Latest news with #TammieChristofisBallis
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Top recruiter slams young workers over their unrealistic salary expectations
A top job recruiter has dished out some blunt advice for young Aussie graduates complaining about their lower-than-expected salaries. Tammie Christofis Ballis, a career coach at Realistic Careers has noticed a rise in university leavers disillusioned with their job offers. She has heard salary grumbles from those on a $65,000-$100,000 pay packet in their first job straight out of uni. Ms Ballis acknowledged that the current jobs market is tough but believes graduates need to be cut down to size. 'I get a lot of uni grads that are whinging that their wages are really low,' she said in a recent video shared on TikTok. 'And, if that's you, I want you to understand that you're at the beginning of your career. You haven't got any experience or anything to offer. 'You are on those low wages because you are getting trained for your profession.' The recruiter offered graduates a different perspective. 'I know it's tough, but you're on the way,' Ms Ballis said. 'You've (got) a job – so many other grads can't get jobs at the moment. 'So you've got your foot in the door, you can start now by learning as much as you can and then going to the next job to get a better pay ... so don't beat yourself up.' However, some viewers didn't agree with her blunt advice and said it's fair for them to complain after slogging their way through uni. 'They have every single right to do so because it's the truth,' one man said 'Twenty-five years ago, as a grad, my wage was high enough to service a home loan and during uni I was able to save enough for a deposit with my part-time job. 'That is not achievable today.' Another added: 'But they still need to pay housing food utilities? And wages can't cover the cost of living, that's why they're upset about being underpaid. 'They can't work to survive, let alone live.' A woman wrote: 'I understand what you're saying but honestly the degree is meant to be the training component. 'It's a kick in the guts you do 4 years then it's another 2 years on top of that until you're 5 years in deep.' Ms Ballis said not all industries were the same, but feared students had come to expect a 'rich lifestyle' after tertiary education. 'It's not for all industries. Kids get sucked into marketing and the cultural norm of having a high-paying rich life from going to Uni when in reality it's not like that (and) never was.' Ms Ballis previously told Daily Mail Australia 'when there's a financial crisis there are recruitment freezes.' 'And anyone who leaves, they won't replace and we are seeing this at the moment.' The he cost of living crisis has made people look for higher-paid positions and second and third jobs to get by, making the employment market even more cut-throat. 'The more entry-level the job, the higher the applications,' she said. 'We normally see about 100 people wanting a job but now it is up to 500 people.'
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Recruiter's message to university graduates ‘whinging' about salaries
A well-known recruiter has offered some blunt advice to young Aussies who are feeling disillusioned with the job offers they are receiving straight out of university. Tammie Christofis Ballis, specialist recruiter and career coach at Realistic Careers, has gained a following online by providing practical advice to young professionals. In a recent video to TikTok, Ms Ballis revealed she has noticed a rise in people complaining about the salaries they are being offered after obtaining a university degree. 'I get a lot of uni grads that are whinging that their wages are really low,' she said. 'And, if that's you, I want you to understand that you're at the beginning of your career. You haven't got any experience or anything to offer. 'You are on those low wages because you are getting trained for your profession.' The Sydney-based recruiter said, while she understands it is tough, getting a job in this market is an achievement in itself, as there are many graduates who are struggling to even get a foot in the door. Speaking to Ms Ballis said she has heard graduates complaining about salaries anywhere from $65,000 up to $100,000. She believes many graduates are simply 'not prepared' when they enter the workforce as there is a 'misconception' that they will be earning a massive salary purely for completing a university degree. 'But that is not the case,' Ms Ballis said. 'They are literally starting from the bottom as they have no work experience. They don't understand that employers pay for expertise and experience and graduates don't have that yet.' The recruiter's video instantly struck a nerve with some people, with many rushing to the comment section to defend their salary views. One commenter claimed all graduates want is the same amount their parents and Baby Boomers were given, 'real wages, not p*ss poor excuses like this'. Another claimed that the degree is meant to be 'the training component', adding it is a 'kick in the guts' to get into the workforce and realise you still need more experience to secure the salary you want. 'But they still need to pay housing food utilities? And wages can't cover the cost of living, that's why they're upset about being underpaid. They can't work to survive, let alone live,' another claimed. One added: 'They definitively lied to us when they were getting us to enrol.' However, there were those who agreed with Ms Ballis' assessment, sharing their own experiences of when they first entered the workforce. 'My entry level job was $58k and now I've gone up by $20k in two years, I used to be so sad about it but your right! And it has gone up with my experience,' one person wrote. Another said: 'What baffles me is I hear people whinging over $75k being 'low' and like while it's low in your profession, $37 an hour is not low in the real world.' Alongside the rising cost of living, Ms Ballis believes seeing other graduates complaining on social media and misconceptions around university degrees are contributing to young people being disappointed with their compensation. 'I also believe they're being sold a dream at university that isn't true. The tutors and lecturers aren't preparing them for the real world in the workforce,' she said. 'University isn't the key to a successful, high paying and easy life. You have to put the work in even if you have a degree.' Ms Ballis believes younger people should get experience in the workforce before deciding whether they want to go to university. 'Going to university first often means they have a rude awakening in the job market and many don't end up using their degrees anyway,' she said. The recruiter noted that some industries are harder than others for graduates to break into at the moment. Those with business and commerce degrees may be finding it more difficult, with Ms Ballis saying there are many businesses that are opting to hire experienced staff over graduates as they don't have the money or capacity to train younger employees right now. In her opinion, there has also been a shift in the way younger generations approach work, claiming they are more focused on work-life balance and don't want to put in the extra hours to learn. 'The ones who go above and beyond will go far,' Ms Ballis said.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dire warning over Aussie Gen Z work trend: 'Very dangerous'
Some frustrated Australians are quitting their jobs without a backup plan and experts have issued a warning to workers about the potentially "dangerous" trend. Sydney woman Theresa Tran, 25, told Yahoo Finance she left her marketing job last year after just three months to protect her mental health. Randstad research revealed that Gen Z is driving this movement as 49 per cent jumped ship without another role lined up, compared to the national average of 39 per cent. But recruiter Tammie Christofis Ballis has raised an alarm over doing this at the moment. "It's very dangerous... the job market is really tough in 2025," she said. Gen Z workers quitting jobs with no back up as managers warned Baby Boomer trend is over Intimidating salary now needed to afford a home in Australia British expat reveals cost-of-living 'shock' after arriving in Australia: 'Almost double' "It might get better after the election, it might get better after the financial year, we don't know. "[But] if you're leaving a job without another one to go to, it's going to be incredibly hard to get another one quickly [and] you might find yourself unemployed for longer."Despite the cost of living increasing the financial burden of many essentials, some workers have decided to prioritise their wellbeing over their income. Indeed recently found job stress and burnout were the number one concerns for 21 per cent of employees. This came above a lack of job stability or security (17 per cent) and not having a competitive salary or receiving a pay rise (15 per cent). Similarly, Randstad found a huge shift in priorities for workers. Salary was the biggest work-related issue for 93 per cent of respondents in the recruitment agency's survey. But when they did the research again this year, they found wages had plummeted to 79 per cent, and work-life balance had overtaken it at 83 per cent. This switch-up is being driven but a change in the way the youngest workers view their jobs compared to Baby Boomers and Gen X. "They are more likely to be looking to change careers, simply because work is not their be-all and end-all," Jo Jakobs, director of professional talent at Randstad, told Yahoo Finance. "It's not their sole purpose. Their life and the things that are important to them are probably more balanced." Tran said her marketing job definitely wasn't a 9-5 gig for her. 'On the weekends, I wasn't able to switch off. I was constantly stressed,' she told Yahoo Finance. 'I couldn't commit to social events because I wasn't sure what my mental state would be like.' While she tried to push through it, she quickly realised that pulling long hours was just part of the job. She eventually quit and started her own small business creating wedding content before landing another marketing role a few months later. The 25-year-old said it had been a game-changer. 'I finish work and I'm able to switch off and really focus on my personal life or my side business. The company I work at now are super supportive," she said. Another worker who spoke to Yahoo Finance on the condition of anonymity was only two weeks into her Sydney office coordinator job when she knew she had to quit. That was despite living in the most expensive country to rent in — alone. "Your job is meant to only be your job," she said. "When it gets to the point where it's something you're bringing home and you're dreading every single day, I feel like decisions to leave a role without having anything lined up and not made lightly." There are many factors affecting the job market in Australia, but one of the biggest is the economy. If times are tough, consumer spending might be down, which means businesses might not be getting the same amount of revenue they used to enjoy. If revenue is down, they might be forced to cut jobs or install a hiring freeze. With fewer jobs around, it means there is increased competition for every role that gets advertised. This is why some people are spending months or even years trying to find a new job, which is why Ballis said quitting without a backup could plunge you into a situation worse than stress or burnout. Trimmed inflation has slowly been brought back under control at 2.9 per cent, and the Reserve Bank of Australia has cut interest rates once this year, and is highly tipped to go again this month. But there is still global uncertainty due to the US tariff policy and how that might play out for the rest of the in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Young Aussies risk ‘blacklist' as more commit unprofessional work act
Gen Z have been told to pick up the phone and be honest about their situation as a new trend has emerged in the job market. Some young workers feel they've been ghosted when they've applied for jobs and, in a bid to even the playing field, they're doing a bit of ghosting themselves. The act of 'career catfishing' has been described as securing a job, signing a contract, but not showing up for your start date as you got another job. Essentially, workers aren't calling the initial job to advise they won't be taking the job. Recruitment expert Tammie Christofis Ballis told Yahoo Finance there was a reason more younger workers were 'career carfishing'. "It's a Millennial thing, it's a Gen Z thing — they're scared to get on the phone,' she said. RELATED Gen Z worker quits corporate job with no back up in growing trend: 'Not worth it' Rare 20 cent coin worth 400 times more: 'One to hold onto' Telstra slapped with $600,000 fine over 10 million texts sent to Aussies: 'We're sorry' A recent survey found that 34 per cent of Gen Z jobseekers admitted to accepting a job offer but not turning up on their first day. Matt Loop, vice president of HR company Rippling, told Yahoo Finance Gen Z workers are trying to "reclaim control in the hiring process". "Many young candidates have experienced ghosting from employers - job postings that aren't actually real or hiring managers who go silent after multiple interviews - so this trend can be viewed as a kind of tit-for-tat response," he said. Loop explained that many business leaders he's spoken to now have career catfishing on their radars and will be looking out for early warning signs a candidate might bail at the 11th hour. He said if it gets worse, it could impact the generation as a whole."Employers who invest time and money in recruiting and onboarding new hires, only for that person to never show up, are then impacted by disrupted teams and wasted resources. It could even lead them to be more wary of future candidates," he said. Ghosting has become a big issue amongst jobseekers, some of whom feel like they're left in the dark as they progress through the hiring process. They might do an interview and not from the company for weeks, unsure if the process has simply taken time or if they've found a better candidate. Leaving potential employers in the lurch could seriously impact your professional reputation, Ballis said. "Don't leave a bad taste in their mouth," she told Yahoo Finance. "You might go back to them in a couple of years, or you might find another opportunity and all of the stuff will be logged in the recruitment platform. "If you ghost, you become a red flag, or you get blacklisted." The recruitment expert said bosses won't hold back with others if they hear you're going for a job with them down the line. "If you're going from company to company in Australia, our specialties or our niche industries are very incestuous," she said. "Everybody knows everyone, and it's so common for people to have off-the-record conversations." If a worker happened to land a better job, Ballis urged them to put their concerns aside and make the call. "Just pick up the phone and say, 'Look, I'm so sorry. Thank you so much for your time. However, I've been offered another position, and I've decided to go with that one, as it's a better fit. I really appreciate all the time it took to recruit me. I hope you find someone soon'. That's all you have to say," she said. Research from Commonwealth Bank found Gen Z have an aversion to phone calls. Close to 60 per cent admitted they 'dreaded' making or accepting a call 'even if it's necessary', while a similar number claimed the task gave them anxiety. The data discovered four in 10 would 'ghost' someone to avoid having a tough conversation over the phone - something that wouldn't fly in a work setting - and 87 per cent would prefer to deal with an unpleasant conversation via text. Ballis said that if you absolutely cannot call an employer and tell them you're not coming, at least flick them an in to access your portfolio
