Am I getting paid enough?

[RIOT]

I know Raven just posted something similiar to this, but I have a performance review coming up in June and wanted to know what you all think I should be paid. I work in Henderson, KY, but I am within driving distance of Owensboro, KY and Evansville, IN. I have a CNA for Novell 4.11, experience working with Novell 4.11/5.0, experience working with Windows 2K/NT/98/95. I am working on getting my CCNA and possibly a Microsoft cert. This summer I will be teaching a night class on basic networking (Network +). I've installed hard drives, sound cards, video cards, modems, monitors, RAM, and set up new computers. I have an Associate's Degree in Networking Technologies. This will be my 3rd year dealing with networks and computers. Currently I'm being paid around $18K/year (roughly $8.52/hour) before taxes. I graduated from college thinking that I would be able to get at least a $20K/year job minimum. I've been told that if I were able to get a job at the local community college that I would start at around $28K/year. I work at a national bank with four branches, about 68 computers, and 55 users. My boss and I are pretty much the only IT people the bank employs.

[bfrau]

I'm went to school for accounting. Got my bachelor's degree, and went to work for a manufacturing company as an accountant. I had always messed with computers, and regret to this day that I didn't get a degree in computer science. Anyway, I installed a network there, and learned everything about networking on my own. I worked there for 3 years and decided I had outgrown that job. When I left I was making 33K per year. I started looking, and found a job making 45K per year, and I didn't have any certifications or formal training. The only drawback is I work 50 to 60 hours.

You have 3 years experience, you need to go find a higher paying job. Sometimes, experience counts just as much as certification. Good luck, and I hope you find something paying better.

Oh, don't work for banks, they suck. They expect the world out of you and don't want to pay you sh@t for it. The only people at banks that get paid well are Presidents and VP's.

[underfunded]

I would have to say that no, you are not getting paid enough. Then again how is the economy where you live. I live in auburn ME but commute 35 miles and get paid 15 per hour (30k per year) working as a bench tech for Gateway. Around here thats pretty good pay.

[Elbatcho]

I would say you are getting under paid, I am making over 55,000 a year. Granted I have graduated collage and I have been in the field for 3 years, but you have a couple of certs and you seem to know what you are talking about. 18K is a pitance for the work you are doing and you should be making at least 24

[PuterGeekGirl]

Not any where close to what you should be getting paid....I have been in the field a little over a year, am at 17+ per hour....and have not yet graduated and gotten my degree (6 more weeks on that one). GO FOR MORE....

P.S.-the other comment about working for banks....right ON!! I used to work for banks and you don't get paid $hit!!! Good luck!!

[jmani]

It sounds to me as if you are under paid, but you have to look at the cost of living. I am in San Francisco and the high school kid who works at the starbucks on the corner (and I mean every corner) is making 9.50 as their starting wage. I don't know about KY but I would think you should be making at least $15.00

John

[Budster64]

Originally posted by Elbatcho:
I would say you are getting under paid, I am making over 55,000 a year. Granted I have graduated collage and I have been in the field for 3 years, but you have a couple of certs and you seem to know what you are talking about. 18K is a pitance for the work you are doing and you should be making at least 24

I would definitely agree with Elbatcho ( well all except the spelling of College...hehe...J/k)



but he's right, your underpaid. and you should be making at LEAST 24K

[KoWind7]

Originally posted by RIOT:
I know Raven just posted something similiar to this, but I have a performance review coming up in June and wanted to know what you all think I should be paid. I work in Henderson, KY, but I am within driving distance of Owensboro, KY and Evansville, IN. I have a CNA for Novell 4.11, experience working with Novell 4.11/5.0, experience working with Windows 2K/NT/98/95. I am working on getting my CCNA and possibly a Microsoft cert. This summer I will be teaching a night class on basic networking (Network +). I've installed hard drives, sound cards, video cards, modems, monitors, RAM, and set up new computers. I have an Associate's Degree in Networking Technologies. This will be my 3rd year dealing with networks and computers. Currently I'm being paid around $18K/year (roughly $8.52/hour) before taxes. I graduated from college thinking that I would be able to get at least a $20K/year job minimum. I've been told that if I were able to get a job at the local community college that I would start at around $28K/year. I work at a national bank with four branches, about 68 computers, and 55 users. My boss and I are pretty much the only IT people the bank employs.

I have just my A+, 12 yrs experiance, and some management exp. I make $13 an hour, and I feel I should make more.

You should be making $30k a year with the CNA and exp alone, much less an A+ or any other certs you may have.

[MacGyver]

Originally posted by RIOT:
I have a CNA for Novell 4.11, experience working with Novell 4.11/5.0

IMHO, this experience and cert alone should get you some big bucks. Anybody can say they know Windows, but very few can say they have any experience with, or much less have even heard of Novell Netware. Go for your CNE (Certified Netware Engineer) and you could even go into business for yourself (although that might be a bit overzealous)

You are crazy working for anything less than $10/h. You should be getting at least $12

[TheoneDKS]

You aren't getting paid enough, if you were up here you would be offered at least 23 if not 24 to start.

[LPetrarca]

Somebody's gettin' a bargain and it ain't you!

You're gettin' something else without ever being kissed!

[LagMonster]

I'd ask the boss for double or triple salary or get out of their. Move a little bit away if you have to, but you need to earn more for what you do.

In high school I took a job as a Web Master for $8/hour. Once a guy who was making 30/hour stopped by and I started showing him how to do 'Good design Techniques' and 'Dynamic HTML'. This guy didn't know crap. Point is. Get outa their.

[Kymera]

If you wanna get paid, you should come to NY. People are recruited right out of college for development and IT and they make 55-60k starting, plus some companies offer signing bonuses. I have head-hunters calling me offering six figures + signing and year-end bonus. So definitely leave your job, move to the tri-state area and get what you deserve.

[RIOT]

Originally posted by Kymera:
If you wanna get paid, you should come to NY. So definitely leave your job, move to the tri-state area and get what you deserve.

It's funny that you said tri-state area because where I'm from is also known as a tri-state area (Kentucky, Indiana, and Illionis). I'm not too sure I'd like to move that far away; I definately know that my wife wouldn't go for that. Especially if she gets a teaching position here. I'll probably try to stay around this area for at least a year, then I might move to Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington, etc. It all depends on if I'm still at the bank or if I find another job elsewhere. One reason that the bank isn't paying me as much is because I started as a teller and got promoted to the Network Assistant when the new teller computers needed to be installed and configured. Another reason is that the bank doens't use Novell at all; they have an AS/400, a Windows NT server, and a Windows 2000 server. So my CNA isn't worth anything to them in their eyes. When I get my CCNA, they probably won't be thinking that will be useful to them either. Hopefully by next year I'll have another job around here because I've basically decided that this job is just for the experience.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Come the end of June I'll give an update.

[YokiPoki]

McDonald's pays same just for flippin' burgers. Get out of there.