Being nickled and dimed, or am I just oversensitive?

Here's the situation, I've worked at my job for almost a year and came in making very little (30k) since it was a startup doing a lot more work than 30k worth. Staying late during implementation, offering remote support, driving across the country for sometimes 16 hours a day and staying out for a month or two at a time. So during implementation, they put us all on salary and worked us nights and weekends (sometimes up to 90 hrs) so that, as the COO said, "we don't have to pay overtime".

4 months into it I get a promotion but no raise...I had to ask them for my raise like a kid asking daddy for an allowance. My boss went up to the CEO and asked them to bump me up to 40k, to which the CEO says "we will give him 35K now, then the rest in Feb/March". It's now April and they have a supposed "raise freeze" even though they bring in new developers, admins, etc.

I received another promotion in February into IT for "doing so well", which moved me out of the hardware department all together and landed me as Jr Linux/Server Admin. I asked my new boss if I was going to get the rest of my raise for this second promotion to which he replies: "Well, not we can't do anything for at least 6 months, you'll be at 35K until then, oh any by the way we will need you on weekends for demo and remote support"

I mean, I feel like i've been pretty reliable and dedicated to this company, but I can't help but feel nicked and dime'd along the way. From the info i've given you, should I just be happy for the experience or do I have a legitimate suspicion that i'm being screwed?

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Comments

Essendon

Well it looks like you are being screwed, but if this is your first IT job I guess it might be well worth the experience. It looks like you've gained a fair bit of experience/knowledge and cannot afford being low-balled for another year or so, it might be time to whip up a resume and flood it out in the market. Shouldnt be long before something bites. Out of curiosity, what do you do as part of your server admin role? Rack and stack or is more involved with, say Group Policy, Active Directory, WSUS and so on?

Good luck with whatever you do.

buzzkill

Go get a new job. Upon handing in your notice, if they offer to match the new job's salary, tell them that you wouldn't even be in this position if they had given you a raise when you asked, then work your notice and off you go to bigger and better paying things.

NetworkVeteran

Whether you are being fairly or unfairly compensated for the value you bring to the table is straightforward to determine--is another local company willing to pay you the same or more? If yes, you are underselling yourself. Demand more or switch to that company. If no, strive to make yourself more valuable.

Zartanasaurus

I'd leave.

There are rules about who can be considered exempt in IT work. What were you actually doing before your promotion to Admin? Generally server admins are exempt employees, but if you were just a basic hardware tech before, you probably should've been classified as non-exempt.

If your duties included this, you could be an exempt employee:

The application of systems analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users, to determine hardware, software or system functional specifications;
The design, development, documentation, analysis, creation, testing or modification of computer systems or programs, including prototypes, based on and related to user or system design specifications;
The design, documentation, testing, creation or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems; or
A combination of the aforementioned duties, the performance of which requires the same level of skills.

erpadmin

Lenniusce wrote: »

I've worked at my job for almost a year

That's pretty much all I cared about to read...everything else was editorials (with the exception of the experience gained during this time.)

You are gaining excellent experience in a job-market that has folks that would not only be begging to be in your spot, but would do what you're doing for half the salary and would have a smile on their face. Alabama is not exactly a friendly environment to employees at any level and your employers know it. Heck, $35k is an excellent salary for someone in your position (both location-wise and career-wise for you.)

My advice to you is not focus on salary (you will do it at your own peril) and to continue to gain the excellent experience you are gaining in this company. Couple this with job-networking opportunities via LinkedIn, local user groups in your area, etc. After about another year or two, you can probably then write your own ticket. But right now, you are not quite there yet. With more time on the job though, you will be. The takeaway for you though is to keep learning and growing in your organization and do whatever you can to make yourself both a team player and a team leader.

Lenniusce

erpadmin wrote: »

That's pretty much all I cared about to read....snip...

Forgot to add one detail: If I hand in my notice, it will be to go live in California with the folks and search for a job there. Think I can do better in the San Diego area?

BradleyHU

simple solution...look for another job...

Plantwiz

First, what exactly were you thinking would happen with a start-up?

Start-ups can be a ton of fun and very exciting and make a ton of money...OR like most I've seen and dealt with, they lose more money then they produce and within a year, maybe two they close up.

30K is nothing to sneeze at. However, if you think you can find something better look elsewhere. Getting bumped up to $35K is pretty significant, and while they may have 'said' they'd do something different, if it "ain't in writing, it didn't happen".

Even if the folks running the start-up are up-and-up people, they may not have the money to pay what they want to pay. Which is most of the time the case. Depending upon if this is their first start-up or 15th, more fail then succeed, which is the thrill that draws folks to work with start-ups.

The extra $5K you insisted upon maybe is taxing them enough that they won't mind seeing you find something else. It's simply business, nothing personal. If you feel the pay isn't what you agreed to work for, then the ball is in your court to decide to stay or leave. If you stay and they finally strike it big, you may likely be healthily rewarded for your loyalty. If you go, you'll never know, but you'll have what you have.

As I frequently will comment, we all suck money out of business. IT and every other support role does not generate money for the company. We can 'save' them money by doing the job, keeping others working, preventing security breaches on the network and being efficient (not wasting time during the day). The end being, we don't 'earn' the company more money. So, when a company is building up (as in the case of a start-up) they are not at a point yet where their sales are likely generating enough business to cover ALL the support staff. Try to start a business. See how 'easy' it is and how long you can string employees along.

Mind you, I don't dispute your frustration, but keep in mind what you signed up for. Re-evaluate and move forward if that is how the coin falls.

Good luck.

NetworkVeteran

Lenniusce wrote: »

Forgot to add one detail: If I hand in my notice, it will be to go live in California with the folks and search for a job there. Think I can do better in the San Diego area?

Whether San Diego would be better for you or not depends on whether you like the people, climate, housing, food, etc. more there. The pay probably looks higher, but realize that comes with a correspondingly higher cost of living.

The grass is always greener on the other side. The job issues you face will be similar. Look to local jobs to determine whether you're being fairly compensated.

Akaricloud

Lenniusce wrote: »

Forgot to add one detail: If I hand in my notice, it will be to go live in California with the folks and search for a job there. Think I can do better in the San Diego area?

I wouldn't attempt it without getting a high paying job there first. According to a quick cost of living calculator, $35,000 in your city is the same as $48,500 in San Diego.

Asif Dasl

I would agree with all that has been said already, if they are going outside the company to get expertise (or hiring expertise) then that's probably not going to change or help you in any way. Become more valuable and your pay will increase - it's that simple. My first IT job paid peanuts, even though I knew a lot about computers.

Some places you have to serve your time before you rise on the totem pole, but if you become more valuable then your employer won't go outside for expertise or another company will gladly take you on, and probably for more money. Working those hours would make me leave for somewhere else first though.

joeykeis

Wow I live in the LA area and 30k is nothing... Is this your first "IT" Job?
Besides thats insane the amount of work your doing for just 35k... How is the job market where your at?

I see you have a+/net+/sec+ and you mentioned SD, what do you think about Gov jobs?..

Forsaken_GA

If you're unhappy at your job, then you need to leave. Staying there will be worse in the long run for you and for the company.

If you think you can make better money, there is absolutely no harm in testing the waters and feeling out other potential employers.

Sit down, and do some soul searching. Decide whether this is a situation you want to stay in. If the answer is yes, quit complaining about it. If the answer is no, then get busy trying to better your situation. The absolute worst thing to do is sit around complaining about being unhappy but doing absolutely nothing to improve the situation.

erpadmin

San Diego is arguably one of the most expensive places to live in the US and for good reason. Between that, and the potential culture shock, there would have to be a good amount of mental preparation just to deal with that kind of adjustment.

What people are not taking into account is that you don't even have a year in at the job that you're in. For argument sake's let's assume you have that full year. Compared to others looking for work who might have 2-3 year experience as perhaps a help desk person, your start-up would easily hire that person and be happy to pay that person $25k-30k. Both the start-up and former help desk person will be happy as punch to put in the time needed to gain the skills necessary for that $40k+ job to be earned elsewhere.

If following mom and dad to San Diego is part of your career goal at some point, you would be better off staying put for at least one more year (until you have two years under your belt with the start-up) and then perhaps hitting the ground running with employment over there. Keep in mind that competition in a place like that has got to be fierce, as there is probably no shortage of IT pros and wannabes in San Diego. It will be very frustrating for you if you make that move without something lined up.

Stay put man, and get your skills up to par. You are seriously in a very good place to do that right now. The money (and prestige) will come later for you, but you are not there yet. Tomorrow will be a different story.

N2IT

@Len

I would try to tough it out for as long as possible. You are getting screwed no question about it, but the experience it good. If you don't have OODLES of experience as s Sys admin in Linux, I would hang in there. Relocating and expecting to get a job is not how is always works.

Do what I do build a LinkedIn page or resume and start compiling your experiences and job roles. After you capture all of them, then start organize them. Learn as much about Linux and system admin as possible. This is a situation where I would think about getting a certification that matches up with my job experience. Then start to apply for position in San Diego.

It's always easier to get a job when you already have one.

TheCudder

Tier-1 Help Desk Analysts makes $35k+ in Alabama (im further north of b'ham). To have only been there a year, you've sure moved up a lot which seems a bit unrealistic. But hold the position a little longer (at least another year or two) and move to another company in AL --- Alabama has plenty of IT jobs (system admin in specific) paying close to and sometimes well over double that amount. Stay put, learn, grow, make your self more marketable and find a new position else where.

Lenniusce

erpadmin wrote: »

San Diego is arguably one of the most expensive places to live in the US and for good reason. ....snip.....

I'm originally from there, so no shock to me.

Thanks a lot everyone for the advice, it sounds a lot like what i've been hearing from friends here in the state, where there is the divide between staying for the valuable experience and on the other hand, GTFO you're being bent over.

Honestly, if I can maintain contractor work for the company since we have a few accounts in the Southwest, I will try to see if they go for that.

SteveLord

joeykeis wrote: »

Wow I live in the LA area and 30k is nothing... Is this your first "IT" Job?
Besides thats insane the amount of work your doing for just 35k... How is the job market where your at?

I see you have a+/net+/sec+ and you mentioned SD, what do you think about Gov jobs?..

Government with less than 1 year experience? I doubt it that would qualify for any, much less being competitive against other candidates.

NOC-Ninja

Lenniusce wrote: »

Here's the situation.l...snip...

and that is why this quote applies to everybody.
If you work hard on your job, you can make a living. But if you work harder on yourself than you do on your job, you can make a fortune. - Jim Rohn

Start looking for another job
Work hard on yourself = your certs whether its MS certs or Cisco certs.
Never work hard at work with that pay.

petedude

Lenniusce wrote: »

Forgot to add one detail: If I hand in my notice, it will be to go live in California with the folks and search for a job there. Think I can do better in the San Diego area?

From what I can see, San Diego is almost as tough a market as San Francisco. Lots of skilled IT folks, relatively few jobs. Go only if you don't mind sticking it out with an MSP for low wages for a couple years.

Daniel333

Lenniusce wrote: »

Here's the situation, ...snip...

Pretty common. Earn a few higher level certs, do it for a year. Move on.

powerfool

I have to reiterate a lot of what has been said.

1) San Diego: It is a beautiful place to live and it is also a bit odd... because it is in California, but it is also a big Navy/Marines town, which means that there are transplants from around the country. I have traveled to SD for work on a few occasions and I love it. Every time I go there, I am contemplating a move. That being said: so is everyone else that travels out there. Not only is the cost of living high, but pay is much lower for many jobs because people are willing to sacrifice pay for the climate and other factors. For instance, nurses (RN) routinely make $60k+ all around the country... much more in some areas. Reports I was reading (my wife is going to be a nurse, soon) put nurses in the $30-40k range in SD.

2) Experience: This is your first job... and I have been there. I was hoping to get decent raises, percentage-wise, in my first few years. They didn't come as I expected, but I gained a ton of experience. I would stick it out for two years at this place, if at all possible. However, don't sit around and wait for that clock to tick down... make sure you are building your network and meeting the right people. Talk to tons of recruiters. Go to industry events and users' groups. Try and get more responsibility at this job and maybe another small pay bump.

What else do you have in favor? Do you have big gaps (like no college)? Do you have any certifications relevant to your work?

You don't have to go crazy with any of this. If you don't have college, start working towards an associate's degree part-time, online, or both. If you have an AS, start working towards a BS. If you don't have certs, try to knock out an exam or two in the next year that will move you along your path. Also, since they aren't looking to give you additional pay, see about benefits that they will give you in pursuit of these goals... tuition reimbursement, pay for exams, etc.

Also, one advantage to making less money is that you can qualify for financial aid more easily... if you still need to go to school.

I would say to set a goal for yourself to make $50/year by the end of your fourth year. Work hard this year and if the company doesn't recognize it, move along and make sure that you get a substantial pay increase with your job move... (at least to $40-45k).

Best regards...

eansdad

YOU ARE GETTING SCREWED! $35k and they expect you to travel? Sure you are getting some great exp for a 1st job but they are violating Federal OT law (FLSA). You need to contact the dept of wage and hour as IT support is not exemptable from Federal OT laws. This company owes you and a lot of others a lot of money. At $30k a year (about $14.50/hr) and 20hrs a week of OT you would be looking at $22k+ in back OT.

demonfurbie

Lenniusce wrote: »

Here's the situation, ...snip...

you live in alabama (i live here too) and you make 35k a year for your first IT job ... you do realize thats good in this state .. there are not many entry level IT jobs in this state.

i would work on getting higher-end certs before moving on and get at least a year at a IT related job first

the_Grinch

Stay put and suck up that Linux experience. With that under your belt, you should be able to write your ticket within a year or so to where ever you like. Sucks and yes you're getting screwed, but sometimes we gotta eat a little dirt in the beginning to dine on steak at the end

Drovor

Personally I would just soak up the experience. In my situation I would love to get better Linux experience. I don't think it would hurt though if you kept an eye on the job market.

NetworkVeteran

the_Grinch wrote: »

Stay put and suck up that Linux experience. With that under your belt, you should be able to write your ticket within a year or so to where ever you like. Sucks and yes you're getting screwed..

If it's in his best interest to continue working those hours at this rate, then he's being fairly compensated. If he feels he is being "screwed" (unfairly compensated), it's a simple matter of demanding more or going to work for a competitor. It's a competitive market, where the smart person can generally earn what they are worth to employers.

erpadmin

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

If it's in his best interest to continue working those hours at this rate, then he's being fairly compensated. If he feels he is being "screwed" (unfairly compensated), it's a simple matter of demanding more or going to work for a competitor. It's a competitive market, where the smart person can generally earn what they are worth to employers.

LMAO!!! Man I needed a laugh...

Forgive me, you probably didn't intend for that to be a joke. However, I could not help but to laugh at this. If this guy had three years under his belt, then yeah, you would be 100% correct. But not even a year in his job, and he's already expecting [warning...intentional exaggeration...] $90k from $35k just because "he feels he is being 'screwed' "

You have highlighted the problem I see with folks wanting to get in this field, something I've griped about longer than I've been a member on this forum, and I'm sure I will continue to gripe about it, so long as there is someone like the OP (though he appears to be playing ball for the moment) who expects six-figure salary after being on the job for like a week. (Again...exagerration, but this time, I'm not too far off.)

SteveLord

I started my first IT job making $33k.....and that was located in Newark, New Jersey where 2 room apartment rent is equal to a mortgage in your area. After a year, I had a slight raise to $35k because my boss looked out for me and was the 3rd in command at this company. I also traveled to 3 other sites (including Manhattan.) I did get reimbursed at the full federal travel rate though.

So yeah, I would have to agree with others on your salary being typical...if not slightly better than that.

Zartanasaurus

A lot of people keep saying to suck it up and $35K is good for a first IT job. I agree in most cases. It's not good first IT job where you are working nights and weekends up to 90 hours and driving 16 hours across the country. Especially if you are being illegally classified as exempt to not pay overtime.

I don't know if that's still the case in his new role, but the old role is very suspect.