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Some 180 Asian students in university campuses across the United Kingdom were asked about various aspects of their dream careers in a research poll carried out on behalf of the Tesco Asian Network - a group inside Tesco that aims to help the retailer's Asian employees to develop their careers and attract more Asians to join the business.

The most popular careers among Asian students emerged as accountancy (14 per cent), information technology (10 per cent), pharmacy (10 per cent), law (9 per cent) and medicine (9 per cent).

Tesco then asked British Asians what salary they thought they could earn in these careers given 10-15 years' experience in the job.

The average annual salary of the careers Tesco asked about was £73,075 (Bt4 million), but the average salary Asian students expected to earn in these same careers was £132,706 - 82 per cent higher.

The most inaccurate assumptions about earnings potential were made about careers in law and in pharmacy.

According to the Law Society, a solicitor working in central or local government could expect to receive an annual salary of £33,000 to £48,000 - although in private practice non-commercial solicitors can earn between £35,000 and £73,000, depending on location and grade.

But Asian students thought successful lawyers with 10-15 years' experience could earn £161,727 a year - almost three times the average amount.

Asian students thought a career in pharmacy could net them a salary of £123,314. But a typical salary at senior level/with experience (after 10-15 years in the role) is between £35,000 and £60,000, meaning students had inflated their potential earnings more than two and a half times.

Students had a better grasp of average salaries in dentistry and accountancy.

NHS Careers says that in National Health Service trust hospitals, dental salaries at consultant level range from £71,000 to £161,000. The Asian students polled thought dentists earned an average of £139,957 - though more accurate, their estimates were still 21 per cent higher than the average salary in the sector.

Asian students thought accountants earned £119,915 on average. But a chartered accountant with roughly 10 years' qualified experience will on average make £92,100 a year.

When asked what they thought they could earn from a career with a retail company like Tesco, most students estimated between £50,000 and £75,000 a year. But senior managers at Tesco can earn up to £100,000 in addition to receiving a generous benefits package, including bonus, share options and a defined benefit pension scheme. High-performing graduate recruits can earn £47,000 in their fourth year.

Faisal Sheikh, a programme-manager at Tesco.com and a spokesperson for Tesco's Asian Network, said: "This research clearly demonstrates that we are missing out on a pool of talent amongst Asians because of some misconceptions. We want to reach out to British Asians, whether they are new graduates to join our excellent graduate programme or people with experience from other industries such as law or accounting to join further up the organisation."

The Tesco Asian Network has launched www.tescoasiannetwork.com to further promote jobs at Tesco to the British Asian community.