Turn down a offer

I got a offer from a hosting company, they said $10.50 per hour, I felt so sad, because I wanted to work with them, they work with linux and Cisco equipment (I need hands on exp with Cisco equipment), it is 30 min from my home.

But at the same time I got a offer fro another company (staff firm) to work in Contract-to-hire for $17.00 in a manufacture company working with XP, Server 2003 and Pix (Cisco Firewall), they already sent me to drug screen. I will get the result tumorrow.

This was my thouts.

Raul

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blargoe

emmajoyce wrote:

What does the person do who doesnt have this luxury and has just graduated and has no experience.

Get a second job for nights/weekends...?

Tesl

Darthn3ss wrote:

Technowiz wrote:

$10.50 per hour for a CCNA isn't even in the right ballpark I don't care what experience you have or where you are located. A pc tech with A+ should be somewhere in the range of $15 per hour. The offer of $17 is reasonable but I wouldn't call it a good offer. If I were a CCNA with little to no experience I would be looking for something in the range of $20+ per hour with full benefits even in Houston. With a year or two of experience under my belt I would expect $50k+.

I know from personal experience that of all the entry level certs CCNA is probably the most respected and the most in demand. You worked hard to gain the knowledge and pass the CCNA. Don't short change yourself!

well, when i get my CCNA and my A+/Net plus i'll drive to ATL and you can help me find a job paying $25-50k entry level with no IT experience.

Whether the numbers are correct or not, I'm sometimes disappointed by the attitude shown on this board sometimes. If you believe you can only make $12 an hour max, then guess what, you will end up getting paid $12 max. If your ambitions are higher than that, you just might make more.

Aim for the stars and you just might hit the moon.

$10 an hour is a joke, entry level or not. If you have the drive, ambition, and actual talent, you would have no problem finding something way beyond that.

blargoe

And I get tired of the attitude that just because someone has a couple of certs that they should expect instant gratification in the salary they have become convinced that they deserve, when they have no experience. The big money is out there, but you have to start somewhere (where ever 'somewhere' is in your market for someone with your credentials) and work your way up. Do pure entry level jobs exist that pay more? Sure they do. But at the end of the day, the one who took the job and got a year under their belt will typically do better than the guy that waited for an entry job that paid more money, because he thought he somehow "deserved" more money.

Tesl

blargoe wrote:

And I get tired of the attitude that just because someone has a couple of certs that they should expect instant gratification in the salary they have become convinced that they deserve, when they have no experience. The big money is out there, but you have to start somewhere (where ever 'somewhere' is in your market for someone with your credentials) and work your way up. Do pure entry level jobs exist that pay more? Sure they do. But at the end of the day, the one who took the job and got a year under their belt will typically do better than the guy that waited for an entry job that paid more money, because he thought he somehow "deserved" more money.

I don't completely disagree, it's often about just being realistic in expectations. I just wanted to highlight my feelings that this board is sometimes overly negative in its advice IMO.

Of course, much of it also comes down to ability as well. If you have talent, you can get a better position and make more money than someone who doesn't. There's nothing worse though than seeing a talented person asking for salary advice, and being shot down by other people just because they themselves couldn't do any better.

(That isn't in any way directed at you, because I have no idea of your ability/skill level or that of the OP. it's just something that I see from time to time)

networker050184

Man after a year or two experience and a CCNA you make $50k? I guess it does depend on the location, but that is definatley in the upper range after only a year. So, since I have 6 years experience and a CCNA what should I make? $90k? since I have three times the amount of experience as the person with 1 or 2 I should probably be making $150k? You are the experts, so let me know!!!

dtlokee

networker050184 wrote:

Man after a year or two experience and a CCNA you make $50k? I guess it does depend on the location, but that is definatley in the upper range after only a year. So, since I have 6 years experience and a CCNA what should I make? $90k? since I have three times the amount of experience as the person with 1 or 2 I should probably be making $150k? You are the experts, so let me know!!!

So often what you make isn't about how many years you have or what certs, it comes down to what you're worth to the company. If the company can bill a customer $200 an hour for your time, they can afford to pay you $50 an hour. When I teach a class the rate is basically $75 an hour per student (before expenses). Put 16 people in a class and you're earning $1200 an hour. I can afford to pay an Instructor $200 an hour at that rate. But take that same class with 6 people in it. Now I can't afford to pay nearly as much, so I need to average it out.

Sometimes it comes down to what you negotiate with the company. In the past I have had people working for me who ranged in salary from 50-75k a year and it was all based on how well they sold themselves to HR when they were hired. I had some of the most incompetent technically, but charismatic people, earning more money than the technically competent, but socially dysfunctional IT guys.

Technowiz

networker050184 wrote:

Man after a year or two experience and a CCNA you make $50k? I guess it does depend on the location, but that is definatley in the upper range after only a year. So, since I have 6 years experience and a CCNA what should I make? $90k? since I have three times the amount of experience as the person with 1 or 2 I should probably be making $150k? You are the experts, so let me know!!!

Not guaranteed but well within reason. It isn't that hard to find L2 or 3 network engineer jobs paying 50k or better. Yes you will hit a ceiling if you don't continue to advance your skills. But for an experienced CCNA I don't think 50k is that ceiling.

blargoe

Technowiz wrote:

networker050184 wrote:

Man after a year or two experience and a CCNA you make $50k? I guess it does depend on the location, but that is definatley in the upper range after only a year. So, since I have 6 years experience and a CCNA what should I make? $90k? since I have three times the amount of experience as the person with 1 or 2 I should probably be making $150k? You are the experts, so let me know!!!

Not guaranteed but well within reason. It isn't that hard to find L2 or 3 network engineer jobs paying 50k or better. Yes you will hit a ceiling if you don't continue to advance your skills. But for an experienced CCNA I don't think 50k is that ceiling.

Ya'll keep in mind he is talking about a CCNA with 2 years experience doing CCNA work, not a CCNA working a helpdesk or occasionally running cable or something like that.

networker050184

I was being sarcastic. A persons salary is based on their experience, you don't get a CCNA and automaticlay get bumped up to $50k. That would be nice when first starting out though.

Sometimes people make certifications out to be the number one factor in getting a high paying job. Certifications surley will help, but they are not your key to a high paycheck.

royal

Sure you can get $50K with just a CCNA and a bit experience. If you get a job, obtain your CCNA, work your ass off, and show you have a lot of talent, I bet you can get $50k. Your salary isn't based on just experience and certs. I believe it to be more based on experience and talent and backing that up with certs. Take me for example. I have 1.5 years of experience, but I work VERY hard at my career and help people out a lot at my job and am always on top of the latest stuff that comes out and I have to say, I'm making a bit more than $50K.

networker050184

I'm not saying its impossible or even unlikely for someone with experience and a CCNA to make $50k. What I'm saying is that if you get your CCNA your not going to get $50K automaticaly. You don't need a CCNA to get a high paying job. You do need experience though.

blargoe

And luck (unless you're already stacked with experience)

Knowing people helps too

Kasor

Consider "experience" is what you need. Take the job for 3 months and learn as much as you can. Then apply for better job.

Here is a way to determine if the company that really desire you to work for them.

First, try to negotiate and get up to $12 to $15.
Second, observe the reaction from the HR.
Third, tell them the truth about $10.5 is a disgrace and they will not find anyone with "heart" that willing to work for them
Fourth, if there is a doubt. You might get higher pay per hour, but still get out after 3 months.
Fifth, if they told you "take it or next candidate," then you move on..

Good Luck

druid318

Lets not forget that the region state and city you are in can play a MASSIVE role in pay range. The Mcdonald's in New York probably pay three times what the Mcdonald's here in Kansas pays.

10.50 an hour sucks though , I think I would go for the cable laying job until someone offers you something decent. Gotta pay the bills somehow.

mrj

Companies will pay pennies if they can.

I'd start uncontrollably laughing if I was offered $10.50, but if course I'm working with several years of Administration experience.

My first "IT" job after high school was $12.75/hr doing technical support for a call center.

drainey

I'm going to have to go with Druid318 on this one. I used to live in Kansas, now I live in Wisconsin. I do the same thing, with the same experience and certs, but I have a better title and 12k a year more in salary. Location has a lot to do with it. So does Attitude, Desire and the ability to sell yourself.

No matter how uncomfortable you feel with it ask for more. Every IT job I've been offered came with a low offer that I counteroffered. It's the name of the game for the employer to offer the lowest that they think you'll take. If you take it then it's your loss, because they expect you to negotiate and are prepared to go higher. After all they want you enough to offer the job to you and not one of the other canidates.

Just make sure you have done your homework, you'll need to know what the average person doing that job in your region with your qualifications makes, so that you don't ask to much (or too little). Asking too little will get you taken advantage of. Asking too much makes you look foolish and shows you didn't care enough to do your homework so you know what to expect to make (and carries the risk of having them drop the offer).

jbaello

I'm telling you, always negotiate, if they reject your offer, you can always say that hey this is the max they will go, but if you say yes I'm your **** pay me 10 $ an hour and I will work for you then that's your lost, unless you live an island and that is the one and only company.

I don't care whatever experience you have, just negotiate the more the merrier. If someone offers me a job right now and I have to work at Mcdonalds but they will pay me 100 K a year, I will definitely drop my job if I see there is a security and while I have this job, I will start looking for a company that will give me the job that I love and pay me what I deserve.

I'm glad you turned down that 10.50 $ per hour, otherwise I bet you a lot of the CCNA community would be so pissed haha

my 2 cents!

Technowiz

Another thing to consider especially when facing a low ball offer is that it impacts not only your present earnings but what future employers are likely to offer you. Raul is in good shape because the $17 per hour job he took has now set a baseline for his market value. His next job he can be reasonably looking in the $20+ range assuming he has gained the right kind of experience. Getting there from a position making $10.50 per hour would be more difficult.