“Your Career Advisor” is responding this week to:

• As a secretary, is my salary fair or is it too low?

• How much should I be paid as a Financial Controller?

• What can a drummer since the age of 9 do?

All reasonable questions related to careers, skill development or employment related issues – sent to advisor@skill-link.com - would be addressed in this section every week.

Q1: As a secretary, is my salary fair or is it too low?

I am a 24 year old graduate of Alexandria University's Faculty of Arts, English Department . After graduation I worked in a shipping agency . I have now been working for 3 years as a secretary, with skills in typing , PC and the internet.

My problem is the small salary I receive (500L.E), besides that there is no regular system for raises. I like the company I work in and my job. However the salary is the only draw back. Should I consider looking for another job?

M. F. (Alexandria)

Replying:

Dear Ms. F.

As we always say, salaries reflect many factors, starting from the industry you work in, the job conditions and your skills / competence. For instance, not all secretaries who have worked for three years have the same skills and competence. Some are better with languages and in their writing skills; how self motivated, reliable and smart they are also differ from one to the other. The hours they work and extra responsibilities they undertake also vary.

You can find in previous answers archived in "Your Career Advisor" results of our salary survey for secretaries in Egypt. In summary if you have good language skills, good computer skills, you are active and reliable then you are under paid. Others with the qualifications we just described would be making double your current salary (assuming of course you are not working in a public sector shipping agency).

Should you be looking for another job ? Only you could judge how much you value the current environment and the people you work with. A first logical step we recommend would be to have a serious talk with your boss to discuss how he sees your salary progress (advancement) in the near future. You may let him know, you believe it is not fair. Again, we cannot verify your language, PC and work skills.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q2: How much should I be paid as a Financial Controller?

How much should I expect as a salary while working as a Financial Controller with the following qualifications for a multinational company:

• Ten years of experience
• Succeeded in two parts of CMA and continuing in the others
• Excellent command of English language
• Excellent knowledge of computers
• Hard worker (Working for extra hours and during week-ends with no overtime payments)
• Responsible for:
  1. Budget
  2. Responsible for all types of reporting
  3. Responsible for controlling and analysis of actual figures and accounts
  4. Responsible for customers accounts

And if I find that I'm getting much below average, how should I tackle the issue

D. A. (Cairo)

Replying:

Dear Ms. D.

You described well your qualifications and job responsibilities, however you did not provide enough indication on the size of the business, since a key dimension of a manager's salary in the financial area would be the turn over (revenues) of the company and the size of its balance sheet. Two financial controllers with identical job descriptions would get two totally different salaries if one is looking after an operations that sells say LE 20 million a year (with a total balance sheet of LE 12 million); while the other company's annual turnover is over LE 100 million and the balance sheet totals LE 80 million).

We are also not very clear on who you report to, in previous replies of "Your Career Advisors" we mentioned that in some cases the Financial Controller reports directly to the Managing Director (or General Manager) since the term is incorrectly used to refer to the Financial Manager. In other places, where the position title is properly used, the Financial Controller in addition to the Treasurer / Financial Management Head both report to the Finance Director or Chief Financial Officer. Which is your case?

Having said that, we will still attempt to provide you with an indication. So assuming you are good, working for a multinational (with a medium sized operation in Egypt) and reporting to the Finance Director / Chief Financial Officer; you ought to be earning a gross annual compensation ranging between:

LE 90,000 and LE 150,000 if turnover (sales) are in excess of LE 60 million per year, and the company has a large amount of financial transactions or rather complex accounting

LE 70,000 and LE 100,000 if turnover (sales) are somewhere between LE 25 million and LE 60 million per year.

LE 36,000 and LE 48,000 if turnover (sales) are somewhere between LE 10 million and LE 20 million per year. Or a higher sales figure but for a limited number of high value transactions. For example Michelin is an international tire company, however in Egypt they do not sell directly but they monitor the operations of appointed agent, so their salaries in the accounting and finance function will tend to be at the lower bracket.

As you are well aware we mentioned compensation and not salary, since there might be bonuses, incentives etc… also you have to take into consideration other benefits (medical insurance, transportation etc…) and employment location (in the city, in a remote industrial zone etc….).

Now, with regards to the last part of your question, what if you think you are good, hard working and underpaid? First consider the salary structure of the company you are working in and its current market condition. If the company's overall structure cannot accommodate an increase for you, or if the company is facing a difficult financial situation right now, it is unlikely anything could be done about it. If not, i.e. there is room for improvement, then you ought to have a candid discussion with a decision maker. This could be your direct boss or the General Manager / Managing Director. Make your case in a professional way.

If you do not see a reasonably positive outcome from the above, then you have a legitimate reason to seek employment elsewhere. Of course do not leave your current job until you have a solid offer.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q3: What can a drummer since the age of 9 do?

I am a 19-year-old male who has a major problem.... I am actually a drummer with 10 years of experience.... Yes.. I have been playing the drums since the age of 9!

The problem is that I am a really good music composer (as per all my friends opinions) and I have lots of talent composing electronic music.... but I cannot find someone who can help me throw parties or produce my own tape or any other way to help me share my talent with the Egyptian public.

I do not know where to go and how to start.... who can sponsor me? Who will hear my music..????????? ....

M. Y. (Egypt)

Replying:

Dear Mr. Y.

We will have to take your word for the fact that you are a talented player and composer. The performing arts business is one of the least organized in developing nations like in the Arab region or other places. By that we mean there aren't that many companies scouting for young talents or that one could approach to be "discovered". There are a few of course in Egypt, but mainly small entities.

In performing arts as for football players, it takes years of practice and performance until one gets noticed. Some of the more successful figures in the Egyptian music industry today would play at their school / university parties, engagement / wedding events and in small outlets / hotels (in Agami, Cairo etc…). Gradually, with colleagues they would form their own bands… this is how for instance Les Petits Chats and El Masreyeen started.

It will not also hurt, to record some of your best pieces and send them to tape producers if you ever get the chance to meet any.

You did not indicate if you are currently studying and in what field, and whether you are pursuing higher studies in the field of music or not.

And finally, if you may consider - away from the field of music - working in a hotel in the Red Sea area or Sinai. These need to entertain their guests, and management would welcome a gifted employee in the Front Desk or Accounting, providing entertaining in the evening for the hotel guests. As you prove yourself, you may be able to convince them to turn it into a full time job.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Note from the editor: 
Employer names and inquiry sender names were withheld for confidentiality

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