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Compare a new job offer with your current role using the whole arrangement: base salary, superannuation, hours, leave, flexibility, contract security and the costs of doing the job. A larger headline package does not always mean more take-home pay or a better fit.
This checklist helps you identify questions. It is general information, not personal financial or legal advice. Australian teachers work under different state, territory and employer arrangements, so check the documents and advice relevant to both jobs.
Put the offers on the same basis
Ask whether the quoted figure is base salary plus super or a total package including super. Confirm whether it represents full-time equivalent pay or the actual pay for the hours offered. Identify any bonus or commission separately from guaranteed salary.
The ATO lists the super guarantee rate as 12% for 2026–27. An employer may provide a different contribution above the statutory minimum, and the earnings base matters. Ask payroll to explain the actual package rather than assuming a rate applies to every component.
Worked arithmetic: base salary versus package
Illustration only: if an offer is $100,000 total and its only components are base salary and super calculated at 12% of that base, the base is approximately $89,286: $100,000 divided by 1.12. By comparison, $100,000 base plus 12% super totals $112,000.
This simplified calculation excludes tax, allowances, bonuses and other package components. It is not a take-home-pay estimate. Ask for the employer’s written breakdown before comparing figures or planning a household budget.
Use a comparison sheet
- Guaranteed base pay: actual annual amount for the agreed hours.
- Super: contribution rate, earnings base and whether it is included.
- Hours: ordinary hours, peak periods and after-hours expectations.
- Leave: annual leave, personal leave, shutdown arrangements and approval processes.
- Location: commute, travel, parking and required office days.
- Contract: permanent or fixed term, probation and notice terms.
- Development: induction, training and progression opportunities.
- Fit: the work you will actually spend time doing.
Add a final column for “confirmed in writing”. Keep an attractive verbal statement separate from an agreed employment term.
Compare the working calendar carefully
Do not assume school holidays translate directly into annual leave in a new sector. Ask how leave is accrued and approved, whether the business closes at particular times and how peak periods affect flexibility. Fair Work’s annual-leave fact sheet explains national-system minimums; your current or prospective employment arrangement may require additional checks.
For hybrid work, ask how many days are expected on site, whether that changes during induction and how changes are agreed. Also ask whether travel time and expenses are handled separately.
Read the contract alongside the applicable rules
Fair Work explains that an employment contract cannot provide less than applicable minimum entitlements. Check whether an award or enterprise agreement applies. Not every Australian worker is in the national workplace relations system, so confirm the correct authority for your situation.
Read duties, location, hours, probation, notice, confidentiality and any outside-work or restraint clauses. If wording is unclear or could affect your plans, seek qualified advice before signing. Ask the employer to clarify inconsistencies between the advertisement, discussions and written offer.
Check your exit arrangements separately
Before choosing a start date, confirm notice requirements and how your current employer treats leave balances, long-service leave and final pay. Do not assume an entitlement transfers to a new employer or that a colleague’s arrangement applies to you. Your union, employer or an appropriately qualified adviser can help check your circumstances.
Questions you can send the employer
“Thank you for the offer. Before I confirm, could you please clarify the base salary and super components, ordinary working hours, expected office days, applicable award or agreement, and the proposed start date? I would also appreciate confirmation of the induction arrangements.”
Keep your questions specific and allow time to understand the answers. If you need to negotiate, explain the particular term you want to discuss rather than relying on an assumed teacher-to-corporate salary equivalence.
Make the decision against your priorities
Choose three non-negotiables and three preferences before comparing offers. A role can look impressive and still miss a central need. For support exploring the decision, browse the career-transition directory. Once you accept an offer, our first 90 days guide helps you plan the transition into the work.
Image: AI-generated editorial illustration. Sources are linked throughout this guide.