zimkeith

We've just had an offer of a job that includes salary packaging/salary sacrificing but don't really understand what it is? Could anyone give us any insight into it -
thanks a mil

Wendy

Simple terms, it's where you can pay things like mortgage or car loan repayments out of your pay before the tax man gets to it.

So say you earn $4000 a month, but can salary sacrifice your mortgage payments up to $1000 per month. You would get paid $3000 and be taxed on that, the other $1000 would go straight to pay your mortgage and you wouldn't pay income tax on it.

morgan11

That sounds a good idea

charlie03

Hi all,
Anybody out there in the financial services industry? The hubby and I with our 8 month old son are looking into the possibility of moving to Brisbane or Perth areas.

My husband has his the diploma in Financial Planning and is currently working towards his Chartered status (advanced). He is also qualified to advise on Mortgages and Long Term Care insurance etc. He may also look at taking STEP (trust) exams if that would help on the job front.

Can anyone advise on the salary he could expect or the best place to start looking for potential employers?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
C

THORPES

Hello
We are hoping to move to Adelaide area. OH is a spray/french polisher. TRA called it a Furniture finisher.
Does anyone know what wages to expect and also if there are many jobs available. He is on MODL list but after searching on various job agency websites, we cant seem to find any jobs.
Any info would help.

backdoor

There is a good website www.salary.com.au

They do a good job explaining the process. You can salary package a wide variety of expenses. Makes the monthly bills a whole lot less!!

sonlymewalter

I thought I had to respond to this thread so as to give a different perspective. People keep stating what they've seen as a salary for certain jobs, yet it's not just about what's advertised. Money can be good, especially in the mines, but it's normally reserved for someones buddy who's worked in the company some time. And don't believe the adverts either. These are sometimes generated to gain interest and get candidates to "bite" to fill up a company or recruitment data base in case they need people in future

The Aussie skilled migration services must be having a field day brining in skilled migrants to fill the gaps to work for peanuts. unless you believe some of the absolute shite spurted by some on here regarding earning $180k+ for newly arrived engineers I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's very, very rare someone earns that amount and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then usually it is. This is the lucky country, but it's not majic

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble, and you believe what's best for you...but here is some information re what I've found so far...

1. Contrary to some comments on here, good Recruitment agents DO NOT set the salary rates. The company who employes them to find the right candidate sets the wage they want to pay. If a recruitment agency thinks this is too low or high they will advise but it is the company who decide what they want to pay their staff.

2. A good recruitment agency will ensure the right fit in terms of candidate to company to company culture. They will also guarantee a free replacement if the client or candidate is not happy. They will also communicate regularly with them both to make sure both parties are happy, or rectify if they are not.

3. This is how it works:
a) The company will approach a recruitment firm for them to find a suitable candidate. A job description, ideal candidate profile, salary range is provided by the company to the recruitment consultant.
b) If a company asks for a male rather than female then regardless of whether this is discriminatory or if indeed the best candidate happens to be female, then tough. The Recruitment agency are tasked with not wasting time, just putting fwd the candidates the company wants to see. Of course they will advise the clients, but at the end of the day who are they to argue? And also, bear in mind if a company does not have many disabled, Asian, female to male workers then who gets the blame for not having a good enough diverse mix? Not the company. Nope they get away with it cos they say "we leave recruitment up to the agencies and they couldn't find us the right mix"...another cop out

4.Regardless as to how good you are, or how skilled, unless you are in a very highly skilled job e.g. Engineering [and only in some fields] then regardless as to how well skilled you are, the recruitment agency may be asked to headhunt a known Aussie in this same field. Aussie companies spending lots on an employee would rather they have a known Aussie rather than an unknown Pom. You can bet your bottom dollar if a job is advertised at top dollar, someone already working in Aus in the same field will get it and not a newly arrived Pom with the same or better skills, quals, experience. Bear in mind if you're a pom and good at what you do, once you get here and prove yourself you will be seen on a par with the Aussies.

5. Aussie employers would rather take "mr normal" as a candidate. If you are foreign you might not be understood. If you are female in a male dominated industry the lads or clients might not take to you. If you are from a different culture, you might not mix and disturb the "mateship" within the team. I have met senior people in industry who are Indian and have English names. They have told me this at leat gave them a chance of working for a multi national and getting their foot in the door when sending in their CV's.

6. If you have tertiary qualifications and experience gained overseas, some companies think you may have gained this by dishonest means or they might not "stand up" in the Aussie market. Most recruitment agencies and potential employers will have no idea that in fact for you to gain skilled migration your qualifications and experience has gone through a thorough process of examination. Whether you like it or not, they don't understand this nor do they care. The narrow minded view is get into business and prove what you say you can do. in the meantime they will pay you as little as poss at entry level, unless it's a job they need to fill in now. Bear in mind the recruitment agency get paid for putting fwd a successful candidate and if they know an Aussie employer is not keen, then they wont waste yours or their time.

7. Mateship matters. Relationship building is absolutely the be all and end all. It definitely is not what you know, but who you know. Don't EVER presume anyone higher than you in business has got in their position due to being highly skilled, knowledgable and able. I am not saying this doesn't exist, but I have seen very little evidence. I can't count the times I have read CV's and spoken to candidates who have been promoted well beyond their capabilities [and demonstrated by their short time in the role] and been told "my mate got me that job" or "my former client who I gave a really good deal to gave me that job" or "another recruitment agency wanted to earn good commission so told me I could do that job for $250k in whoop whoop, but it was a crap place, a crap job and everyone suffered from troppo sickness". The morale of this story is always be nice. Don't bollock someone cos the job was done crap, jeez ....that might bite you on the arse one day. Nope, just smile, tell them nicely [so they don't care anyway] and then make them your best mate. You never know, they might get you your next big job.

8. No matter how much as a Recruitment Agent, you a) respect a certain candidate B) admire their skills c)believe them to have excellent values d) value their different culture: At the end of the day, there is no point putting them forward to a company who wouldn't even look at their CV due to them being "different". It wastes your time [as a candidate] the recruiters time [to screen, interview, write up, test etc] and the clients time as they then find means to explain why the candidate isn't suitable other than the real reason i.e from Inida, Asia, speech impediment, speak with slight foreign accent, female etc, etc

There are more sharks out of the water than in the water. Australia is a FANTASTIC place to live, and the people are some of the best I've met anywhere in the world in terms of laid back and matey....but their work ethics are shite. Their economy is based on mates looking after mates rather than the best man for the job. It's a work culture steeped in tradition and "same-ness". There are some people who fall lucky and I guess I'm one of them. I came to Aus and managed to get a couple of fantastic jobs but I saw what was happening and it grated on me. I knew of some excellent people who I could not promote cos they didn't "fit the bill" and although highly skilled, they were seen as different or had accents. Apparently "no one could understand them":curse: and they didn't have a strong accent either!!

I got out as I couldn't play the game so I now run my own business. And before anyone asks, no it's not bloody recruitment I work in social circles where people value others regardless as to skin colour, accent, race or nationality. But the reality is we are a minority. You have to play the game above if you want to get anywhere. The reason I've shared this is so you can see what you need to do to get the job you need. Unless you fall lucky that is.

Big money, big wages, massive house with pool, cheap fuel, little running costs, lots of free time, working less hrs than you did in UK....yeh ok....carry on in your delusional world. If it works for you, it sure works for me

One last thing. Don't let it put you off coming to Aus. Aus is a fantastic place, but the sooner you accept reality the easier it will be for you not to become a ping pong pom

brissyboyds

Very useful post,pretty much what I've already been told by rellies.Sounds just like the industry I'm in here,only you do have to be able to do the job as well.Just hope they really are desperate for diesel fitters.LOL

shiftdelete

loved these bits...good on ya mate!!!

ps. do them a "disservice" they will come back and bite you on the arse!- be veeery careful

rocket01

https://jobsearch.gov.au/Login/Login.aspx?WHCode=0

Probably been posted before, but a good site to look for work.

Amazulu

Mate, you are so out of touch with the reality of engineering in WA and Qld it's not funny.

sonlymewalter

Really. Maybe you want to see the candidates I've seen who are highly skilled Engineers from UK and forced to work in Mitre 10. That's especially pertinent if they're a different colour and speak with a slight accent. Also, not everyone wants to work in whoop whoop where nothing exists but dust, sand and a few trees in a one horse town.

I have excellent contacts in the mining industry and in all of the big companies. I speak to those who make the decisions and know exactly what they are looking for and how much they are prepared to pay and what skills are required. Relationship building is important remember

I come across carpet salesmen everyday. The ones who sell you a swan and you find out you've bought a geese

Yep, there is money to be made in the mines, but it's not that easy or that quick as some would like people to believe.

sharonm5

hmmm...a very in your face post but like it, and pretty much what I have been told from Aussie mates now back home working in the engineering and construction fields.

sonlymewalter

Thanks. I gain nothing from this other than knowing I haven't bullshitted Expats into thinking they can all jump into highly paid jobs, especially in the mining industry. I have seen too many casualties with Expats who are highly skilled in UK and come here and end up working in two bit jobs

The reality is that most Expats have to start again and work their way up. It's not rocket science. It's managing expectations

Amazulu

It has been for me and all my colleagues and most other people I know in the industry. We are desparate for people with the right skills. I will pay senior electrical designers with 5 years good (even non-mining)experience, $85/hr plus 15% retention bonus (about $200k pa) but I can't find anyone. For engineers it's $95-120/hr - also very hard to find people. This is Perth based and not FIFO and not even required to visit site - ever.

This is the reality of engineering in Perth in 2008. I'm in charge of a 16 man design team and know what I'm talking about.