How many hours do you work?
- Thread starter zat29
- Start date
I notice that a lot of people said I earned little, and one person said that I don't have the necessary experience to earn more.
However, when I asked what I could do the rectify the situation, it seems there was no answer....
This is just like my fiance, he says that the clerical officers in his govt job, earn more than me. When I ask him how what I can do to make things better, there is no answer.
It seems like everyone is quick to point out problems, but don't seem to have any possible solutions.
Hope you are not all behaving like this in work
However, when I asked what I could do the rectify the situation, it seems there was no answer....
This is just like my fiance, he says that the clerical officers in his govt job, earn more than me. When I ask him how what I can do to make things better, there is no answer.
It seems like everyone is quick to point out problems, but don't seem to have any possible solutions.
Hope you are not all behaving like this in work
I
I notice that a lot of people said I earned little, and one person said that I don't have the necessary experience to earn more.
However, when I asked what I could do the rectify the situation, it seems there was no answer....
This is just like my fiance, he says that the clerical officers in his govt job, earn more than me. When I ask him how what I can do to make things better, there is no answer.
It seems like everyone is quick to point out problems, but don't seem to have any possible solutions.
Hope you are not all behaving like this in work
I assume you are referring to my reply with regard to experiance. Well firstly you have to decide where exactly you want your career to go.
For example if you aspire to be a financial controller, then IMO you would most probably need to move into a bigger company, one with a bigger accounts department where you can expand your experiance, preferably where there is room for promotion and then either work your way up or move into better role.
You are the master of your own destiny and only you can decided what you want and therefore aim for it.
None of us can do it for you and sitting at your p.c waiting for strangers to give you advice isn't going to get you your dream job.
Hi Buzybee
As the person who originally commented on the general circumstances you laid out its correct to say I haven't offered much constructive help. I did suggest you look at recruitment websites in order to ascertain what kind of salary you could get in order to negotiate with your current employer.
I should also add that most of what kiddo suggested is correct - it is up to you - you're going to have to look at the type of work you are currently doing and see where you can raise the level/standard of the work you do. I'm not talking about doing a better bank rec - I'm suggesting you should look at the management information you supply to your boss, see what he/she does with it - see if you can do that for him/her - get yourself a higher level of experience - if you're adding more value to the business, thereby effectively promoting your self to financial accountant/controller as opposed to being a senior bookkeeper. I know you mentioned that your employers have a number of other businesses - who currently looks after the books for these - is there scope for you running the accounts for all these businesses and having a bookkeeper work with you in order to allow you to concentrate on higher level work. It is up to you to convince your employer of the value of this.
If there is no scope for improving your experience with your current employer (and it is important to you!!) you probably should look at moving, however when you live outside of Dublin, jobs don't grow on trees - it will be difficult to find something local to you.
Best of luck with the future - with a wedding in a few months you have better things to worry about.
Regards,
Past30
As the person who originally commented on the general circumstances you laid out its correct to say I haven't offered much constructive help. I did suggest you look at recruitment websites in order to ascertain what kind of salary you could get in order to negotiate with your current employer.
I should also add that most of what kiddo suggested is correct - it is up to you - you're going to have to look at the type of work you are currently doing and see where you can raise the level/standard of the work you do. I'm not talking about doing a better bank rec - I'm suggesting you should look at the management information you supply to your boss, see what he/she does with it - see if you can do that for him/her - get yourself a higher level of experience - if you're adding more value to the business, thereby effectively promoting your self to financial accountant/controller as opposed to being a senior bookkeeper. I know you mentioned that your employers have a number of other businesses - who currently looks after the books for these - is there scope for you running the accounts for all these businesses and having a bookkeeper work with you in order to allow you to concentrate on higher level work. It is up to you to convince your employer of the value of this.
If there is no scope for improving your experience with your current employer (and it is important to you!!) you probably should look at moving, however when you live outside of Dublin, jobs don't grow on trees - it will be difficult to find something local to you.
Best of luck with the future - with a wedding in a few months you have better things to worry about.
Regards,
Past30
Thanks for all suggestions.
The trouble with this job, is that there is a large volume of the more basic work, so I don't really have the time for the higher level 'analysing' work. In fact I am just getting the P&L, B/S stock taking done every month.
In my last job, the volume of work wasnt as large, so I was able to produce more figures on the costing of the product etc, and was able to get a small pay rise. (as well as the satisfaction of doing more brain work)
I can't see the employer buying the idea of me getting an assistant, even part time, no matter what ideas I come up with.
In fact a lot of the more time consuming work is ringing round for best deals on suppliers, insuring all the property etc., chasing the owner to ensure he has A, B, C done.
The owner promised a 1k increase when I had been in the job X months. When I asked for the increase I didn't get it, as he only wanted to pay the 28k for this job. I know that if I did 50+ hrs a week, producing more reports etc, I still may not even get a pay rise, but I would be expected to continue working the 50+ hrs to keep producing these reports.
I need tomake the best of it for the moment, If anything it is helping me develop a method for dealing with high volume work. I will need to start job hunting again, after I am in this job a decent amount of time.
The trouble with this job, is that there is a large volume of the more basic work, so I don't really have the time for the higher level 'analysing' work. In fact I am just getting the P&L, B/S stock taking done every month.
In my last job, the volume of work wasnt as large, so I was able to produce more figures on the costing of the product etc, and was able to get a small pay rise. (as well as the satisfaction of doing more brain work)
I can't see the employer buying the idea of me getting an assistant, even part time, no matter what ideas I come up with.
In fact a lot of the more time consuming work is ringing round for best deals on suppliers, insuring all the property etc., chasing the owner to ensure he has A, B, C done.
The owner promised a 1k increase when I had been in the job X months. When I asked for the increase I didn't get it, as he only wanted to pay the 28k for this job. I know that if I did 50+ hrs a week, producing more reports etc, I still may not even get a pay rise, but I would be expected to continue working the 50+ hrs to keep producing these reports.
I need tomake the best of it for the moment, If anything it is helping me develop a method for dealing with high volume work. I will need to start job hunting again, after I am in this job a decent amount of time.
if he promised a miserable 1k increase and didn't hold his word then i'd badger him endlessly for a while. look for another job, this guy sounds like a stingy git. if you get another job then 'hang him' , i..e. leave with minimum notice and a heap of left over work.
DrMoriarty
Moderator
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Maybe you could do a quick audit and point out how much money you've saved him?buzybee said:
DrMoriarty
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Tech Sector Management - lot of pressure & stress associated (always being 'measured' on performance of self & the group). Lots of politics.
Paid pretty ok - but it is not putting me on the road to financial freedom.
Company owns me - the expectation is set that you are always available.
Never seems to end - get calls/mails/IM's on eve's/weekends & need to work through the problems or deal with someones query. Need to stay in touch with out of hours activity during peak periods.
Quality of life is ****e pretty often.
Avg number of hours pw = 55-65
Need to learn & apply more of this work/life balance stuff.
.... have often considered cutting loose & taking a job in a statoil station (or similar) just to improve on more free time & not have top deal with alot of the crap. (no disrespect at all to those who work in Stat oil or similar)
Goal is to work for myself. Just have to find that idea & drum up the courage.
Paid pretty ok - but it is not putting me on the road to financial freedom.
Company owns me - the expectation is set that you are always available.
Never seems to end - get calls/mails/IM's on eve's/weekends & need to work through the problems or deal with someones query. Need to stay in touch with out of hours activity during peak periods.
Quality of life is ****e pretty often.
Avg number of hours pw = 55-65
Need to learn & apply more of this work/life balance stuff.
.... have often considered cutting loose & taking a job in a statoil station (or similar) just to improve on more free time & not have top deal with alot of the crap. (no disrespect at all to those who work in Stat oil or similar)
Goal is to work for myself. Just have to find that idea & drum up the courage.
In response to the original querry ...
I work on average, approx 55 hours a week, although my contract is for approx 38 hours a week & I don't get overtime.
Why ?
A) because I'm stupid
B) because I love my work
C) because I might earn a super large bonus
If Im to be entirely honest with myself, it's probably a mix of all 3 answers above, but one thing for sure, it ain't doing my social life or health much good in the medium to longer term so something is going to have to give fairly soon
Cheers
G>
http://www.rpoints.com/newbie
I work on average, approx 55 hours a week, although my contract is for approx 38 hours a week & I don't get overtime.
Why ?
A) because I'm stupid
B) because I love my work
C) because I might earn a super large bonus
If Im to be entirely honest with myself, it's probably a mix of all 3 answers above, but one thing for sure, it ain't doing my social life or health much good in the medium to longer term so something is going to have to give fairly soon
Cheers
G>
http://www.rpoints.com/newbie
F
Faraway
Guest
Hi,
In my last job i was contracted from 7.30am to 6pm, over the course of over a year i can count on one hand the amount of times i left at or before six and it would probably take only 3 or 4 hands to count the times i got out before seven, i consistently started my day before 7am and NO i wasn't self employed. Anyone out there think this is just a little excessive - well i did so i respectfully quit giving 5 weeks notice while remaining fully committed to the role until the day i left (working till 7.30pm in fact). 2 months on still unemployed. Anyone want to give me a job!
In my last job i was contracted from 7.30am to 6pm, over the course of over a year i can count on one hand the amount of times i left at or before six and it would probably take only 3 or 4 hands to count the times i got out before seven, i consistently started my day before 7am and NO i wasn't self employed. Anyone out there think this is just a little excessive - well i did so i respectfully quit giving 5 weeks notice while remaining fully committed to the role until the day i left (working till 7.30pm in fact). 2 months on still unemployed. Anyone want to give me a job!
F
Faraway
Guest
Thanks Theo, i think it was the right move too, just need to get the next job sorted and i'll be v happy with the decision.
Faraway
Those times sound very excessive. Was it over 5 days? If so, the contracted times work out at over 50 hrs a week. Can I ask you, were there other people doing a similiar job to you? Did they also do extra hours? Is it the norm in your particular industry to work all those hours?
Did it take the firm long to replace you?
It is great that you were able to make the break, as working all those hours isn't good for your health long term.
I know that it is not nice having no job. Could you tell the agencies that you will take contract work/lower paid work etc. Sometimes if you are open to more junior level positions, you could get into a good company and work up again. Also, a larger company would have more people so there may be structures in place to deal with excessive workloads.
Those times sound very excessive. Was it over 5 days? If so, the contracted times work out at over 50 hrs a week. Can I ask you, were there other people doing a similiar job to you? Did they also do extra hours? Is it the norm in your particular industry to work all those hours?
Did it take the firm long to replace you?
It is great that you were able to make the break, as working all those hours isn't good for your health long term.
I know that it is not nice having no job. Could you tell the agencies that you will take contract work/lower paid work etc. Sometimes if you are open to more junior level positions, you could get into a good company and work up again. Also, a larger company would have more people so there may be structures in place to deal with excessive workloads.
Keizer Soze
Registered User
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- 26
On average 40 hours per week, although I usually do a bit of overtime too. 34 days holiday per year
Hi,
our recommended working hours are 8:30 to 17:15, but it is flexible in that you have to be in the office from 10:00 - 12:00 and you cant leave before 16:00.
I used to work >50 hours a week, working weekends unpaid etc, and then I realised that work didnt care or appreciate it if I ruined my personal time, so once I got promoted to management, I completely changed, and now do not do any unpaid extra time.
I'm currently not very busy (between projects), so I come in at 10:00 and leave about 18:00. I frequently go to the gym at lunchtime, meaning 1.5 hours break for lunch.
I get 25 holidays a year plus 17 bank holidays/non-working days.
Have pension and healthcare paid for. Pay is alright, since it's in IT sector, but no-overtime, and miniscule pay rises each year.
Sick days are paid (I've no idea how many per year, but definitely more than 5). I'm horrified to read that some people dont get their sick days paid for - what do you do if you have a temperature of 104 and cant afford to take the day unpaid?
I may moan about work, but reading some of the above, now think perhaps I have a good deal!
our recommended working hours are 8:30 to 17:15, but it is flexible in that you have to be in the office from 10:00 - 12:00 and you cant leave before 16:00.
I used to work >50 hours a week, working weekends unpaid etc, and then I realised that work didnt care or appreciate it if I ruined my personal time, so once I got promoted to management, I completely changed, and now do not do any unpaid extra time.
I'm currently not very busy (between projects), so I come in at 10:00 and leave about 18:00. I frequently go to the gym at lunchtime, meaning 1.5 hours break for lunch.
I get 25 holidays a year plus 17 bank holidays/non-working days.
Have pension and healthcare paid for. Pay is alright, since it's in IT sector, but no-overtime, and miniscule pay rises each year.
Sick days are paid (I've no idea how many per year, but definitely more than 5). I'm horrified to read that some people dont get their sick days paid for - what do you do if you have a temperature of 104 and cant afford to take the day unpaid?
I may moan about work, but reading some of the above, now think perhaps I have a good deal!
ragazza, your situation sounds good. As a matter of interest, since your promotion does any other management not frown on your leaving work bang on time? Do they not expect you to promote an example of working hard (i.e. long hours in their minds). Myself - I work smart by taking short lunches, not standing around chatting, making personal phonecalls, wasting others time etc.