factor. Graf von Reischach: "The salary has to be right. We have an applicant market. You shouldn't sell yourself short. However, it is not always possible for a company to go along with all salary rounds without torpedoing its own salary structure. In such cases, it can make sense to propose compensation in the form of paid further training or similar. As an employee, you should also factor in a positive working environment, which is ultimately also worth a lot."

Graduates today are self-confident and know what they are worth. When is the best time to negotiate a salary? And how do you go about it? Graf von Reischach: "It's true that companies have budgets at the beginning of the year. But much more important for the right time are achievements such as more turnover, successful projects or similar." The chances of a salary increase in 2016 are therefore good overall, and the complete 30-page salary comparison will be available from March 1 at a price of 25 euros directly from Interconsult, pre-order at www.interconsult.de.