registered nurse

call center supervisor

service writer

residential advisor

clinic coordinator

The Salvation Army

As a new Employee you are promised the world and start as a Casual with a view to Part or Full Time employment.

The work is physical which is great and different everyday, you go in with a sense that you are helping the community and with high spirits.

I started as a Casual lots of work,  but I did not realise that the intake coincided with the period when the volunteers DO NOT WANT TO WORK as it is holiday season. took me a while to catch on.

During this intake of 1 weeks full time training  you are promised employment, salary sacrifice and hope of a perm role.

The work policy is that day to day Casual shifts are to come via text message to ALL Casuals within the region, however Managers have favourites and text them directly . If a Manager does not like you for some minor reason you do not get shifts at other stores as during the Monthly Managers Meeting they discuss this with all other Managers. 
They discriminate between genders and will suddenly make a MALE work for the DOLE volunteer a paid staff member over female Casual staff who need the work who can fulfil the role.  It is always done on the quite, position not advertised.

They do not pay you for shifts that you have worked within the pay period as a Manager does not sign a timesheet, forgets to submit it. or didn't see it,  it happens fortnight to fortnight and then you are expected to wait another fortnight for your pay, so basically 1 month. It is a constant problem as if there is a wage freeze

If a Part Time Position becomes available they place the favoured person in the role on a contracted basis, then advertise it either quietly or on a few staff noticeboards....The process is then arduous, and takes 3 months so that they can be sure that the favoured person is going to work out. the interview questions are "How would you define Customer Service" "How do you complete a sale" as a skilled Sales person who has worked for the Company for years they are questions that a new employee would be expected to answer!  The person they has been in the contracted position always get the job even if they have had less experience.
They also expect  you to work ALONE in a store... If a volunteer does not turn up it's bad luck, no breaks for 8 hours, NO higher duties - which Is the law.

Also at Xmas the Part Time Staff Receive an $80 Coles Voucher, The Volunteers receive a Store Voucher and the Casuals get nothing even though we are staff which goes to prove our worth

Shocking Employer

I have worked in retail for 25 years and the Salvos Australia are terrible to work for, the job is fantastic and I love it but no matter how hard you work for the benefit of the Company you get no respect and are even belittled when you do a great job. I have been asked my a Manager how can I be so nice to every customer - it seems like a crime. The Managers have no experience as retail Managers and it shows. If the community knew how they treat the employees they would be shock- As a casual for 3 years it does not matter how hard you work, how available you make your self or how good you are with the customers - when a PART TIME SECURE role comes around and you ask to apply for it you are met with Ummms and Ahhhs followed by Intimidation by an Area Manager who explains that they need to do staff movements to cover the position which is a complete LIE, then they also try to pick your faults to get around giving you a job, no warning just a SQUASH DOWN of lies to get you to back down.......The jobs are not advertised and husshed up and the Manager employ favorites which include staff members from where they worked last or ex Managers from Interstate who pop up for a Casual job, I have seen it over and over.....They are the most UNCARING employer I have worked for in 25 years and are supposed to be a helping Company but they refuse to help dedicated staff who try to make a diff and also have excellent experience. At one store a petition was raised in order to get rid of a Manager and they allowed it - surely that is offensive

Typically the day started with a morning meeting as we were a 24/7 day a week residential supported accommodation. So the morning meetings would generally be an update of the night before and then to see what would be happening throughout the day, who would be available to transport etc etc.

I learned a lot from this job as it was the first time that I had worked within the homeless community. I also learnt about induction and being the person to interview potential clients to see if the program suited them and vice versa. 

Co workers were a great bunch of people and it was a very family oriented environment as no one ever missed out on a birthday present or cake or a christmas present. The atmosphere for the most part was fabulous. 

The hardest part of this job was wanting to give every homeless person a roof over there head and/or a bed for the night. We were not temporary accommodation. But we did our best to find these people a bed for the night or give them a meal if they were hungry. We also would give them a list of accommodation/boarding houses. To see it all first hand was very confronting and very sad. '

The enjoyable part was our success stories, our easter and christmas parties that we would put on for our residents. Each christmas eve i would make up to 40 trifles at home and then take them in the next morning to drop them off and at the same time wish these clients a very merry christmas. It was wonderful to see the look on their faces. They also loved my trifles. I also cooked breakfast at the Sobering Up Unit every Monday and Friday mornings for the clients that stayed there overnight, this was part of our harm minimization policy. Give them something to eat before they went out and drank. Also for some it might be their only meal for the day. So it was a great pleasure to be a part of that.

Throughout my career, I have developed excellent computer skills.  I have a high level of computer literacy and have extensive experience with all MS Office products.  I am able to enter data with accuracy and efficiency, and am able to learn new software programs quickly.  My computer skills also assist me with communicating effectively in a range of written contexts, including emails and other forms of written correspondence.  
In addition to my written communication skills, I am also able to communicate verbally with professionalism and clarity.  Throughout my career, I have displayed the ability to build rapport with stakeholders from a diverse range of backgrounds.  I have excellent conflict resolution skills, with the ability to resolve challenging situations.  My excellent communication skills also enable me to deliver an outstanding level of service to customers, listening to their needs and finding innovative ways to exceed their expectations

My strong interpersonal skills have equipped me to develop excellent long term relationships with internal and external stakeholders.  I enjoy working in a team environment, where I utilise my optimistic attitude and enthusiastic disposition to find ways to contribute positively to the people I work with.  I get great satisfaction from collaborating with others and working towards team goals.  Throughout my career, I have also been able to develop effective leadership skills, with the ability to delegate tasks, provide clear instructions and support colleagues.  I value diversity in the workplace and treat everyone with dignity and respect.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The interaction with colleagues all working together as a team, talking to a diverse variety of customers and gaining the personal empowerment of providing service towards improving the quality of life of other individuals.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Not knowing what category some of the clothing comes under at times and needing to make an educated guess.  This can be viewed as a positive stress though as it helps me learn as I go along. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The environment is positive, clean and has a diverse range of staff.  The colleagues that I work alongside with when volunteering all have a variety of backgrounds and cultures.  I often receive compliments about either my own skills in service, my positive attitude and/or how awesome the staff are at keeping the store looking so welcoming and professional.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I perform duties of hanging out a double rack of clothing that have been prepared the day before by staff out the back doing the sorting.  Once this has been completed, I move on to remove a number of clothing items on the floor that contain a specific coloured price tag and refill the previous empty rack.  This is all done under the direction of my team leader.  I am also one of the staff who perform point of sales interactions with customers wishing to make purchases.  I also regularly do a sweep of the store and ensure no clothing items are laying on the floor or other items that could be viewed as a hazard for people to trip over.

Working for the Salvation Army has taught me Discipline, boundaries, to believe in my attributes, abilities, and behaviour in and out of the working enviroment, The values and mission statement of the Salvation Army represent are equal to how my life direction is changing, I am looking for a more satisfying role which brings with it challenges.
I have learnt excellent communication and motivational people skills self discioline, sense of humour, ability to deal with complex people
Ability to work in a team envirement without discrimination or judgement
i Learnt many different skills from my colleagues, not directly related to my job role
The hardest part of the job is watching people being turned away back into homelessness, when the Accommodation facility was full.

The best part of my job role , chnaging thousands of people's lives for the better, and they don't return.

Working conditions were at times very high need, my job title could be different on any given day, which i could adapt to easily, without supervision. Management have changed their policies and procedures many times over the 6 years i have been employed, i have been adapying to constant change, however have decided to make a change for myself in a different role however would like to continue working community services, helping people.
I have grown up in the Welfare life for over 35 years, gained a high level of people skills, seen many changes while networking with community agencies

In my heart i like helping people move forward in their lives

I absolutely loved working at Salvation Army Red Shield Store. The opportunity to really make a difference to peoples lives was rewarding.
 I enjoyed a freedom in running the clothing store and implementing some changes to create a beautiful shopping experience for customers as well as a personal community feeling for the shopper. The feed back from the customers was always so positive. 
A typical day started with sorting of the donations and then pricing and displaying these articles for sale in a funky quirky way - I believed there is much more scope in how an Op shop can be designed to open up to shoppers which may normally not be enticed  to enter. Also to place a priority on creating personal customer relations.
The job required a lot of hard physical work and a fast pace to keep the store organised, looking inviting and interesting.
The hardest part of my job was working with management that didn't display an enthusiasm for the job or see the potential for the store.  
My co-workers were usually volunteers or community service people and I really enjoyed what we created together. 
The most enjoyable part of my job was the relationship I built up with a lot of my customers. The job gave me the opportunity to be creative with window displays and visual displays.Listening to the feedback then using that feedback to create a great place for people to come and shop which in return creates a great place for me to work.

In a typical day at work I would undertake various duties including: stocking shelves and racks, organising, serving customers, answering customer queries, dressing shop mannequins, dusting, sorting new arrivals, answering phone calls, wrapping bric-a-brac items. 

I developed my communication, problem solving and organisational skills greatly. I learned where and which section different items belong to i.e. Ladieswear, Menswear, Childrenswear, Bric-A-Brac, Books, Electronics, Games, Toys etc., how the products are cycled according to arrival to circulate stock, the discount system, and much more.

Management was approachable and always available to help me out if I was unsure of anything e.g. a customer asked about an item in an obscure location, and to allocate specific duties. My co-workers were quite friendly overall, and we efficiently worked as a team particularly during busy periods. They were always willing to assist me especially when I first started, and were very welcoming.

The hardest part of the job was serving customers during busy periods, which required all workers to work as a collective team in order to gain optimum efficiency.

The most enjoyable and rewarding part of the job was knowing that I was making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, through helping others, whilst working with and meeting such interesting people.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The absolute privilege of being involved in community and effecting reformation. The work that the Salvos do in empowering and lifting up the vulnerable is spectacular to say the least. Being a part of something so much bigger than ourselves and seeking out to be a part of change was incredible. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Cost of living and the managing and retaining of the contracts that helped us do what we did. The sponsorships, the funding. Maintaining those relationships and ensuring we were able to protect and retain those networks.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
One of the best environments I have ever worked in. Watching people live out for others is remarkable in the world we live in today. A strong sense of unity and healthy work culture made for a thriving community hub 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
The day to day customer relationship building with our sponsors, funders and volunteers. No two days were the same. With a hive of activity across the corps I was responsible for ensuring all measures were in place and procedure and protocol was followed to protect the dignity of those receiving our services as well as ensuring our network of contracts were secure and looked after.

Currently at salvos working as a volunteer
Meeting and greeting customers
Cleaning and tidying the floor making sure clothes are put back on the racks.
Moving clothes,from one area,to the other.
Getting new clothes and putting them on the rack. Etc.
Sorting and tidying linen.
What I learned was no matter what you do you never get thanked, except from,the customers.  I have my regular customers that I learnt how to sell stuff to, and to make deals,etc. and when you help someone in need or they like what you do, I feel appreciated .
One lady manages the store all the time , she's a older woman who make some dumb decisions sometimes, like giving people stuff like eg shoes when there only five minutes new in the job. And there's workers like me been there for 8 months and nothing, no clothes or anything not for interviews etc. the 1st month yes you could get a lot from her then no,she put in a no purchase till the after a certain time then goes and sells something to one of,the workers.

Having to deal,with the. Stupid stuff my boss says and does and. Gets you to do.also seeing everyone get things and you dont. Especially when I do all the work.
Mostly older women from 40+ mainly talk dont work much and buy all the time. Few youngs ones to.
Enjoyable lunch talking to,customers workers my age.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Registered nurse 5 salaries reported	$90,383 per year
Call center supervisor 8 salaries reported	$58,875 per year
Service writer 1 salary reported	$72,400 per year
Residential advisor 5 salaries reported	$115,000 per year
Clinic coordinator 1 salary reported	$100,000 per year

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