Earning and the types of jobs we do

headchef

I know this is intrusive, but I'm due to be taken on full time at a job I've been doing as self-empoyed for 5 years and wondered what type of jobs/responsibilities other people have to help me negotiate a good deal (and therefore up the repayments on my debts :T ).
My job is a mixed bag as i'd been a graphic desinger for years and started this job as a part time admin job while looking for other work but then got into debt when OH's job went belly up etc.
So 5 year's later I'm still doing this job for a market reasearch company and churning out whizzy presentations for them and have expanded the admin side to include fieldwork management (basically managing the good ladies who stand on street corners asking people if they want to come to focus groups). I have to use a lot of negotiating skills and work to tight deadlines, deal with client queries and handle lots of cash. As it's a small company I also look after the PCs and set up new technology (I teach myslef then show the boss how to use an MP3 recorder for instance).
I make the tea too!
All this for £13 per hour, no bonus, no pension (and currently no hol pay etc). How does this compare to other people? Am I well paid or not?!!

skintchick

What do you actually take home a month? I don;t work on hourly rates (although that's a pretty good one)

Batfink

headchef wrote:

managing the good ladies who stand on street corners

I was glad that sentence improved!

Will there be opportunities for overtime? If not I'd try and negotiate a fixed salary instead - much easier to budget it you know exatly where you are.

Phil

headchef

Hi Skintchick

Approx £1200 after tax for working roughly 6 hours a day every month (but that is an average to even out my holidays as I actually work the nomal 7 to 8 hours a day but then obviously don't get paid when I take time off). If that makes sense?!

headchef

[/QUOTE]managing the good ladies who stand on street corners

Oops - sorry to all you hard working recruiters out there! (Now that would be a good rate!)

bonnie_2

hubby takes home £241 a week from working 9 till 5.

skintchick

headchef wrote:

Hi Skintchick

Approx £1200 after tax for working roughly 6 hours a day every month (but that is an average to even out my holidays as I actually work the nomal 7 to 8 hours a day but then obviously don't get paid when I take time off). If that makes sense?!

That's just under £20,000 a year then (which is £1272 net if I recall correctly from when I wasn't SE)

I'd say that was a good wage, but you have scope to negotiate more.

Why don't you check out employment websites like Reed and see what similar jobs are paying?

I don't know your field so can't really say what you should be on, but I thought people doing your type of job were well-paid, so I'd say ask for more once you've researched it well.

15lsp

im a graphic designer too. I earn £7 an hour and get double pay for over-time. Normally do 10 hours a week o/t so it bumps my wage up nicely.I asked for a pay rise the other day but got blank looks from the management! Only graduated in summer 2005 so pay is good for my lack of experience. Some designers in my company get paid more than double what im on, they have years of experience but we do the same job. Im expected to work late if deadlines are close and many times i have still been in the office at midnight but if you're a designer its part of the job.

However I charge £25 per hour for my freelance jobs which my clients are happy with.

headchef

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I'll do the research Skintchick, thanks.

My problem is I find it hard to classify what I do! I wonder how many other people are in the same boat having picked up various skills durning the years and can't be pigeon holed easily? :rolleyes:

15slp - I can sympathise with you. I worked purely in Graphics for 15 years (showing age) and it is a sweat shop environment to an extent. I think some employers take advantage of it being seen as bit of a sexy job and pay isn't high (compared to market reserachers for instance!). I think the way forward seems to be to own your own company in the fullness of time. I didn't have the bottle really and life events took over a bit. As a tip for your pay review - keep a diary of all the successes or praises etc (all the good bits) as you won't remember them at the spur of the mo. It gives a confidence boost as well as showing them you know what you're at!

headchef

"I think some employers take advantage of it being seen as bit of a sexy job and pay isn't high"

Better qualify above remark - pay is considered 'low' in design because although the average hourly rate might be considered good, very often desingers are expected to work (as 15lsp said) until midnight and very often with NO overtime (or very little). This has been my first hand experience - there is a mind set in design developed by goodness-knows-who which says - 'you work for the love of the job', 'if your not commited, you're not really a designer' kind of thing.
I'm sure a few other professions are the same (but not the legal profession strangely)

skintchick

headchef wrote:

"I think some employers take advantage of it being seen as bit of a sexy job and pay isn't high"

Better qualify above remark - pay is considered 'low' in design because although the average hourly rate might be considered good, very often desingers are expected to work (as 15lsp said) until midnight and very often with NO overtime (or very little). This has been my first hand experience - there is a mind set in design developed by goodness-knows-who which says - 'you work for the love of the job', 'if your not commited, you're not really a designer' kind of thing.
I'm sure a few other professions are the same (but not the legal profession strangely)

Mine is the same mindset too - journalism.