Perks of the Job

Perks of the Job
Starting salary, location and your actual job may be major factors when choosing to accept a position, but they are not the only ones. Perks can come in all shapes and sizes, giving greater satisfaction and improved financial benefits. Here are a few you might have to think about; after all, sometimes it’s the little things that count.

Pension
Don’t be fooled into thinking a pension is something to worry about when you hit 30. The sooner you start saving the better, and if your company is offering a generous pension scheme then it would be wise to take advantage of it at the earliest opportunity. Do get some research done before you sign up, though, to ensure it offers a favourable reward as you might be better off seeking out a pension from elsewhere.

Company car
If your job requires a lot of travel, you could be rewarded with a company car to aid getting around the country. Don’t get too excited though. Company cars are rarely BMWs or Mercedes for entry level jobs and you will still be hit by a tax bill. On the plus side, you probably won’t have to pay for road tax, servicing or running repairs. If you’d rather not have to rely on your firm for a car you could always opt for a car allowance which helps pay for your own vehicle.

Freebies
The days of free beer from bar work or free leftover food from your café may be gone, but that does not mean you won’t get anything useful. To keep employees happy, there are a range of free services that you could be offered. Free gym membership is a popular option as it helps keep staff fit and healthy. Free eye tests and healthcare are other options that help keep a workforce ready and able. Anyone sick of making sandwiches might be attracted to a job that offers a cooked dinner during the lunch hour. Thinking of them as mini bonuses to your salary will put a smile on your face.

Golden hello
A “golden hello” or joining bonus can be great to get you started and help clear a few niggling debts before you get that first pay packet. These are common for teachers and can be offered as incentives to leave one job for another. Graduate recruiters often use them to appeal to a wide audience who may need to relocate to join their company. Payments range from £500 to £11,000 but the median payment is about £1,500. You're most likely to get one from the financial and legal sectors.

Further training sponsorship
Looking to develop your career by studying while working? Many businesses view further training as a vital part of employee development and will send you on all expenses paid course. For example, if you find yourself in top flight management consulting you could win sponsorship for a highly-rated and expensive MBA. But you could also request a course yourself. Assessing what skills you need to help perform better and presenting them to your line manager are a good way of arguing your case if you are not offered any.

Holiday entitlement
Generally you will get four weeks (20 days) paid holiday per year. This can increase depending on company policy, and very often does if you work somewhere long enough. Unpaid periods off for longstanding employees are becoming increasingly popular too, giving you the chance to travel for a few months or have an extended holiday to return relaxed and refreshed.

Flexible working hours
Fed up with arriving at the office everyday at 9am and leaving at 5pm? Well you can’t avoid putting in the hours every week, but you may get the chance to vary them. Some firms allow employees to put in extra time one day and take it off on others: you could work until 5.30pm from Monday to Thursday and go home at 3pm on Friday to start the weekend early. It can open up the opportunity to shape the week to suit your needs.

Working abroad
If you work for an international company, there may be opportunities to move to a foreign office either temporarily or perhaps permanently. If this is something that interests you , it might be best to ask prospective employers whether this might be an option before you sign a contract and discover you will be chained to a basement office at Land’s End.