Working Moms

1 month into new job, VENT and insight needed.

I started the new job at the fancy salon, and I can't tell if I like it or hate it. 

I've been doing hair for 10 years, and at one point was an educator or a major chain of salons. 

The new place seemed great at first! I could take my clients there (i was formerly self employed), regular-ish schedule, fun coworkers, insurance, 401k, etc. Then I got my first paycheck for a 2 week period.  

When I was working for myself, I could bring in anywhere between $200-$1200, average per month being $2000, and I was only working 3 days a week. Now, I'm working 5 days a week and making $591/every 2 weeks.

The insurance hasn't kicked in yet, neither has 401k. Those will also come out of the paycheck. And I miss DD like crazy. 

They won't let me take "their" clients yet, saying that I need more training to do so, and an estimated date for that would be December 31st. They say then they would start me only salary. But I have to wonder if it's all worth it.

If I spend this much time and effort trying to get to "their level" of hair, to do "their" clients, and the salary still sucks, I'll feel like I've wasted my time. I can't be a SAHM (even though i really really really want to), because DD gets bored and I'd feel like I'm not contributing fincially. 

I know that no one can tell me the future, but will you tell me WWYD? 
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Re: 1 month into new job, VENT and insight needed.

  • edited August 2013
    So your salary - taxes = $295.5 per week? So that's $7.39/hr if you're working 40 hrs/week? That sounds like minimum wage, well a little bit more since that's your post-tax rate.

    When your benefits finally kick in, they'll get deducted from the salary you're earning now? Will your rate go up once you complete the training? Is that in writing? What's the salary rate?

    Would it be against your contract to continue seeing clients on the side? If you need the benefits, then maybe work 32 hrs/wk at the salon and keep Fridays for your other clients who you'll get paid cash for. 

    If I didn't need the benefits (if my partner had insurance), I don't think I'd be able to keep that kind of job. (Edited) My childcare costs $53/day and if I'm only making $7.39/hr, then my take home is $6.12/day, which doesn't even cover the metro fair to get to work. Maybe it would be worth it in the short term depending on the salary at the end and the likelihood that I would actually get that salaried position. 
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  • Ya. Agree with PP. That's a minimum wage job, nevermind when they start deducting for your benefits. I think I would explore your contract and see if you can still have something on the side. I would also want a clear answer on when you can start taking their clients. I would also want to know how much you would make at that point exactly. After knowing these things you can probably make a better decision either way.

    "No one will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside." -Unknown

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  • He said his job may be offering insurance soon, but he doesn't know when. 

    As far as when the salary would kick in, they say it's up to me, and I could start taking their clients as soon as training is done, which is up to me (it includes doing certain haircuts, then presenting them runway style, but they can't tell me which ones that need to be done, how to do them, or a projected date).

    And they won't talk numbers with me until the training is complete, (which is up to me?). 

    It's all very confusing and frustrating. And I have to work the certain hours (tues-saturday, tues and thurs being there until 9pm, in which i have to make special arrangements for DD). So I could technically do hair on sunday and monday at my house, but that takes further time away from DD. She's already frustrated with it all too, and is very cranky and clingy when i'm finally home. it breaks my heart every time :(
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  • I feel like it doesnt sound worth it for the money, when you could be pocketing cash by doing this on ur own time/at ur house or something. the only thing that sounds like its worth it is the insurance (which i think you said you need, correct?) if you dont.....i would just leave and do my own thing out of my hosue where i can be with dd more, and work my own hours.
  • I'd sit down and say you need a clear plan for training.

    You don't even know what cuts you need to do? Not okay.

    Did you shift here for the benefits? Is there another way to get benefits? Perhaps buy in with other small business owners?


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  • edited August 2013
    Sounds kinda shady. I mean, it's great that they let you self-pace the "training" but if they won't tell you what the benchmarks are, how are you supposed to meet them? If they won't give you at least a ballpark of what the "salary" finally will be when training is complete, then how can you assess whether it's worth it?

    Sounds like you need the benefits, so I'd keep it for the time being but (1) submit a plan to your current employer for when you'll complete the training and ask for their feedback and approval (2) continue to look elsewhere - maybe just being a receptionist at a simple office would give you the benefits you need but have more reasonable hours so you can be home in time to put your daughter to bed each night? (3) Look into the possibility of getting insurance elsewhere so you can go back to your solo practice. 
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  • Agreed w/ cecillyandgautam.... It does seem odd. Why can't they tell you which haircuts they want to see you complete successfully? That doesn't make any sense.

    "No one will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside." -Unknown

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  • I don't understand why you didn't know how much you were going to be taking home before you started...Fine that you're in a "trial period" and your true salary will be discussed when that's complete, but no conversation about your take home in the mean time, or what you can expect once you complete training?  Shady.
  • Yeah, none. Even when asked directly, they seem to skirt around it. 

    I spoke to my former salon, and they said I could come back and work part time. I would once again be self-employeed, which means no benefits, but with the extra money I make by not giving it to an employer, I could afford private insurance for her. I'd basically make the same after paying for it, but only working 3-4 days a week, I would save money on daycare. 

    Also, when current employer comes back into town tomorrow, I'll speak with him and let him know. Hopefully he's curtious enough to give me the names of my clients that have prebooked and I can contact them (although that's not common practice).


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