Salary advice for admin assistant

[MiamiExpat]

Hi all,

I was just got offered a job as a secretary with a small company - with six employees in total - based in Palermo. They were looking for a bilingual secretary with experience.. I speak both English and Spanish fluently and have more than five years of experience.

The problem is the salary seems quite low for my experience and language skills. They offered me 2700 pesos/month paid monthly in cash and are unwilling to negotiate. They recognized how meager the salary is but repeatedly said they are "not in a position to pay any more whatsoever."

The people seem nice and the company is interesting, but I can't help but think they are taking advantage of me. What do you all think?

 

[steveinbsas]

They may be nice and the company may be interesting, but if they hire you under those conditions I think they would be cheating their own country and they would be cheating you.

I also think they would be acting unwisely...no matter how common this practice is in Argentina.

Even if you don't have a DNI or "permission" to work in Argentina and you are paid under the table, you still have rights.

If you take the job I suggest you document your presence there as much as possible: witnesses, emails, etc.They will prove useful, especially if you ever want to "claim" your "rights" and take legal action

 

[MiamiExpat]

Thanks Steve! I will definitely keep an eye out though they didn't seem all that shady. I actually do have the right to work here but they are paying me cash because I do not have a bank account here yet (I'm here with my boyfriend who works for an international company here).

Do you think the salary is exploitatively low or is that basically market price for such a position? Thanks for your help.

 

[steveinbsas]

The simple fact that they are willing to pay you under the table is shady.

If you have the right to work here you should be able to open a bank account in an hour, even if you don't yet have a DNI. If you have a CUIL (which you should be able to get with residencia precaria or temporaria) you should be able to open an account and be legally employed.

As far as the salary, other have posted that $3000 per month is not uncommon for a receptionist, but I think a bilingual secretary should expect to be paid more.

If you're willing to work full time for less than $650 dollars per month, that's certainly up to you.

If you're bored and need something to do while your boyfriend is working it might be great...and you at least you will be paid something for your time and efforts, even though at least one recently hired 25 year old (male) expat is making more than twice that amount doing consulting work in BA. He had no prior experience and received on the job training.

Perhaps you should ask if his company is hiring.

 

[JWB]

Hi all,

I was just got offered a job as a secretary with a small company - with six employees in total - based in Palermo. They were looking for a bilingual secretary with experience.. I speak both English and Spanish fluently and have more than five years of experience.

The problem is the salary seems quite low for my experience and language skills. They offered me 2700 pesos/month paid monthly in cash and are unwilling to negotiate. They recognized how meager the salary is but repeatedly said they are "not in a position to pay any more whatsoever."

The people seem nice and the company is interesting, but I can't help but think they are taking advantage of me. What do you all think?

WAY WAY LOW! I own a recruitment company and just placed 2 Admin's in Buenos Aires. 1 for a small company 15 employees and the other for a company with 25. small company - 8000 pesos gross. large company - 10000 gross.

If you are desperate and need the money and job...ok, but there are plenty of other jobs out there.

Send me a DM and I'll reply back with my email and you can send me your resume. I have a few projects I am working on that are looking for native English speakers.

 

[JWB]

Hi all,

I was just got offered a job as a secretary with a small company - with six employees in total - based in Palermo. They were looking for a bilingual secretary with experience.. I speak both English and Spanish fluently and have more than five years of experience.

The problem is the salary seems quite low for my experience and language skills. They offered me 2700 pesos/month paid monthly in cash and are unwilling to negotiate. They recognized how meager the salary is but repeatedly said they are "not in a position to pay any more whatsoever."

The people seem nice and the company is interesting, but I can't help but think they are taking advantage of me. What do you all think?

SUPER LOW!! DM me. I own a recruitment company and just placed 2 admins in Buenos Aires. 8000 and 10000 gross comp. 1 company had 15 employees and the other 25.

 

[AlfajorEfi]

We are also looking for a bilingual secratery in Pilar and we were offering 4000 pesos a month...

 

[mellowshipslinky]

WAY WAY LOW! I own a recruitment company and just placed 2 Admin's in Buenos Aires. 1 for a small company 15 employees and the other for a company with 25. small company - 8000 pesos gross. large company - 10000 gross.

whoa - there seems a massive disparency in wages going on around here. I was offered 2 I.T. roles in recent months the highest was ~7500 a month.

Just out of curiosity JWB do you have I.T. roles, and what sort of wage would a geek with ~10 years experience bring in?

 

[MiamiExpat]

The simple fact that they are willing to pay you under the table is shady.

If you have the right to work here you should be able to open a bank account in an hour, even if you don't yet have a DNI. If you have a CUIL (which you should be able to get with residencia precaria or temporaria) you should be able to open an account and be legally employed.

As far as the salary, other have posted that $3000 per month is not uncommon for a receptionist, but I think a bilingual secretary should expect to be paid more.

If you're willing to work full time for less than $650 dollars per month, that's certainly up to you.

If you're bored and need something to do while your boyfriend is working it might be great...and you at least you will be paid something for your time and efforts, even though at least one recently hired 25 year old (male) expat is making more than twice that amount doing consulting work in BA. He had no prior experience and received on the job training.

Perhaps you should ask if his company is hiring.

I see.. Thanks so much for the advice Steve. Yes, I already have a CUIL and am eligible to work and open a bank account, which I will do this week.. Your point about the consultant making more than double that amount with no experience whatsoever is striking.. Though I don't know who that person is so following up with his company would be difficult.

I think I'm going to look elsewhere. Not only do I offer advanced language skills, but I have almost a decade of experience in administrative positions with small companies.. After reading your reply as well as other replies to this thread, it seems like this company is trying to take advantage of me.

 

[MiamiExpat]

@Alfajor

Thanks for the offer but Pilar is well outside the geographic area in which I am willing to work..