undervalued!

RE: undervalued!

Sophie Millar — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 10:37:15 GMT

[quote user="Selena "]Interesting as I enquired about a job through Purosearch, and was told they wouldn't be interested as I was basically over qualified and would not want to pay a higher wage so the application went no further.[/quote]

First of all congratulations on your new position Selena I hope it is everything you were looking for however I haven't got your details as an applicant on my system only as a contact where you were a head nurse at your old job It won't have been myself who you spoke to however I am the sole Veterinary Nurse consultant at Purosearch now. In any case again, congrats you clearly impressed them in your interview

RE: undervalued!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 21:23:53 GMT

[quote user="Selena "]

I know my previous place is struggling to find anyone to replace me, due to new qualifiers wanting more than what their head nurse is paid.

[/quote]

I had this a few years back at a previous practice - person being interviewed ,newly qualified wanted a wage of 17.5 - 18k. I was one of the people doing the interview and as HN with at that time nearly 20yrs experience I was only on 13.5k

RE: undervalued!

Selena Carnell — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 21:15:07 GMT

Interesting as I enquired about a job through Purosearch, and was told they wouldn't be interested as I was basically over qualified and would not want to pay a higher wage so the application went no further. I then applied through another agency and got an interview and got the job. Striving for a higher wage will often hinder the smaller independent practices who actually can't afford to pay a higher amount. I know my previous place is struggling to find anyone to replace me, due to new qualifiers wanting more than what their head nurse is paid.

RE: undervalued!

Scottywildcat — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 17:58:11 GMT

Job happiness and feeling fulfilled has always been more important to me than the wages, my last practice I worked in I was very well paid for a VCA, the same as some qualified nurses get, but I was treated like a total dogsbody, one of the vets I worked with was determined to try and undermine my confidence at every opportunity, I had reception staff and other lay staff trying to do my job and generally I was very unhappy. Practice I worked in before that I would have stayed there forever as I absolutely loved it, it was a one vet rural practice and I had full nursing responsibilites and my boss treated me like an equal. But the pay was minimum and the hours part time so I couldnt afford to stay in the job when I split up with my partner. But had I been paid enough even just to get by on Id still be in that practice now. Its a job that we do for the love of animals, for the rewarding feeling of making a difference and just even to have a job where no two days are the same. Yes the pay is low but the other rewards are so much greater, in my opinion. There are some people out there earning a lot more but they are so bored and hate their jobs, they only work to enjoy their lives outside of it, I never want to be like that.

RE: undervalued!

Sophie Millar — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 11:08:03 GMT

Do you know what Sal I completely agree with you! If you are happy where you are that is the most important thing, I was just referring to the original post where the word under valued was used and I think that refers to more than just the money!

Believe it or not I absolutely love my job and the people I work with and I wouldn't go anywhere else even for double my wage I know exactly what you mean

RE: undervalued!

Sal the 1st — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 11:00:40 GMT

[quote user="Sophie Millar"]

I honestly can't believe the wages you all speak of as acceptable. I don't ever accept less than £20,000 for anyone with over a year post qualification!

I placed a head nurse not too long ago on a £30,000 salary! I know it's sometimes daunting to make the move but I promise you, you could all achieve a significant pay rise if you took the leap and had some help negotiating with employers

[/quote]

which is fine but not everybody works that way. And I realise you have to make a living placing people and your living is dependent on your 'cut' for making a placement so the better their salary the better your cut ( and I'm not being nasty its just the way of the world - I have been placed through an agency before). I know I can get more working somewhere else - could do it tomorrow if I really wanted, but I would rather work somewhere where I am happy most of the time than somewhere with a high staff turnover miserable faces and a stress level that would take the top off a nuclear reactor. It really depends on what people want - to some the higher wage is of a higher priority to happiness and to some of us its the other way round. It doesn't mean we lack ambition it just means we are, at that particular time, happy with what we have. Some people hit it lucky and get a fantastic wage AND work in really nice practices - but that really doesn't happen very often.

Sometimes it isn't just the money that makes you feel appreciated and valued

RE: undervalued!

Sophie Millar — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 10:16:51 GMT

I honestly can't believe the wages you all speak of as acceptable. I don't ever accept less than £20,000 for anyone with over a year post qualification!

RE: undervalued!

Sal the 1st — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 10:11:41 GMT

my first full time pay was £32.50 (which at the time was 2.50 less than unemployment benefit -and out of that we had to pay rent back to the boss for the flat !) How times change

The job has its moments - but I would miss it if I didn't do it, I know I tried it once it was horrible

RE: undervalued!

Tania Ford — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 09:52:51 GMT

I have to say that i agree with everyone. As a profession we are very underpaid and under valued most of the time. I have to say that, for me, being a veterinary nurse has always been a vocation, not just another job and i went into it with my eyes wide open to what i was going to be paid. If you want to be paid a para professional salary, then im afraid veterinary nursing will never be for you. On the plus side, salary's have increased quite a lot over the years and probably due to the lack of qualified nurses out there, it is likely to continue increasing - either that or we will fall back to the 1980's when probably 95% of nurses were not qualified! My first full time salary was only 60 pound a week, but i was just happy doing something i loved even though i knew i would never earn enough to buy a house etc and still feel the same about my job. There are good days and bad days, but i would never want to do anything else x

RE: undervalued!

kerryfeehan — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 19:41:19 GMT

From what I have witnessed, sometimes the longer you stay in one place the more you get over looked. My previous practice would have nurses leave due to a low wage and it would take ages to replace them and when they did, they ended up paying the new employee more than the previous one! Even though they were both the same in terms of experience! Complete madness! I had been unhappy in my previous practice for a while and chose my new employer based more on 'quality of life' than money (although the wage is higher than my previous one...not difficult to beat 16k a year for full time!!!!!). This job never will pay anything extraordinary but it is a job I generally enjoy.

RE: undervalued!

Selena Carnell — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 17:08:42 GMT

I have a job I like and feel proud to do, I knew fully well when i went in to the profession that the wages were bad, in 1995 as a new trainee I was on £5200 per annum!? I know I will never earn loads, my hubby earns twice what I do, and does always enjoy it. I tried to change career and applied for over 30 unrelated jobs but with skills i have, but because all my cv is full of Veterinary nurse work, I didn't receive a single interview.. except for pet shop work... but I was 'too experienced' Some of the new grad vets i know barely earn £22k so theres no change of me catching up anytime soon. Also depends on where you are based and they type of practice you are in. One day i might move in to management... but i thin it will be a long wait!

RE: undervalued!

Sal the 1st — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 16:57:56 GMT

[quote user="Selena (Hypnorm) Carnell VN"]

I actually think the job isn't that badly paid. I'm on 18,500 pa. if it went in to any other job i would end up starting at the bottom again and earning minimum wage. i've looked in to it.

[/quote]

I agree with you - there are people earning a lot less and having to work sometimes a lot harder to get it and doing jobs they really dont like

RE: undervalued!

Selena Carnell — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 16:54:19 GMT

I actually think the job isn't that badly paid. I'm on 18,500 pa. if it went in to any other job i would end up starting at the bottom again and earning minimum wage. i've looked in to it.

RE: undervalued!

Sal the 1st — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 13:30:30 GMT

I don't hold a lot of faith in the salary surveys. I gave up worrying a long time ago about what everybody else was earning, comparable job or not - all it does it make you miserable. I could easily wind myself up being paid the same rate as two VCAs and being qualified nearly 20yrs but the job is what it is, it pays the bills and gives me enough to live on. I like working where I am working (most of the time) - if that was to change then I quite simply change jobs.

RE: undervalued!

nikki.mits — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 11:59:19 GMT

Hi there

I am afraid I am in the same position with regards to leaving the profession. When I was locuming for a big corporate 3 years ago, I found out that I was on only 50p more per hour than another ''locum'' who was far less experienced and unqualified.

I like my job but to be honest im over fighting to be regarded the same as other medical professions. I know this probably sounds whiney and like im giving up, but to be honest I could be a PA and earn double what I am now. I would miss the animals but its such a tiring situation.

RE: undervalued!

Kate Dutton — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 10:54:51 GMT

I've found it varies hugely from practice to practice - even within the same region. If you like your current position is it worth trying to speak to your managers about a pay rise? It might be worth looking around too - even if you don't want to move it gives you ideas of options you have available, and what other places can provide and expect of you in return. I always use the BVNA salary survey as a guide.