Fresh grad, 0 experience makes 3k more than me. (2 years experience no degree)

Me:
Entry into IT. Helpdesk 33k for 1 year. Got laid off, hired at new company (desktop support) for 38k yr. Got bumped up to 42k even (obtained ccna and enrolled in college now) 2 years exp total. 1 with current company.

Company expanding need another desktop support guy (same as me). Fresh grad 0 experience, offered 45k even.

Its fair because they went to school for 4 years but feels blah.

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Comments

snunez889

I agree with how you feel, believe me I been there. I have been the new guy that make more and the old vet that is now paid less. But in reality, doesn't matter if you have 5 years experience, you're are on the same job level (Lets call it helpdesk) as this new hire. He might of just negotiated better and got a hire salary. Your company might have a salary range for this position and you accepted the lowest.

Trust me I know it sucks. Your next job you might be the new guy that makes more.

thomas_

If you feel that bad about it, then start looking for another job or you can take solace in the fact that he has student loans he's repaying and will be repaying for awhile while you don't.

NetworkNewb

Wait a minute a college grad making more than a non college grad? When did the news crew show up to cover this story?

TheFORCE

How did you get to know his salary? Usually companies have a policy that discourages employees from talking about salary. Either way, you are 1 year with the company, you can request a promotion based on your experience and you could be making the same as him or in the event you get a raise, he might get less than you.

TechGromit

Nothing new. I have a co-worker hired within a month of me that I know for a fact makes 10 to 12k more than me. He already had a job when he applied, so he had more leverage when negotiating for a salary. I on the other hand had a crappy contractor job that paid peanuts and no benefits. I couldn't afford to play the "No, give more money negotiation game".

TechGuru80

Get ready for that theme as long as you don't have your degree. It may stink but more times than not that degree will matter.

LA2

Well, if he's like many other recent college grad he might have 45k in school loans.

tmtex

Let me first say, I prefer hiring entry level people and forming them. I had a college grad in Information Systems that I hired for a Helpdesk Position, no experience, but knew the basics of computer and was the only one who passed my test of figuring out turning on a computer with an error of No boot device available. He was hired on at 42K, not my call just the company standard and could still be considered high in TX. Company was Acquired buy another out of California. I had to hire another. Again this one no experience but knew enough for entry level and was cool,HS education , entry level helpdesk/desktop support 58K at a Exempt salary. Blew my mind

aderon

lol I've actually had a similar situation. I had an A.A. in IT, net+, sec+, 2 years of IT experience and was making $18/hour. My friend who had just graduated with a computer engineering degree, had a net+, and zero job experience (IT or otherwise) was making $25/hour at his first internship and was receiving offers for my dream job which he turned down because it doesn't interest him. This is what has helped motivate me to finish my degree.

I think the main difference is he knew how to code. It gets sort of downplayed on this forum a bit, but knowing how to code is an extremely valuable skill imo.

clouder

Around here, you're worth what you can negotiate. I've seen 2 people doing the same exact job have 20k+ difference in salaries plenty of times. I wouldn't feel bad about 3k.

scaredoftests

You have a couple of choices.
1.) Get a college degree
2.) Look for another position

$bvb379

I have preached this a few times on this forum and I have gotten a lot of stick for it. My friends who have college degrees, no experience, but started in some kind of tech field started out at around $62,500. They are now at $73,000 + with just a few years of experience. I had a guy get hired over me who didn't know what a router is/does for a cyber security role because he had a Security and Assurance degree. Life is not fair, you just have to keep grinding.

byron66

tmtex wrote: »

Let me first say, I prefer hiring entry level people and forming them. I had a college grad in Information Systems that I hired for a Helpdesk Position, no experience, but knew the basics of computer and was the only one who passed my test of figuring out turning on a computer with an error of No boot device available. He was hired on at 42K, not my call just the company standard and could still be considered high in TX. Company was Acquired buy another out of California. I had to hire another. Again this one no experience but knew enough for entry level and was cool,HS education , entry level helpdesk/desktop support 58K at a Exempt salary. Blew my mind

Where do I sign up?

NetworkNewb

Or since its common knowledge (or should be...) that companies almost always pay more to someone with a degree, ESPECIALLY in lower positions, that complaining about it is a little ridiculous? Over time someone can make up for not having a degree and make a lot, but in the OPs position which is desktop support, I find his argument should be falling on deaf ears. Saying it is not fair in this situation isn't correct.

dave330i

$bvb379 wrote: »

I have preached this a few times on this forum and I have gotten a lot of stick for it. My friends who have college degrees, no experience, but started in some kind of tech field started out at around $62,500. They are now at $73,000 + with just a few years of experience. I had a guy get hired over me who didn't know what a router is/does for a cyber security role because he had a Security and Assurance degree. Life is not fair, you just have to keep grinding.

Life is usually pretty fair. You usually get back the effort you put in.

coffeeluvr

@dave330i...."Life is usually pretty fair. You usually get back the effort you put in."......Such a TRUE statement!!!

$bvb379

dave330i wrote: »

Life is usually pretty fair. You usually get back the effort you put in.

**Usually**

I am not agreeing with the OP and I have seen people on this forum with 7+ years experience, certs, and a degree making less than $70k. I guess that is an ambition or mind-set issue more than a skill set issue, though. Being in the right place at the right time and knowing someone always helps.

TechGuru80

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Over time someone can make up for not having a degree and make a lot

You can never truly catch up unless maybe somebody has several hundreds of thousands in debt.

TomkoTech

TechGuru80 wrote: »

You can never truly catch up unless maybe somebody has several hundreds of thousands in debt.

Um.... I know quite a few people make 6 figures with no college degree... You can most certainly "catch up" based on experience.

fmitawaps

At a recent interview, they came right out and asked what I made at previous IT jobs. So I lied and highballed my actual hourly rates by $4 an hour. They have no way to prove otherwise. And if they pay me the same as what they think I made before, it'll still be a raise!

Mow

fmitawaps wrote: »

They have no way to prove otherwise.

Unless they do a background/credit check.

Iristheangel

fmitawaps wrote: »

At a recent interview, they came right out and asked what I made at previous IT jobs. So I lied and highballed my actual hourly rates by $4 an hour. They have no way to prove otherwise. And if they pay me the same as what they think I made before, it'll still be a raise!

Like Mow said, if they do a background check, you may have shot yourself in the foot for your inability to negotiate well and trying to compensate by lying.

bluejellorabbit

Iristheangel wrote: »

Like Mow said, if they do a background check, you may have shot yourself in the foot for your inability to negotiate well and trying to compensate by lying.

Yeah, I'm not above lying, but I pretty much never lie upwards. For instance I'll lie and say I don't have a college degree if I think it'll help in getting the job, or I'll lie to my coworkers and say I don't have any certifications to avoid cert drama, but I would highly advise against lying in the upward direction in saying you make more than you do or saying you have skills you don't have. That isn't likely to turn out well, and even if it does, it's a bad habit that will eventually lead to a situation where it won't work out well.

Iristheangel

bluejellorabbit wrote: »

Yeah, I'm not above lying, but I pretty much never lie upwards. For instance I'll lie and say I don't have a college degree if I think it'll help in getting the job, or I'll lie to my coworkers and say I don't have any certifications to avoid cert drama, but I would highly advise against lying in the upward direction in saying you make more than you do or saying you have skills you don't have. That isn't likely to turn out well, and even if it does, it's a bad habit that will eventually lead to a situation where it won't work out well.

This actually makes a lot of sense and I would agree. Worst case about them finding you omit your certification or degree is you just say "Well, I didn't think it was relevant" and life goes forward. Lying about pay, degrees, skills, experience you don't have is the bad part - people find themselves in bad spots because of it like you said.

Christian.

I thought your salary was private information and it was not reported anywhere (except things like the IRS). I imagined it was something you had to voluntary give, not that there was another way to get it.

Mow

When an employer wants to do a background check, you sign a release to allow them to look up salary info, etc.

Iristheangel

Mow is 100% correct. If you're doing an official background check through an agency that employer uses, typically you sign a release form to verify employment and salary history. If you sign that bad boy, you're pretty much giving your ex-exployers the legal "ok" to verify your salary history. Another thing i've had happen is where companies closed up or contract gigs that were on my resume and that only why they can verify that with the lack of an HR team is for you to provide the W-2s or tax returns which also will provide verification of that salary level.

Next time you go for a job at a decent sized company, read the background check docs you sign as a legal release VERY carefully. You'll probably see it there.

Check this article out as well: What happens if I embellish my salary history? - CNN.com

jeremywatts2005

At my last job I was the highest paid even higher than the technical leads and manager above me. I have "gasp" two Master's degrees in field and a lot of experience but not as much as the lead or as many certs. Sometimes companies place a premium on a degree especially in field. Don't worry you have experience add the degree and watch the salary jump. You can do it.

dave330i

Iristheangel wrote: »

Check this article out as well: What happens if I embellish my salary history? - CNN.com

Funny how that article states the same things that those of us who's been around the block a few have been preaching on this forum.

Christian.

You learn something new every day. I went through 2 background checks (one with the contractor company and another with the client), and for some reason (maybe it's normal), I received a copy of the second report. There wasn't an item regarding your previous companies, it was about checks in several DBs regarding criminal/sex/violent offences, felony, misdemeanors, something with the SSA, previous addresses, etc. I suppose that if some jobs require you to take a polygraph (I laughed when I saw that in some descriptions, I can't imagine doing that), checking your previous salaries isn't that bizarre. Thanks for sharing that.