To be unhappy about how my new job works

[allworknolife]

Name changed in case it's outing. I've recently started a new job as a trainee estate agent. My base salary is a £11k paycut from my old job, but was assured with commision would be a lot higher. I've done admin for years and was bored of it so took the job despite my concerns... but I'm pretty unhappy with a few things

1. Advertised as 5 day a week job, but it's 6 days every other week as you have to work two Saturdays a month

2. Only 20 days holiday, despite having to work 26 Saturdays a year for no extra money apparently its 'factored into your basic'

3. £12k base salary.. for working 5 days 9.00-17:30 and 6 days at 9:00-17:30 Saturday 9:00-16:00.. just seems crazy long hours for such a low base

It's upsetting because I really wanted to break away from admin, and parts of the job I love. However I am immensely micromanaged and with all these crappy aspects I'm tempted to run for the hills.

Part of my job is listing new Properties and marketing, which I love and am really enjoying.. but the sales side of things is so targeted and they expect you to work overtime for no extra base wage just to sell more than others. I want to be good at my job and to sell.. but this job feels like I'm living to work not working to live.

I'm sad and don't want to fail but I'm just exhausted and feel like they do not reward their staff enough for the hours we put it.

Two separate issues here. You were naïve to think that the job wasn't going to be like this - did you actually speak to any estate agents before you took this role? Estate agency is a cut-throat business and everything is focussed on sales/commission/nicking sales from other agencies etc? From the sound of things you have come from a very different background (NHS/Civil Service) with far more structure and processes than you will find in this area. I suspect you are also older than the average trainee estate agent so the poor pay is more of a shock to you. For what it's worth, it sounds about right to me because the agency want you to be hungry enough for sales and commission that you are really going to do absolutely everything you can to get the sale over the line. You were also naïve to make assumptions about how often you would work weekends and that you would get time off in lieu - and why did you start the job with no contract?!

It sounds like estate agency is probably not for you but, having said that, the second issue is that you have inadvertently ended up in an absolutely horrible agency. They are not all as awful and if you can stick it out here for 6 months, you might well be able to move to a larger chain with more structure in place.

You obviously hate working there, the pay is shocking and it doesn't work for your life. Why do you think sales is better than admin?? I did commission based sales when I was in my late teens with zero responsibility and loved it, but would never have considered it for real career, the pay is too unreliable and the overtime is necessary if you want to earn anything like a decent wage. Sounds like you were good at admin and enjoy a stable work/life balance and your previous admin job suited you and dp perfectly. If I were you I'd go back to admin in the same or a similar company and forget all about sales jobs. Perhaps look at an accounting course to further your career potential as this combines well with admin based jobs.

OP, no one could blame you for not wanting this job. Being an estate agent is generally shit in terms of employment conditions, but your place does sound worse than usual.

My partner runs a branch of a large estate agents, his base salary is still low (considering his role), they're also all expected to come in half an hour early, for no extra pay, and sometimes work late, again, for no compensation. They work Saturdays, but do take time back in the week, and taking a lunch break is frowned on. The commission structure has just been changed because sales are down this year, so that means a massive drop in pay too. Basically they always want more from you, whilst giving you less and less.

As someone suggested upthread, I'd really suggest property management for you. Your admin skills would be useful, and it's far more "friendly".