Latest news with #Getahead
Sky News AU
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Sky News AU
'Double pay, fake job': Traffic controllers in Australia lift the lid on their salaries - with some earning hundred of thousands a year to 'bludge' their way to financial freedom
Traffic controllers in Australia have revealed their extraordinary salaries for turning a stop sign, with some raking in as much as $200,000 a year to "bludge" their way to a comfortable living. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, 16,100 lollipop men and women are employed to ensure "the safety of emergency response teams, construction workers and the general public" by directing road and pedestrian traffic around construction, accidents or road disruptions. However, real-life traffic controllers say this is just a glossed-up job description. One worker from Logan, Brisbane, said the role requires little more than a two-day course followed by very easy work. "I make about $35 an hour. If anyone wants a sort of bludge job where you don't have to do much, traffic control is definitely the way to go," the man told Getahead app in a recent TikTok video. "You literally get paid to stand here. There are definitely worse gigs out there. "I'm a real estate agent by trade, so I just do this to pay bills." The young man said traffic controllers usually pick up shifts the night before, with the option to decline, adding: "It's basically freelance" work. A female traffic controller from Brisbane in a separate video said she earns "between $140,000 to $200,000 a year". The lollipop lady said her earnings are boosted by "really good" penalty rates and loadings, deserved due to the "high risk" nature of the role. She said she faces the challenge of the "ignorance of the public's awareness of traffic control" with another worker in the comments backing this up, saying they've even come close to death on the job. "I've been a traffic controller for two years while studying, and even on 12- to 16-hour days, the most I've made in a financial year is $88,000. The abuse and almost getting hit multiple times a day," they said. The risk isn't universal, according to Irish expat Ruth Birch who was stationed at a quiet footpath where she got "paid to be bored". "All I have to do is let people know that they can walk on this footpath through the little barriers," Ruth said of the "double pay fake job". "It's supposed to be 35 degrees today, and I am going to be standing there getting a tan." Another young female traffic controller, Nyah, took to TikTok in her high-vis gear to reveal that she earns $2,700 per week for 72 hours. Nevertheless, people in the comments said this isn't a lot of money to earn for working 12-hour shifts six days a week. "I would think you'd be getting paid more for 12-hour shifts," one bemused person wrote. "$33 average an hour seems a little low, they don't go time and a half after 10hours?" The discrepancy in earnings from each worker arises as salaries vary depending on whether the company is a CFMEU or a local one. The trade union pays some traffic controllers on Victoria's Big Build project $206,000 a year, based on a six-day, 56-hour work week. Private company salaries can range from $55,000 to $75,000 annually, with some companies offering hourly rates from $30, according to SEEK. The union salary of $49 per hour doubles to $98 per hour for 16 hours of double time, excluding a travel allowance of $315, a meal allowance of $ 186 for overtime, and a site allowance of $280 for mega projects. Former Victorian-Tasmanian division secretary John Setka last year told 3AW he finds it "insulting that traffic controllers get such a bad rap." "I mean, their job is so dangerous. There has been a number of them killed," he said. "The risk of serious injury. They're protecting the public. They're protecting the construction workers. "I mean, when it's raining torrential rain, and there's a concrete pour on they can't just say, 'Well, I'm gonna get up and I'm not standing there'. "They've got to stay there right till the end."
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aussie who got job ‘on the spot' reveals how he's now earning $400,000 a year
A Sydney real estate agent claims he is earning $400,000 a year after being in the industry for more than a decade. The man's salary is on par with some of the country's highest earners, including jobs like surgeons and anaesthetists. The man was stopped on the boardwalk at Bondi Beach by Getahead, a jobs app that has gone viral online for quizzing people about their jobs and salaries. The man shared he started his real estate career 11 years ago. 'I just went straight into sales. I got a random open day invite to this real estate agency and just got the job on the spot,' he said. RELATED Young Aussie earning $300,000 a year in job reveals reality of 'mind-boggling' salary $105,000 superannuation warning over growing 'mini-retirement' trend Aussie tradie loses $110,000 house deposit due to small detail The man said it took him "about five years" to start making really good money in real estate. While he said he was now earning about $400,000 a year, average real estate agent salaries are much lower. Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data revealed the average real estate sales agent earned $100,531 per year in the 2022-23 income year, while the median income was $69,157. That's based on the 76,292 people working in the job. Male real estate agents earned higher salaries, on average, at $129,743 per year, while females earned $78,817 on average. Real estate agent commissions are typically a percentage of the property's sale price and are negotiable. The man said the most expensive house he had sold was $35 million last year. 'One of my ultimate goals is to sell a house over $100 million,' he said. While the industry can be a lucrative one, it does involve long hours. The man shared he was working from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays showing open homes. He only gets Sundays off. Sunshine Coast real estate agent Ethan Forbes recently shared he was earning $300,000 a year and had been in the job for just two years. Forbes said he worked 12-hour days, six to seven days a week, for the first year of his career to try and make it. Last financial year, he said he brought more than $500,000 in gross commission income, which he splits with his agency LJ Hooker. The Sydney real estate agent said his best advice for people starting off in the industry was to surround yourself with the right people. 'Try to wiggle your way into a very high-performing team. If you surround yourself with like-minded people, you can get into better doors and bigger doors,' he said. At $400,000 a year, the man's salary is nearly as high as some of the highest-paying jobs in the country. The ATO recently revealed the top-paying jobs in Australia, based on the tax return data of millions of people from the 2022-23 income year. Surgeons topped the list with an average salary of $472,475 a year, followed by anaesthetists at $447,193. Financial deals rounded out the top three with an income of $355,233 per year on in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Must be cool': Aussie bloke reveals jaw-dropping salary
An Aussie bloke has revealed the staggering wage he takes home from working as a supervisor in the mines. The app Getahead, which works like Tinder but matches people with careers instead of romantic partners, runs an incredibly successful series on TikTok, where they stop and ask everyday Aussies about their salaries. Recently a man was stopped in Brisbane and explained he was taking home $250,000 working as a supervisor in the mines. 'I was fortunate to go to school and live up North Queensland. I was kind of in the region and played footy for the right people and that was my way in,' he said. 'I became a truck driver and I worked my way up in the mines for 16 years.' According to job search platform SEEK, the average wage for someone working in the mining industry is between $120,000 and $140,000. The man said it took him roughly eight years to work up to becoming a supervisor and he works fly in and fly out. 'You miss a lot of things, you also gain a lot of things, because you only work half the year. 7 on and 7 off is my roster' he said. The man argued that if he moved and worked in a major city like Brisbane, yes, he'd never be away from his family, but he wouldn't get the same amount of time off. 'To come down here and earn what I'm on now and I'd have to work in a high management role and work twice as hard for less money,' he said. The Aussie bloke also mentioned that when he's working away, everything is provided for him, including food, accommodation, and gym access. Online people were pretty stumped by his massive salary, to the point that some Aussies were even in disbelief. Someone said it 'must be cool' to earn that because their brother-in-law does a similar job but isn't earning that much, and another said that the man's $250k salary 'seems like a lot' for just a supervisor position. Others debated the pros and cons of working away from home, but someone argued that it is a 'family friendly roster' because of the time you get at home. While another argued that they find themselves 'saving a lot more' when they're working fly in and fly out, but added that everyone's experience would be different. Someone else pointed out that you get more 'quality time at home' than the average 9-to-5er that doesn't have to travel. Someone else defended the man's salary and pointed out that the $250k number probably includes 'leave entitlements, superannuation and other benefits like shares or bonuses' and said the money is 'typical' for that position.
News.com.au
02-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Two years in the making': 24-year-old real estate agent earning $300,000 reveals the hustle behind the success
A young and determined real estate agent has revealed the rigorous hustle he puts in to earn $300,000 a year. Ethan Forbes, 24, lives in Queensland. He starts his days at 5.30am and there's no limit to how long he'll work. He has completed sales as late as 10.30pm at night because he is committed to his clients and works purely on commission. If he doesn't make a sale, that means he doesn't earn any money, but he likes the setup as it drives him and keeps him accountable. The hustle is intense, but Mr Forbes has never been afraid of hard work. When he was 22 years old he started a lawn mowing business and, through that, he worked closely with real estate agents, getting lawns up to scratch. He met an agent with whom he really connected and also couldn't help admiring how he had a nice car, a nice watch, and a nice house while still being in his twenties. 'I got attracted to it for the wrong reasons, but as soon as I got into it, I realised how many hours you have to work to make it work,' he said. 'I've stayed in it for the right reasons.' Mr Forbes doesn't turn his phone off; he's available to clients 24/7, and he works at least six days a week, always hustling. He has made a name for himself in the area he sells in, but now he has gone viral. He was recently stopped in the street by Getahead, an app that matches people with jobs, and asked his salary, to which he revealed he was earning roughly $300,000 a year. Mr Forbes' salary admission spawned quite a bit of negativity, with people not impressed to learn that real estate agents can earn that much. 'You realise the industry is cooked when someone can walk into a job for $300k with a three day course,' one said. 'The hate in here is wild,' another remarked. 'He is absolutely not making that much,' someone else claimed. Mr Forbes remains unbothered, telling that he cleared $300,000, but made over $500,000 pre-tax. 'The income is insane and I'm extremely grateful for it but it isn't easy money. It is easy to get into the industry and not easy to stay,' he said. The 24-year-old explained currently trying to focus on working less, as he has been so committed to the grind for the last two years. He also wanted to make it clear that he loves what he does, he likes that his job involves him forming 'deep connections' with people and helping them achieve their goals. 'You're working with them so intensely. You list a house, then there's a settlement that can be 90 days, and you've got to sell it,' he said. 'I can work with clients for up to eight months and it is almost hard to say goodbye to them when the deal is done.' Mr Forbes pointed out that, when he works with clients, he can speak to them every day, sometimes for months on end. He is also attracted to the marketing side of the business. When he started it was a tough slog and he relied on self-promotion. 'I didn't earn anything for the first six months. When you are new no one has ever heard of you,' he said. 'No wants to give their house sale to a 22-year-old who doesn't even own a house himself.' Mr Forbes had to, quite literally, knock on doors to get ahead. His first client was an elderly man who had been struggling to sell his house for over six months. Business wasn't coming to him so the young real estate agent went to the man's house, knocked on his door and told him he could sell the house for him. He did that consistently for eight weeks until the man agreed to let him give it a crack because the house wasn't selling. 'It had been six months, and we sold it within three weeks. Obviously, I was bringing a lot of energy because I was brand new, and I was like, 'I'm going to make this work',' he said. Once Mr Forbes got that first sale done and dusted he was pretty much off to the races and hasn't looked back. Mr Forbes believes that part of his success is due to his honesty and being transparent with people. He reckons dodgy agents don't last anymore and he prides himself on always finding ways to be more open with people during the selling process. Recently, he decided not to list a house without a price guide because he feels it is misleading to both buyers and sellers. 'It is frustrating when there's no price on the listing and I made the decision about a month ago to list every property with a price,' he said. In the now rare cases where he hasn't listed a price for a property, it is purely because he is unsure of the market. For instance, Mr Forbes might be selling a luxury home in a suburb that doesn't typically have luxury homes, - so it can be tough to know the market value. He claimed that some other agents use it to lure buyers into properties they cannot afford, either to get them to fall in love with the home or to obtain their details so they can contact them about other properties. Mr Forbes said the other reason some agents use do this is because they're not honest with their sellers and aren't prepared to tell them they won't get the price they're asking for. 'They aren't honest with their sellers from the get go and it is disgusting,' he said. Mr Forbes said that, even though he had never used it for these tactics, he wants to make the change because he prides himself in clear communication. Despite all the success, hustle, 5.30am starts, 10.30pm calls, and staggering salary, he still hasn't bought a home. In some ways, he believes it makes him a better agent, as he feels for first home buyers and knows how tough the market is, having not yet cracked it himself. 'I resonate with everyone,' he said. 'I still don't own a home and I'm still saving for a deposit. It is so hard.' Mr Forbes has a fair chunk in savings, but it is difficult because he is a business owner, not an employee. 'I have $200,000 in savings, however, it is tricky one, I'm a contractor, and my company owns that money,' he said. Getting a loan is tough when you're not just working as an employee and your income is huge, but comes in waves. For example, in December 2024, Mr Forbes brought in over $250,000 in sales and, from that, he took home $125,000 after covering overheads and taxes. But then, he didn't earn a cent from January to March this year. The 24-year-old explained that it takes time to sell a house, especially when you factor in the average settlement period of around 90 days. You also have to consider the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes until you finally get paid. He recently sold a house for a woman after the first inspection, for a price that exceeded her expectations. However, he'd been in contact with her and exploring the possibility of her selling for over two years. 'That was a quick one, but when you look at how long I'd been talking to that client for, it was two years in the making,' he said.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aussie earning $300,000 a year in job after completing three day course: ‘Pretty easy'
An Australian real estate agent has shared how he is earning nearly $300,000 a year after only being in the job for a relatively short time. The man said he only needed to complete a three-day course to get started. The Sunshine Coast man was stopped in the street and revealed he was in his second year on the job. The man said it was 'pretty easy' to get the qualifications needed to become a real estate agent. 'It's a six-month course or a three-day course, depending on which one you go with. I did mine in three days,' he told jobs app Getahead. 'The six-month course is a thing you do on your computer. The three-day course is just in with a person, and they basically give you the answers.' RELATED FIFO worker earning $250,000 reveals how Aussies with no experience can get into mining industry Mortgage warning over July RBA interest rate cut Centrelink age pension alert for Aussies travelling overseas According to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland, the minimum qualification you need in the state is a Real Estate Registration Certificate. With this qualification, you can work as a real estate agent under the supervision of a licensed agent. This can be done face-to-face through a three-day course or done self-paced with up to six months to complete. The man said he paid about $3,000 for the three-day course, while the longer courses could be cheaper at $500. The training required to become a real estate agent will vary from state to state, but you'll generally need to complete an approved real estate course, gain at least 12 months of full-time work experience, and then apply for your real estate agent's licence. While the real estate agent said it was a lucrative industry to be in at the moment, the job can involve long hours. He worked nearly non-stop during his first year, and he's only just been able to take a bit of time off. "[I earned] $291,000 in GIC [Gross Commission Income] so probably took home $130,000, but that was working six to seven days a week, 12-hour days, with no holidays,' he said. 'Literally right now I am on holidays for the first time in two years.' The man admitted he 'fell into' the real estate industry and joked he got into it for 'all the wrong reasons' after seeing a mate working in real estate who had 'the watch and the car'. He said the hardest parts of the job were dealing with client emotions and getting knocked back by people. 'You're the emotional sponge, you gotta take everything on and also talking to people that don't want to talk to you,' he said. 'It's prospecting. 80 per cent of it is, we're glorified telemarketers basically.' The average real estate agent salary can be difficult to pinpoint because it'll depend on the market, commission rate, and where you are selling. According to SEEK, the average salary for a real estate agent in Australia is between $75,000 and $95,000 a year. A significant portion of real estate earnings comes from commissions, which are usually calculated as a percentage of the final price of a property. Commission rates will vary, with noting the average rate for an agent can be between 2 and 4 per cent. The Sunshine Coast real estate agent, for example, said the most expensive property he had sold was $1.302 million. Based on average commission rates, that would translate to a commission of between $26,040 and $52,080 for the in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
