Is this worth doing for the salary ?

[StraighttothePoint]

I have been offered a job as a customer advisor in Perth with one of the big banks,via a recruitment agency, but not sure whether to accept because of the crap salary.

The pay is $40,000 a year including 10% super for 34 hours a week Monday to Friday with a 9am start on Mondays and Fridays and 9.15am rest of the week.

I live in Baldivis so would have to travel into Perth and pay for pre and after school care. This would be $170 a week during term time and $270 a week for vacation care.

This child care centre is one of the cheaper ones. Some charge $60 a day during school holidays.

I would get very little back in Child Care Benefit/Rebate because of my husband's income.

Initially, I was going to reject the job after realising I wouldn't be left with much after child care and travel costs and tax.

But now having a rethink as the job includes training, bonuses and good prospects so it is step in the door. I'm wondering if it is worth accepting the low salary for future prospects with a large company or is this wishful thinking ?

Plus it is very hard to find work that fits in with child care hours as most centres close at 6pm or want you to work evening and/or weekend shifts.

My husband, who works in Osborne Park, leaves home at 2pm and doesn't get home until 10.30pm/11pm and works these hours on Sundays as well.

He usually has Mondays off but some weeks this can be a different day of the week. We only moved to Perth in September and have no family here so can't get help with child care and most of our friends live in Perth.

I'd very interested to hear from anyone in the banking industry for their thoughts.

Don't know which branch I would be working in but told it would be in the Perth CBD or surrounding areas such as Cottesloe, Northbridge and Floreat. No mention of branches south of the river.

This all looks pretty standard to me from what happens to others in your situation. New to the area and no Aussie CV history. As many are saying it is a foot in the door. Taking something like this gets your CV up and running. It is near minimum wage but you would be off and running.


The problem is location. Would you say it was a crap salary if the branch was 10 minutes from your doorstep?

Also what salary do you think, as a brand new person in Oz, with no previous Oz experinece here do you think you should get? 40k to 50k is about right for this type of work. Retail only pays about $20 an hour flat rate. Unless you go for a position way above this level you will find that these salary ranges are about right. For many things Perth is not what it seems and average salaries is one of them. Also where people live plays a large part in what happens next in their careers. Too far out of the city and it is harder to balance the books beacuse of the costs associated with getting to work in terms of money and family life.

As for my thoughts. I would not add any pressure on yourself. Where you are to get given Cottesloe for example then it would be a nightmare day for you. No I would re-think and accept the salary range is not crap, wait and go for a local area job at the same rates and get your foot in the door that way.

[StraighttothePoint]

I was almost tempted (almost!) to accept $25 an hour to stay at home in airconditioned comfort and do someones ironing. Not a bad little earner while you wait for the ultimate job.
Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Get in there and fill your boots Chook. My wife did exactly that job when we had our son. She was a stay at home mum and did, among other things like art work and picture farming, in house ironging for two years at a great hourly rate. She worked for herself and had about 6 customers in the village and had a ball. Huge benefits. Stayed at home, earned money, there for our son and so on. I tried to say to her that she would get bored but she never, ever did and was in complete control of her on life. Best thing she said was that she had her own money in her purse.

[Give me a break!]

Ive been here 18 months now, and Im not working (out of choice!) We've decided to wait until our son is at Secondary School and able to sort himself out after school etc. If you can afford it financially then dont rush into it. I had a very good job in the UK that meant a long commute and I vowed when I got here I wouldnt do it again. I started working when I was 16 and apart from taking Maternity Leave with each of the three kids I had worked solidly for about 22 years so I think Im entitled to a bit of me time. If and when I do work it will be part time, and no commuting.

[kips]

Ive been here 18 months now, and Im not working (out of choice!) We've decided to wait until our son is at Secondary School and able to sort himself out after school etc. If you can afford it financially then dont rush into it. I had a very good job in the UK that meant a long commute and I vowed when I got here I wouldnt do it again. I started working when I was 16 and apart from taking Maternity Leave with each of the three kids I had worked solidly for about 22 years so I think Im entitled to a bit of me time. If and when I do work it will be part time, and no commuting.

I think after working 22 years and raising 3 kids you need lots and lots of time off. Probably a medal as well. I'm with you on the part-time and no commuting bit.

[kips]

This all looks pretty standard to me from what happens to others in your situation. New to the area and no Aussie CV history. As many are saying it is a foot in the door. Taking something like this gets your CV up and running. It is near minimum wage but you would be off and running.


The problem is location. Would you say it was a crap salary if the branch was 10 minutes from your doorstep?

Also what salary do you think, as a brand new person in Oz, with no previous Oz experinece here do you think you should get? 40k to 50k is about right for this type of work. Retail only pays about $20 an hour flat rate. Unless you go for a position way above this level you will find that these salary ranges are about right. For many things Perth is not what it seems and average salaries is one of them. Also where people live plays a large part in what happens next in their careers. Too far out of the city and it is harder to balance the books beacuse of the costs associated with getting to work in terms of money and family life.

As for my thoughts. I would not add any pressure on yourself. Where you are to get given Cottesloe for example then it would be a nightmare day for you. No I would re-think and accept the salary range is not crap, wait and go for a local area job at the same rates and get your foot in the door that way.

Eh? Where in my post does it say I have no Aussie CV or are a brand new person ? You're making a lot of assumptions. New to Perth, not Australia.

I emigrated to Australia in 2003, became an Australian citizen in 2008, up until July last year I worked part-time on the front counter for Medicare in Coffs Harbour, NSW, for 3 years when the contract expired.

And previous to that I worked full-time for 2 years as a customer service officer in a call centre in Wollongong, NSW, for the private health fund ahm. I resigned from that job when we relocated north to Coffs Harbour for my husband's work. And before I landed that job I worked for 2 months as a casual for a superannuation fund in Wollongong after I returned to work when my son turned two.

We moved to Perth in September when my husband was offered a great job with a relocation package and plan to stay for a long time. Told him fed of moving !!!

[StraighttothePoint]

Eh? Where in my post does it say I have no Aussie CV or are a brand new person ? You're making a lot of assumptions. New to Perth, not Australia.

Sorry my error was answering a few posts and got muddled a bit, age. Got the background a bit wrong and made maybe one error in that thought you were an overseas new one. As for being brand new you are a relatively new person to the area, Perth / WA that is and therefore to this job market so you have no Perth based work on your CV.