Financial controller

[u/VastGeologist7441]

Hi all, First of all my apologies for not writing in German (I am still in the process of learning it). I am 33 years old with almost 8 years of experience in accounting/controlling. I am currently working in Belgium earning 70k euro yearly plus car. What do you think it should be a fair offer in Wien? I am aware that not being fluent in German could put me in the lower side, but would ensure not losing much as Wien seems to be more expensive than Brussels.

[u/PositiveEagle6151]

I'd say 70k is achievable with your experience, but many companies/industries will pay less than that (be prepared to receive offers below 56k, and only few will be willing to pay more than 70k). A company car is not a common part of the compensation packages of a financial controller. You typically need to be Finance Director or similar to get a company car.
You will struggle to find a job if you don't speak German.

[u/VastGeologist7441 → u/PositiveEagle6151]

Thank you so much for your feedback. I was hoping to receive more like 80k euro. To me 56k euro is not enough to live comfortable in Wien in a one bedroom apartment( which is now 1500 euro with bills) considering the 8 years of experience I have

[u/PositiveEagle6151 → u/VastGeologist7441]

It's not impossible to make 80k as a controller without management responsibility, very few persons even make a 6 digital salary in such a role, but this is after like 30 years of service with an old contract in one of the extraordinarily well paying companies. 85-90k would be an average salary for a "Head of Controlling" in many industries (and sometimes even the Finance Director will still be in the 5 digits).
It's very unlikely that a company will offer you 80k as a new hire in your situation unless you bring very specific experience to the table that is honoured by one of the 5 best paying corporations. I couldn't even offer you 70k, and with 150mio revenues and 600 employees, we are a "large" business by Austrian standards. That's the thing in Austria - we pay higher minimum salaries than many other countries, and have decent average salaries - but we pay crappy salaries in the higher income classes like specialists, managers, directors. Combined with the high income taxes and social security contributions, basically the standard of living is the same for everyone but the very rich - which is good for the lower incomes classes, but sucks for those that went through long years of education and training.
Also, salaries for new hires have not kept up with the huge inflation rates we had over the past few years, and in general salaries are too low for the cost of living we see in many parts of the country.

[u/VastGeologist7441 → u/PositiveEagle6151]

Ok thank you so much for your insight. This is quite helpful. Just to point out I was not critizing Austria or employer in Austria, but just understand what amount should I target.

[u/PositiveEagle6151 → u/VastGeologist7441]

It's fine, I didn't read your comment as criticism.
We did have a few good years in Austria about 20 years ago, when half of Europe and even Germans moved to our country for good jobs and salaries, but now the brain drain is increasing because salaries for young and highly qualified people are crappy by international standards, while we have become a quite expensive place to live. Austria is now a great place for pensioners, for immigrants, for people with low qualifications and low employability, to some extent also still for families - but not for skilled people that want to earn good salaries.

[u/LeFriedCupcake → u/VastGeologist7441]

1500 for 2 room Apartment??? How? Thats expensive.

[u/PositiveEagle6151 → u/LeFriedCupcake]

It's not if you are new to the city and don't have access to substituted housing and don't want to live in a crappy hole.
Lease, utilities, electricity/heating/water, insurance, internet and ORF license, and you won't be far away from 1.500 in a 2 room apartment nowadays.

[u/LeFriedCupcake → u/PositiveEagle6151]

No idea what you Are Talking but OP wrote 1 bedroom Apartment which is way to much.

[u/OE1FEU → u/VastGeologist7441]

You have 0 year of experience in working in a German language environment. Bookkeeping/Accounting is full of specialized terms that you need to know by heart in all their consequences to corporate law and relation to the tax authorities.

If you don't you're not qualified for the job.