JOAT Pay Raise

the_Grinch

With our acting President on the way out my boss believes I'll have a better chance at getting more money and we've being jumping through the hoops to get ready. In December we received merit raises, 3% across the board in my department (not complaining about it because I'm always happy for anything), but the VP basically said that his idea of a Senior Tech on the help desk was one who improved business processes. I was under the impression it would be someone who could do his bosses job, but oh well. Part of the process is to go onto a website and pull the salaries of people who are doing the same job. If they are making more, you have a better shot at getting more. In my case, if you go by title alone I'm right in the middle of the pack. The problem is I do more then just help desk work and I am basically three titles in one:

System Administrator - Account creations, system setups, deployment of servers in the cloud, software deployments, and scripting/group policy

Help desk - As everyone here has done, if it turns on we have to fix it

Web App Tester - I'm literally in charge of all the automated testing of our new web app. I've also have to help troubleshoot issues as they arise (be it with developers on the coding side or with browser issues)

My thought was to pull the salaries of all three positions when I present my case for the raise. If I were straight help desk without doing the web testing and fewer administration based duties the pay would be decent. It's probably not right to say, but we have new grads working in enrollment services making more then I do and merely have to have knowledge of the degree programs their responsible for. No on call 24/7, no new duties added with each software purchase any department makes. Also, I've officially hit my four years of full time experience. Thoughts?

NetworkVeteran

the_Grinch wrote: »

The problem is I do more then just help desk work and I am basically three titles in one: System Administrator - Help desk - Web App Tester

I think working out what % of the time you do each role, and the average salary for each role, is quite reasonable. E.g., if you are 20% sysadmin (2yr xp) + 20% web app tester (1yr xp) + 60% help desk (4yr xp).. that may add up to more than someone who focuses entirely on helpdesk. If you're able to do all those and still have helpdesk metrics that match peers with similar experience, you can do even better and present this as entirely above and beyond and due extra monies.

the_Grinch

Excellent suggestion! I can definitely break down the percentages of the stuff I do. Unfortunately, I don't have any metrics I can use as our "ticketing" system is really just project management software that we are forced to use. Once we close a ticket, it's impossible to find and it doesn't show the number we have done, time to complete, etc. Thanks for the advice!

boobobobobob

New hires are making more then you, when you're already 4 years in?!

networker050184

They let you see the salaries of the other people you work with?

Danielm7

Some companies post the jobs internally with the salary ranges. I used to work at a place that did it and it caused all kinds of problems.

networker050184

Oh yeah I understand salary ranges for positions, but not seeing what individuals salaries are. Never worked at a place where that was available info outside of managers.

the_Grinch

I'm pretty close to my coworkers so it comes up when we're out and about. In my department, I have no issue as far as salaries go because everyone else is a developer or in supervisor/management role. In regards to new hires making more then I do, that is in other departments (dunno if I made that clear). But yes their first job out of college making the same or slightly more then I do where as I'm four full time years in IT....mind boggling I know.

boobobobobob

Would you say you're getting market rate for your job in the area you live in?

SteveLord

In state government here, your job duties are outlined via percentages. The way you request a promotion (or reclassification) is if your duties have changed at least 50%. Obviously with some of those duties being part of the next class above you which they have some generic lists for.

As a fellow JOAT, this can become difficult. I have a hand in so many things, it can be a chore trying to prioritize it all and somehow make it all fit in the way it will benefit me. Especially when most people here are specialists.

the_Grinch

From what the website says, I'm about middle of the pack. Plenty of people making less, but just as many making more. Between two of us we're supporting 100 users, 500 or so devices, 20 servers, and basically anything that our various users dream up that they need. Plus we liaise with the university on the various things they and our team wants. I think my biggest issue is that we switched VP's six months into my tenure and it wasn't until my review that he told my boss what he thought I needed to do to be promoted to Senior Technical Support Specialist. When I started it was basically keep the help desk going, learn and assume a good portion of my bosses duties then in a year I'd be a senior tech. I doubt the pay bump to senior would be huge, but it would be more then I'm getting now.