Should the first IT job pay less than you think it should?

I just got my first job offer in the IT world today, and I am stoked. It actually seems like a decent gig. "Systems Operator". As far as I can tell it seems to be mostly a combination of Jr. Systems Admin and NOC Tech duties for a proprietary system that maintains a large government records database.

I know I'll get some good experience, bonus that its healthcare IT/DoD related, and a security clearance out of the deal. Plus I get to skip entry level help desk positions. However, I can't help but think that this position should pay more than I was offered. I knew going into it that I wouldn't be offered top dollar but I wonder if I could have/should have been offered more.

I guess my question is, is this typical for your first IT job? Sort of a pay your dues/prove yourself type situation and in 6 months or a year I'd have enough ground to negotiate a raise?

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Comments

alias454

I guess it depends on what you consider low. $12-15 dollars an hour for a steady gig with benies would be great starting out (not sure what you are making or your living situation). However, I have the opinion that most technology jobs are under paid. Think of the time investment many of us make to stay current in the field. Think of the education investment we make to maintain marketability. Think of the terrible hours many of us have to work so we do not interfere with business needs etc. etc.

MeanDrunkR2D2

Congrats on the new job! You are very lucky to bypass the dreaded helpdesk and avoid taking calls as that is a horrible thing that many of us have had to deal with when making our break into IT. It sounds like you'll definitely learn some great skills in this role and the security clearance is a huge deal. Now, as far as the pay goes, since it is entry level/jr level type of duties pay would likely be similar to slightly more than a call center help desk depending on the employer. Chances of a huge raise and staying in that position would be low at 1 year, much less 6 months. This is your first professional IT job and sometimes we get taken advantage of because of that, but it's what they tend to do and expect it. I would stick out that job for at least the first year and see about moving up in the company at that time to a better role, and they should offer you some sort of raise depending on the employer. Now, how much will depend on your area and how much they value you and what you contribute to the team. Work hard, do great work, and present good ideas when necessary to show them that you are a person that can be the "go to" guy that they do not want to lose.

Since you'll have a clearance, if there are many gov type positions out there you can put yourself in a great place to move into a new role after you get your feet wet after a year in that position with another employer if they aren't receptive at paying you what you feel is fair (and market rate). At this point, it's all about the experience not the money. Trust me, if you work hard and apply yourself the money will come quickly. They are using you as "cheap" labor, and you are using them as a place to gain the experience you need to move forward.

TheFORCE

Whats the salary or hourly pay? If you dont provide information how can we provide an opinion if it's low or if it's not? Low is a general term, most of the times it depends on location, company, industry, experience etc. So what you might consider low, others might consider acceptable. When I started in IT at $15 an hour I thought it was acceptable based on what I knew. $15 is low now.

bpenn

So, its DoD? I know quite a few DoD contracts award salary based on how much experience you have and if you have a degree. I got offered 43,000 for a sys admin and I was told it would have been around 50,000 with a degree. I make more on Help Desk...

Mow

My first IT job in 2001 was $10 an hour. My current position started at 24K/year. I make a good bit more than that, now, but it is rough until you can command a higher salary through experience.

phdillard

TheFORCE wrote: »

Whats the salary or hourly pay? If you dont provide information how can we provide an opinion if it's low or if it's not? Low is a general term, most of the times it depends on location, company, industry, experience etc. So what you might consider low, others might consider acceptable. When I started in IT at $15 an hour I thought it was acceptable based on what I knew. $15 is low now.

17.50 an hr plus benefits but I don't have the benefit info yet to know if they are any good. As far as what I'm used to making and considering I have no on the job experience, it seems very reasonable, but compared to cost of living in the area I moved to in order to land a job such as this, it seems a bit low. Maybe I just feel that way because we are a one income family.

v1ral

Just started in the IT world too, but I have internship experience as a sysadmin and NOC engineer. Both internships paid me an hourly rate of $15/hr. My first real job after graduating last May, makes about 42K year which is roughly $22/hr. Would have been more, but I didn't have a cert when my current employer hired me for a full time position as a desktop engineer.

I believe it's also depends on where you work. I work in downtown Boston so it will be lower in less populated areas.

newjack

Out of college I was making 40k no bonus in Manhattan. I needed more money and needed to be closer to home. So I took a position about 10min from my house at about 12k increase. 2 years later I am now looking for another job for about 20k+ increase.

You try to get the most you can get but out of school you try to get as much experience as you can get, even though I have been out of school for 3 years, I am still looking for a job that I can learn. I feel like I know nothing compared to the gurus I sit with!

TheFORCE

phdillard wrote: »

17.50 an hr plus benefits but I don't have the benefit info yet to know if they are any good. As far as what I'm used to making and considering I have no on the job experience, it seems very reasonable, but compared to cost of living in the area I moved to in order to land a job such as this, it seems a bit low. Maybe I just feel that way because we are a one income family.

You feel that way because you are just starting out. Get the experience, get some certs, and i think you should get a 4 year degree also. I think that's what is hurting you currently.

Mr. Meeseeks

If you follow the RH Salary Guide:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/DBM/M3/2011/Downloads/RHT_2015_salary-guide.pdf

You are pretty much on par with "Computer Operator". Since it's your first gig, take the low end of the range ($34,750) and multiply it by your location variable. I don't know where you are located but... $17.50 * 2,080 = $36,400

ChasingDreams

I can totally relate to your situation, as I'm 21 and was just offered my first IT position (Database Admin) October of 2014. It was my first real interview and when it came time to talk money I thought a number would be put on the table, instead they asked me so I threw out a number I thought was reasonable (50k + bonus) and they took it. I probably could've negotiated more but for only an A.A. in Information and Cyber Security and no certs it's not bad considering it has a 401k, benefits and 3k tuition reimbursement per year that I'm using as I pursue my Bachelors.

I definitely still feel as though I lack some knowledge but I've laid out a certification plan for myself and hope that as well as various hands on activities will boost my worth.

kurosaki00

Mr. Meeseeks wrote: »

If you follow the RH Salary Guide:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/DBM/M3/2011/Downloads/RHT_2015_salary-guide.pdf

By that list I should be making 40k more than what I'm making...
This threads make me depressed =_=

First job rate was 5.15 per hr.

Here in Indiana salaries are no where near that level

Rakurai

If I followed the salary guide I should be making 6k/yr more than what I am (NOC/Network Admin)

Overall I am fine with 31.25/hr for my first job out of the military, but I am sure that one of the reasons I got it was due to the clearance.

tpatt100

My first IT job got me out of retail hell so 30K and benefits that are great even compared to what I expect now a days was awesome.

I didn't even negotiate salary I was just excited to get the offer.

Priston

I find it funny how low paying entry level IT jobs can range between $10-15/hour and you have this Fight for $15 -
Fast food workers should make more than entry level IT workers right?

LeBroke

Mow wrote: »

My first IT job in 2001 was $10 an hour. My current position started at 24K/year. I make a good bit more than that, now, but it is rough until you can command a higher salary through experience.

I assume you're not in North America? That seems insanely low even for low CoL areas here, and $10/hour does map to around $20k a year anyway.

I find it funny how low paying entry level IT jobs can range between $10-15/hour and you have this Fight for $15 -
Fast food workers should make more than entry level IT workers right?

Of course! After all, it's not like we have to work crazy hours, often with people with no social skills, get bitched at by angry customers demanding everything, now, have bosses that go on powertrips...

Oh wait, IT is worse than fast food. At least there are some pretty cute girls working in fast food.

bpenn

LeBroke wrote: »

At least there are some pretty cute girls working in fast food.[/FONT]

But then they smell like fries and onions... trust me, I know.

LeBroke

bpenn wrote: »

But then they smell like fries and onions... trust me, I know.

So, uh, what's the downside?

MTciscoguy

$17.50 and hour and you are complaining? In my area, you start at around $12.00 and fight tooth and nail to get a raise, but at least my benefits are good and I have opportunity to make at least $500 a month in bonuses. Companies, don't care what the cost of living is, they care what they have to pay to get quality employees that can do the job.

Fulcrum45

Ugh...that salary guide just depressed the hell outta me. Not sure if I'm really being underpaid $30K but what has been seen cannot be un-seen

techfiend

It'd be nice if RHT went by their own documentation. They've always severely low-balled me. $12 help desk, $20 sys admin are some examples.

tpatt100

Priston wrote: »

I find it funny how low paying entry level IT jobs can range between $10-15/hour and you have this Fight for $15 -
Fast food workers should make more than entry level IT workers right?

Entry level IT workers shouldn't be paid that low and besides even if fast food paid more I still wouldn't do it. I worked fast food before and smelling like grease when you come home isn't worth 15 an hour

tahjzhuan

My 1st civilian IT Job was with Teksystems for $14 a hour. Fast forward six months and I was at 50K. I was doing it for experience and possibly a letter of recommendation.

Deathmage

newjack wrote: »

Out of college I was making 40k no bonus in Manhattan. I needed more money and needed to be closer to home. So I took a position about 10min from my house at about 12k increase. 2 years later I am now looking for another job for about 20k+ increase.

You try to get the most you can get but out of school you try to get as much experience as you can get, even though I have been out of school for 3 years, I am still looking for a job that I can learn. I feel like I know nothing compared to the gurus I sit with!

Give you credit man, I was offered a job on Long Island but the dam commute alone out of the city into long island would have been a royal *****, so I said F it...

Seems like a catch 22, work in the city and make over 100k for a VCP alone and deal with 40% of your work week dedicated to travel or work out of the city for $70k with only a 15 to 30 minutes commute to home.

Mr. Meeseeks

Fulcrum45 wrote: »

Ugh...that salary guide just depressed the hell outta me. Not sure if I'm really being underpaid $30K but what has been seen cannot be un-seen

You working tier 1 Helpdesk? If that's the case... you should be at about $35k-37k

Mow

LeBroke wrote: »

I assume you're not in North America? That seems insanely low even for low CoL areas here, and $10/hour does map to around $20k a year anyway.

Of course! After all, it's not like we have to work crazy hours, often with people with no social skills, get bitched at by angry customers demanding everything, now, have bosses that go on powertrips...

Oh wait, IT is worse than fast food. At least there are some pretty cute girls working in fast food.[/FONT]

Haha, I'm in Central Pennsylvania. Doesn't get much more North America than that! I live in an area where there is almost no competition, so the wages for IT are pretty low.

kohr-ah

Mow wrote: »

Haha, I'm in Central Pennsylvania. Doesn't get much more North America than that! I live in an area where there is almost no competition, so the wages for IT are pretty low.

Headup to catasaqua and tell my ancestry I said hi

Fulcrum45

I'm actually one of two Systems Admin on board. Given the geographical salary variances, I'm still a minimum $10-15k under. Not as bad as -$30K but still not ideal.