Salary Question for my fellow certified/or experienced IT Lads

edgar2387

Guys,

I recently became a MCSA certified after obtaining my MCTS and MCITP certs. My current salary is a little over 35000 a year with almost 2 years of an IT environment under my belt doing such task as setting up new users with hardware (desktop, laptop, docks, phone devices, etc.), my current title is Help Desk Technical Admin. Troubleshoot all hardware such as printers and such, replacing hardware such as video cards, Network cards, RAM, and i do not manage and confi switches and servers, and server racks, but i do work in server room with task such as plugging in and adjusting network cables to obtain data.

Anyways, sorry for the long duties, but my job spoke with me last month when i became certified and stated the should have something for me at this present time, and I wanted to make sure I would not get low balled. I have done some research and found that for entry level guys like me, a typical starting salary should be 40-50 a year? Not sure whats too high or too low

Several jobs have contacted my, but really only 1 that caught my attention, however i never heard back, i wouldnt say im in a huge rush, but i am weighing in on my options, i would prefer to stay where i am at now, because they have been and still willing to show and train me, but i just want to get whats reasonable/fair, can anyone be able to tell what on average i could be earning?

techster79

I made $50k after 6 years in IT and an MCSA 2003. You should be worth more with more experience. Only 2 years even with MCSE/MCITP isn't worth much. It also depends on where you live, cost of living, etc. Unless your starting pay was really low it is amazing for a company to raise your income by 10-20k without a counter-offer from another company.

Tooms

At this point in your career I'd suggest these priorities (all of these are important).
1) Getting valuable experience
2) Liking your job
3) Pay

Gradually over time shift those things to be these by 10-15 years:
1) Liking your job
2) Pay
3) Experience

Akaricloud

Couple of things:

First, you may or may not get a very large bump in salary; this really depends on internal company policies. I wouldn't be too surprised if you're not able to get what you want out of them but that also depends on the position they have in mind for you.

Second, I know you mentioned not wanting to switch companies but from the sounds of it you should be able to step into a 40-50k Systems Administrator position with a quick company change. From my experience stepping outside of your comfort zone is the best way to increase both your pay and the experience you'll get. If they're not able to offer you a similar experience(forget about the pay), then you'll be best off to seek it elsewhere. Look at what will provide you the best exposure and experience; Pay will follow.

Finally, you need to stop thinking, and referring, to yourself as "entry level". You're a certified IT Professional with years of experience.

GarudaMin

Tooms wrote: »

At year 6 I was around $40k, year 12 six figures with 8 weeks of time off.

8 weeks? O.O
Are you guys hiring?

JasminLandry

To me, just the fact that you're thinking about getting a new job elsewhere means that it might be your time to move on to a new company. I was actually in the exact same situation a you 2 months ago. I worked as a Service Desk technician as a contractor. They offered me a permanent position with a slight pay increase. I was actually thinking about accepting it. Durin my time there, I got 4 certs so I started getting offers from other companies with a 10k-15k pay increase. Even though I loved working at the Service Desk as a level 2 technician, I eventually accepted an offer for a Network Administrator with a 15K increase. Sometimes you have to take risk to move on and get better and have a better career!!

cruwl

Its hard to get experience with out experience. If the company offers you a System Admin position and doesnt bump the pay I say take it, Get 6 months direct system admin exp, then look else where.

edgar2387

Thanks everyone for your feedback, everyone's input and information on the paths you guys took helped make my decision easier, I updated my resume last week and recruiters have been calling with some intriguing available positions, and everyone is right, nothing like needing to get some experience under my belt, and getting the entry level label out the door, I'm a certified IT Pro