How would salary progress at industry companies that run graduate programmes as compared with consultancy? I'm talking about BP, Shell, Unilever, Vodaphone etc.?A lot of people say consulting and industry salaries are broadly the same now is that really the case? I'm considering a move currently.

From what I've seen of BP, salaries are roughly equivalent to consulting (though expat packages distort things slightly). Final salary pension is a bit of a bonus though.

I'm still bitter about turning down an offer from them. I turned down an offer for approx. 10k more, in favour of (what I thought would be) more interesting work.Pah .... live and learn ...

Not to mention a gold-plated final salary scheme pension, no doubt, and almost total job security.... unlike in consultancy where you're only as good as your last assignment, get canned if you're unbillable for too long, and quite frankly can never honestly be sure whether you'll still be in the same job 12 month's hence...

The grass always looks greener.Even in industry you can't be sure if you will be in the same job in 12 months. And you can just as easily get canned in a restructure, relocation, acquisition etc..If you want total job security try the Civil Service.....or maybe that is not so secure next year either!