Steve, 'when they offer you the job negotiate a higher salary', that approach may work well in your neck of the woods, it could though easily lead to a retracted offer elsewhere! Jake, Fair enough with your response except, not all attributes can be developed through experience! Many a downfall is down to people with an inability to communicate or articulate themselves. You can teach the principles till you're blue in the face....

If you are happy with your lot that's the main thing. Good luck.

^^^ Simple, avoid like the plague. Trouble is someone desperate will go for it - not always a bad thing if can be used as a stepping stone - easier to get a job when you have a job and all that....

The salaries are there if you are prepared and have the flexibility to re-locate. It's true that a lot of companies seem to be underpaying their HSSE staff, but they are only paying what people will accept. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you pay somebody 50K when they will accept 25K? I worked offshore and have relocated to an Ex-pat position abroad because I had the flexibility to be able to do it. If you put your details into the on line job sites you will be contacted if you have the right qualifications and experience. I get at least a couple or mails or calls a week asking about my availability. All this being said, if I was out of work and couldn't negotiate a reasonable amount of money, I would take the lower paid job until a better one came by.