I interviewed at a travel agency and I was offer a position. It seems to me that their compensation package is absurd. Can you fellas chime in and let me know what the industry standard is?:
Dear ad120,
In regards to your question about the salary, there is no definite number that I can tell you or even a definite amount of time that I can prescribe to the training period. It is all based on productivity and how the job is filled. You have a lot of experience with travel itself (Amadeus); however, the platform is what you will need to learn and it may take time. However, I have no doubts that if you are very determined and focused you can learn it well in a short amount of time, and show us proof that you are an asset to the company. The initial $500 may only last a few weeks; it all depends on you! As discussed, the first week is a trial period and is unpaid. For you, this is an opportunity to try out the job and see if it meets your expectations, and if it is something that you would enjoy. Office hours are 9:30-6, Monday through Thursday and 9:30-1:30 on Friday. On Sunday you would be here from 11-1.
Can you please speak about work-life balance and company culture?
Company culture is a bit of a broad question, but I can tell you as follows: our team of agents are all hard workers and high achievers. This means being in the office every day that we're open, taking calls at home in emergencies, and in general doing everything necessary to keep the business running smoothly. However, it is not a take home job, meaning you are not required to work from home after hours. In general the management is very understanding of personal needs. For example, if you need to schedule an appointment, of course it is best to schedule it after hours. If however this is unavoidable, of course you would be able to leave work to go to an appointment. Everyone has lives outside of work that they need to attend to.
Are there any benefits packages working at your company?
The greatest benefits that our office offers is the environment and the worker-manger relationship. It is a small office and everyone operates individually as a part of a larger team. In regards to concrete benefits, the boss is here to negotiate with his workers so that he is happy with them, but more importantly, they are happy with him. This means that if certain hours really don't work for you and it is a deal breaker, then an alternative can be discussed. After the initial beginning, where a worker is largely learning the nuances of our specific business, many things can be open to discussion, such as salary (as previously discussed) and even hours. Another bonus is overtime payment. The accountant in charge of payroll keeps careful track of overtime and adjusts payment accordingly.