İsmail Zihni Efendi

İsmail Zihni Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1854/55 (AH 1271). The record gives the community as Muslim (Müslüman), the nationality as Turkish and the father's occupation as Mahkeme katibi.

Schooling recorded: Rüşdiye Mektebi, with 7 years of schooling recorded, at a place worded Fatih ve Eyup. The record marks no qualification (diploma, certificate, training or decoration). Languages recorded, with the skill words of the record: Turkish, with Kitabet.

First work is recorded in Istanbul in 1872/73 (AH 1289): Telgraf. The official was then about 17 years old. The record gives 1 year of unpaid apprenticeship (mülazemet) before the first salary. The first-salary field gives 50 kuruş a month. At the first annual entry, in 1873/74, the official was about 18 years old.

The first annual entry, for 1873/74, shows Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul, with 120 kuruş a month. In 1881/82 the record shows Masarifat Katibi Refakati in Istanbul, the salary going from 500 to 600 kuruş a month (before: Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul). In 1885/86 the record shows Sancak Muhasebecisi in Sulaymaniyah (Süleymaniye), the salary going from 800 to 3,000 kuruş a month (before: Masarifat Katibi Refakati in Istanbul).

The highest salary, 3,000 kuruş a month, is first recorded in 1885/86 as Sancak Muhasebecisi. 97 per cent of the other officials with a recorded salary that year earned less. The median salary of all officials that year was 500 kuruş. Over 14 years with a salary the median is 600 kuruş a month, with 5 rises and 1 cut. The largest rise, 2,200 kuruş, is seen in 1885/86. From the first salary to the last the salary grew by 28.1 per cent a year on average.