Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries - What should my salary be...

Author

What should my salary be...

tjwoody

2001-08-04, 12:20 pm

Hey everyone,
I've got a question about what I should be making, approx. Reason for this is I am up for a promotion, but because of the cutbacks at my place, they're saying they wont be able to give me what they would like to.

So a little about myself..
I have a little over a year exp. (year is actual job, but I've got another 2 "on my own stuff") and have a solid background in Win9x/NT/2K and the MAC OS, 9.X. I am currently a desktop support and they are looking to bump me to Sr. tech or Jr admin. I basically administer the network using Novell and Lotus Notes. Basically I do it all there, network troubleshooting, VPN, desktop and laptop setups, some projects, backups, and I could go on.
I recently got my A+ and Network+ and look to have MCP in 2K pro this month.

So I ask you, what should I be making? Maybe before and after MCP.

Looking at salary.com, they say I should be about 40 - 46K.

Anyway, appreciate all input and sorry for a LONG letter! Also, any ideas where I should direct my career woudl be great!

Woody

exar07

2001-08-04, 5:24 pm

With the experience and certs you have I would say that 40k would be a good place for you. If you are a little lower I would hang in there and get more certs and experience under your belt. If you do that that company you work for sould notice you and feel compelled to give you what you want more easily.

I felt very underpaid a year ago but I have been digging in! Experience and certs! My company has took note to that and has put me where I wanted to be without a fuss!

Try to get what you want for pay but if not continue to press forward! It will pay off!

Crutch

2001-08-05, 6:33 pm

It really depends on the cost of living where you are.

I think $40-45K is fair, but you stated that the company has been cutting back. Does the future look bright for the company? If so, strike a deal with them. Tell them you'll take a 8-10% raise now, with a pay increase in 90 days (after a performance review).

But, it's easy for me to say without knowing specifics.

Good Luck.

tjwoody

2001-08-05, 9:30 pm

I appreciate the answers so far, thanks!

I work in MA. The company isnt cutting back in the terms of lay offs, just budgets. I think that 42K would be fair for me, more then fair.

I've been with the company for 10 years, I think I have proven my dedication. Either way, I beleive they will come back with under 40K. If this is so, I will try to make some deal, possibly to review me again in 3 months.

So, I'm not sure what to do after MCP. Should I do CCNA before moving on to MSCE?

Woody.

Plantagenet

2001-08-06, 6:18 am

I found that if you want your certification to turn into dollars or in my case pounds you are better targetting an area where the company would really benefit from a higher level of expertise. For example when I did my Exchange Server 5.5 exam an area in which the company was lacking in expertise I found myself immediatley catapulted into a better position. However when I did my CCNA exam the company had very little or no need for this type of experience and hence the qualification was soon forgotten even though it was time for annual pay increases.
Having said all that I too am chasing a pay raise at the moment without much success. I am earning about 23,000 GB pounds about 34,000 dollars. However I am living in a very expensive area. If I wanted to buy a 1 bedroom flat it would coust me about 100,000 pounds or 145000 dollars. Perhaps when I take my SQL server exam in the near future I will be able to remedy this situation

Chris Stewart
MCSE, CCNA

chunder

2001-08-06, 12:47 pm

your location, your expertise/job requirements, the size of the company and the revenue of the company are going to be the biggest factors.

take a look at MCP Magazine, the August issue has a salary survey with it MCPmag Link.

for more surveys look at www.Kforce.com, hallkinion.com, monster.com, dice.com, flipdog.com, hotjobs.com, computerjobs.com (the typical IT job sites). and this might be helpful: http://salaryadvisor.informationwee...i_html/iwsal00/

you could also do a search in Google.com for salary surveys.

and something to really understand is that these salary surveys are usually the input from people like us, working in the Tech Sector, for us. what i mean is that if i know that a salary survey which shows i am underpaid would net me a raise, then maybe i will answer closer to what i think i should be paid. therefore showing my employer how underpaid i am and hoping to get the raise i so deserve.

ok, so, back to your salary. i'd say you should be making about 40 or a little better. that i base on the MA area (boston?), and what you're doing in your job + job title. your certs are going to help but if i was a boss, i'd say the certs should only make you more competent to do your job and not base your pay soley from the certs. and like i stated previously, you need to also account for how well the company is doing and it's size. smaller companies typically pay less (unless they're rolling in the green).

anyway, the others gave some very good responses but i wanted to throw whatever i just said into the mix.

and like Plantagenet, don't get a cert and plan on more $$$ unless you need it at your job. if you have time, study up on stuff that may help your resume, however.

The Ghost

2001-08-08, 3:55 am

Hey , How about New York .. What do you guys think about NYC salaries?

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