How do people survive on wages close to minimum wage?

Geuze

History Queen wrote: »

Well when i started out i was on short term contracts so only paid for weeks worked (not paid during holidays). I now have a 12 month contract so I'm paid year round. My first 12 month contract (last year) however, did not pay me more than 400euro per week because, as a previous poster correctly stated, I am a "New Entrant" to the ps.

As FT teachers start on 28-30k, how could you only be earning 400 pw?

FT hours would mean 550-600 per week.

I presume it's because you don't have full hours?

Geuze

Geuze wrote: »

As FT teachers start on 28-30k, how could you only be earning 400 pw?

FT hours would mean 550-600 per week.

I presume it's because you don't have full hours?

Net pay?

Zascar

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Such as...?

Sales. Specifically Technology. Loads of jobs going right now in Dublin, we can barely hire people. All the big tech companies are the same. Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Google, Dell, LinkedIn, Twitter, Indeed, Zendesk, Twitter, Symmantec, Saas, HubSpot, Workday, Marketto, Zendesk, Docusign, Citrix, Cisco, Amazon, Sage, LogMeIn, New Relic... The list goes on. And they are only the big players. There are plenty of smaller ones. Also for each one there are dozens of smaller companies that work alongside them - partners, consultants etc - they also hire people. Dublin is pretty much silicon valley of Europe. Here is a map of the main tech companies in Dublin.

The other thing is you don't necessarily have to have a degree - plenty of people I work with don't have degrees, but they have experience. If you are young and hungry, try to get some sort of sales experience, or tech, preferably both. Do anything. Then start networking and apply to all these companies. Most hire junior business development reps at 25-35k. Skies the limit after that if you are any good.

History Queen

Geuze wrote: »

As FT teachers start on 28-30k, how could you only be earning 400 pw?

FT hours would mean 550-600 per week.

I presume it's because you don't have full hours?

No i didn't have FT hours, I do now, that's another thing I could not have predicted the issues with the increased casualisation of the profession (which is why there are so many teachers on PT hours). Also i couldnt have known about; the extra wage deductions such as the pension levy/ the increment freeze/ removal of allowances/ etc.

Anyway I've derailed this thread for long enough I just wanted to point out that a degree/masters/other qualification doesn't necessarily equate to money in your pay packet.

Edited to add- no you would not get 550-600 net that would be gross

Glenster

Zascar wrote: »

Sales.

Sales are great when you're in your 20s and 30s but you're basically Gil from the Simpsons once you hit 40.

Zascar

History Queen wrote: »

No i didn't know because when I made my decision to go teaching after my Leaving Cert in 2007 teachers wages and working conditions were far superior to what they are now. I didn't have any way of predicting the deterioration of pay and conditions in subsequent years. I understand what you are saying but I for one had researched my chosen career...i couldn't have predicted what happened.

So I know nothing about teaching, and I'm sure things have got a lot worse, but my point is that even back in the day - the wages available were fairly average. No matter how good a teacher you are, it's pretty unlikely for you to be able to make e.g. 80k. You were going into an area with an extremely limited earnings potential.

dundalkfc10

Teachers work 9-3.30, 5 days a week (with a lunch break of at least 30 mins) thats 30 hours a week, plus endless holidays!
There wages shouldnt be higher than they are

johnnyskeleton

Hollister11 wrote: »

Plenty of people I went to school with are working full time in supermarkets. Most would be on circa €10 per hour.

How do people live on roughly 400 quid a week. Now they all live at home with the folks but what are they going to do in the future when they need a mortgage? How are they going to afford it?

I'm in college atm, and earn €50 a week, just to get by, but I'm sacrificing money now to have a good paying job for life.

Would these people not go to college and at least doubt what there on now

Maybe the guys in the supermarket work really hard and become a supervisor. Do a few courses and manage a section. Then a job comes up managing the new branch of the supermarket in a new location as store manager. After that they move to another company because of their invalueable experience. Soon they own shares in the new company and get on the board. The old ceo retires and your pal takes over a multi million euro retail chain and takes home millions per year.

Is that likely? Dunno. Does it happen for everyone? No. Does it happen to some people? Yes it does.

I know a few people who worked their way up in retail or banking jobs to good salaries and i know people with degrees earning less than the minimum wage. Talent will out, I suppose.

Zascar

Glenster wrote: »

Sales are great when you're in your 20s and 30s but you're basically Gil from the Simpsons once you hit 40.

I see your point, and that's why I got out of it into marketing a few years back - its a tough job at times. But the earnings potential is very high, jots of jobs around - and better than a career where 40k is a far off dream..

sashafierce

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History Queen

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Teachers work 9-3.30, 5 days a week (with a lunch break of at least 30 mins) thats 30 hours a week, plus endless holidays!
There wages shouldnt be higher than they are

Absolutely correct, we're over paid and under worked. Sure anyone could do what we do. It's a wonder they insist on a professional qualification for the job at all. We are glorified babysitters after all. Nice try at baiting but I am a teacher; it'll take more than a bit of goading ;-)

Graces7

sashafierce wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Not a bad thing to dream but good then to make sure your feet are on the ground.

sashafierce

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MillField

Hollister11 wrote: »

Computer Science, I'm specialising in softwared development.

Not to be that guy, but I graduated with a degree in Computer Science 2+ years ago & work in software development ever since. There's managers in my place not on 80k, never mind mid-level developers.

Murrisk

joeguevara wrote: »

Grammar

I remember from back in the day the Bebo page of a gobshite I know from home. She had under her pet hates: "People with bad spelling and grammer". It's a thing a lot of people like to pontificate about without the knowledge to back it up.

Sofiztikated

Zascar wrote: »

I see your point, and that's why I got out of it into marketing a few years back - its a tough job at times. But the earnings potential is very high, jots of jobs around - and better than a career where 40k is a far off dream..

Which is all true, but neither sales nor marketing is for me.

I am hoping to go back to college to do Networking. Anything would be better than that hell of a job in Hospitality.

Cupcake_Crisis

I have diplomas, not a degree and I'm earning far more than my friends with degrees atm. And I have more career progression. Degrees aren't everything's!

dundalkfc10

History Queen wrote: »

Absolutely correct, we're over paid and under worked. Sure anyone could do what we do. It's a wonder they insist on a professional qualification for the job at all. We are glorified babysitters after all. Nice try at baiting but I am a teacher; it'll take more than a bit of goading ;-)

So you dont finish at 3.30/4 every day and get holidays off all the time?

tastyt

In this country its usually not worth making more money.

The difference in take home pay between 70k and 40 would be a nice few quid to have in your pocket but your usually putting way more hours and stress into it.

People here are working themselves into an early grave for the taxman, when if they were doing the same thing in, say america or bermuda they would be genuinly wealthy.

Only the lucky few and politicians mates get rich in Ireland so dont give too much time to your company and get bitter when they dont reward you, iv seen it happen many many times

TheManthatsDan

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

So you dont finish at 3.30/4 every day and get holidays off all the time?

I reckon she also has to correct 20+ pieces of homework when she gets in, one thing I look for in a job is the fact that it stops when I leave in the evening

Graces7

History Queen wrote: »

Absolutely correct, we're over paid and under worked. Sure anyone could do what we do. It's a wonder they insist on a professional qualification for the job at all. We are glorified babysitters after all. Nice try at baiting but I am a teacher; it'll take more than a bit of goading ;-)

and read this!

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/teachers-wearing-shinguards-to-ward-off-attacks-from-students-786453.html

Glenster

TheManthatsDan wrote: »

I reckon she also has to correct 20+ pieces of homework when she gets in, one thing I look for in a job is the fact that it stops when I leave in the evening

They mark them while the class is doing an exercise. Standard tactic.

Keyzer

OP I applaud your ambition, well done.

Just don't fool yourself thinking you are entitled to anything after X amount of years - be prepared to work your balls off...

dundalkfc10

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Teachers work 9-3.30, 5 days a week (with a lunch break of at least 30 mins) thats 30 hours a week, plus endless holidays!
There wages shouldnt be higher than they are

Nonsense of the highest order. Teaching is a vital profession and needs to attract skilled people. Why would someone with a PhD say go teaching now since they removed the extra 6k a person qualified to that level would have gotten in the past. These are the types of people that need to be attracted into teaching and to do so the salaries need to compete. Its also a very tough job and required far far more hours than what you have quoted there.

The starting salary for teaching should be mid 30k's at the absolute minimum and 40k for higher qualified people. Progression to higher salaries should also be much faster. You also have to remember like all public servants there is much more deducted from their salary than someone working in the private sector.

Bambi985

Zascar wrote: »

If you are going to do a masters, definitely do it straight after. The longer you are into the normal working life the less you'll be inclined to do it. I regret not doing one. No chance I'd do one now. I have friends doing them and trying to do alongside a job and possibly family - its incredibly challenging.

Yeah I'd agree with this alright. I'll be starting one part-time in September and will essentially be handing over my life for the balls of 2 years, because I also have a busy job and a long commute. Slapping myself that I didn't do it as a sprightly 22 year old with no real commitments and no gun against my head in terms of setting up shop and starting a family etc.

But thems the choices I guess. Anecdotally a lot of the high earners i know in Dublin did their undergrad and then got into a company and worked their way up the ladder over ten years or so to secure a high-paid management position that didn't require any letters beside their name. It was more about being there, working hard over years and waiting in line for that promotion. Dublin can be largely about who you know and being in that inner circle as much as anything else.

Hollister11

Zascar wrote: »

If you are going to do a masters, definitely do it straight after. The longer you are in the normal working life the less you'll be inclined to do it. I regret not doing one. No chance I'd do one now. I have friends doing them and trying to do alongside a job and possibly family - its incredibly challenging.

Yep, I am. I will be finishing my degree in May 2018 (Fingers crossed) and start a masters in September. I'm doing it part time. So that's 2/3 evenings a week (6-10) and a Saturday. It will probably be tough enough to work and study, but I'm prepared to put the work in and I just hope it proves worthwhile in the long run.

Glenster

Lacey Helpful Sifter wrote: »

Nonsense of the highest order. Teaching is a vital profession and needs to attract skilled people. Why would someone with a PhD say go teaching now since they removed the extra 6k a person qualified to that level would have gotten in the past. These are the types of people that need to be attracted into teaching and to do so the salaries need to compete. Its also a very tough job and required far far more hours than what you have quoted there.

The starting salary for teaching should be mid 30k's at the absolute minimum and 40k for higher qualified people. Progression to higher salaries should also be much faster. You also have to remember like all public servants there is much more deducted from their salary than someone working in the private sector.

The Phd thing was an absolute joke. They spend their day teaching spellings, why do they need an intricate knowledge of humanist principles as they apply to medieval teaching strategies?

And the salary thing? they already start on €40K FTE. If he govt tries to raise 60,000 ps worker's salaries by 5K at least each, they'd better fortify Leinster house because the working people of Ireland will burn it to the ground.

Geuze

Teachers start on 30k approx.

ILikeBoats

I did a masters part time while working full time. It is an absolute pain in the a$$.

Murrisk

LC2017 wrote: »

OP what year of study are you in? What college are you in? What projects are you working on in your spare time?
You'll need to be in a top course, get top marks in your class and have a hell of a good work portfolio.
And that's only to get an interview..

Based on people I know doing very well in software development, you definitely don't have to be top of your college class. It seems to be the kind of field where it's obvious whether someone has a deep interest in the subject or is just in it because they heard there was good spondulicks. I know people who would not be the best exam-takers, some of them have mediocre exam results and they are doing very well in software development because it has been a life-long passion going back to childhood and that shows.