FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT If you’re asked in an interview which
team you bat for, whether you have kids, or big plans for your
reproductive bits any time soon, that’s not just awkward chit-chat,
it’s also illegal. “Our Anti-Discrimination Act states that a person
can’t be discriminated against for a job on the basis of age, race,
sexuality, parenthood status or any other thing that has nothing
to do with the actual tasks they’d be responsible for,” Keelia says.
“Legally, an employer isn’t allowed to ask about any of these things,
in relation to your application or your employment in general.” That
first interview can also help you suss out the vibe about a place, so
keep your eye out for any warning signs. Does your interviewer look
about as inspired as a steamed dim sim sitting in a switched-off
bain-marie? Do they use phrases like, “We work hard and play hard”?
(Translation: we’ll work the bejesus out of you, then shame you if you
don’t attend Friday night drinks and laugh at our jokes.) According
to Keelia, other flaming red flags include “dissing your predecessor
in the role, and wriggling out of answering questions about career
progression and professional development opportunities”.^
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY To be clear: payment means actual money.
As the world doesn’t subsist in a gift-based economy, it’s not OK for
the pub owner who’s hired you for an acoustic set to pay you in beer
and chicken parmas. You can’t pay your rent with a piece of golden
fried poultry, so don’t be shy – whether the pay rate is advertised or
not, ask before you apply. “There are pretty clear laws stating what
the minimum wage is; what the penalty rates are for weekends
and public holidays; and how much superannuation you should be
getting,” Keelia says. “If the boss tells you they can’t afford to pay
their staff the minimum award or penalty rates, that’s basically
them saying, ‘I’m going to steal a bit from you every single hour you
work for me. And on weekends, I’m going to steal a little bit more.’”
You could also ask your potential new boss whether they provide
pay slips. If not, chances are you’re off the books. “If you’re getting
cash in hand or a pay slip that doesn’t contain a breakdown of your
ordinary rate plus penalty rates, super and tax, they’re probably
not calculating any of those things,” Keelia explains.^CURIOUS ABOUT CULTURE Walking into a workplace with a culture
of extensive overtime, unchecked bullying or bigoted humour
could be as risky to your health and wellbeing as slips, trips and
physical hazards. It’s trickier to suss this out in advance – but
not impossible, Keelia says. “When you inquire about the job, just
ask straight up: ‘How would you describe the work culture here?
What do you value, as a team? What’s the expectation of unpaid
overtime, and do you encourage people to leave on time and take
breaks? Do you have policies on bullying and sexual harassment,
and can you give me an example of how you’ve put these into
practice?’” Chances are, if they’re not thoughtful and proactive
about setting a positive workplace culture, they won’t have much
to say about it. “Culture and values need to be articulated and
enforced, so find out if that’s happening.” If you’re offered a role but
want to suss out who you’ll be working with, you could organise to
go for a coffee or visit the office before you make a call. After all,
you’ll be spending a lot of time with these humans, and as current
employees, they can give you a (hopefully) honest account.^EXPLORING THE NEW DIGS You probably wouldn’t sign a lease
on a new home without at least checking out some pictures, so
why not take a look at the place you’ll be spending most of your
working week? “You’re entitled to know what the setup is, so askkeelia fitzpatrick from the young
workers centre helps us figure out
how not to get stuck in a shit job.
WORDSSUZI TAYLORnice work if
you can get it
real life