[ale] pay rates vs. experience

Fri Apr 27 08:54:22 EDT 2012

Sometimes stepping down to get ahead is the way to go.

When I made the move from Accounting to IT I took a massive pay cut to do it but within 2 years was back where I had been in pay and then the tech boom took off and Admin rates really accelerated.  When I left that first IT job (where I got promoted twice) for another one my pay increased dramatically and after a year I got promoted at that new job and my pay had nearly doubled from the previous one.

Interesting to me about the tech boom was it was hard to find Admins then and you'd see resumes of people that clearly were just job hopping every 6 months for raises.   By and large we would pass on such folks and I said that if the boom ended those would be the ones who had the hardest time finding jobs.

An interesting salary survey I just read noted that pay rates seem to be dependent on department size.   The bigger the admin staff the higher the pay rates.

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of Katherine Villyard
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2012 8:28 AM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
Subject: Re: [ale] pay rates vs. experience

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I recently saw a Windows admin position that wanted Active Directory,
Group Policy, WSUS, SQL Server, etc., that was offering $37-40K.
(Admittedly, it was an academic institution, but those are usually
offering $45-75K for similar skills.)

I'm thinking that the only takers they're going to get are:

1. Recent college grads.
2. Retirees.

I'd say desktop techs who want to move into system administration, but
that would be a pay cut for a lot of them.

I've similarly seen linux jobs (also academic) that top out at
$50-55K.  In fact, I interviewed for one of those because I thought it
might get me where I want to go, if you know what I mean.  (If you
don't, it would have gotten me solid experience with skills that would
serve me well in a future job hunt.)

Money's not everything, but let's not pretend we don't like groceries.  ;)

- --
Katherine

"Time wounds all heels."
- --Dorothy Parker

On 4/27/2012 8:04 AM, Lightner, Jeff wrote:
> On the most recent posting on the Ale jobs list I had to laugh when
> I saw a pay range of 65k-75k for everything THAT job entailed such
> as SAN administration, managing 5000 domains in BIND just to name a
> couple. Even funnier was that it was 6 months CTP - Really?  They
> can't figure out whether someone is worthwhile in 3 months?   True
> you don't really get fully up to speed in a new complex environment
> in less than 6 months but it should be obvious long before that
> whether you are CAPABLE of getting up to speed or not.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  *From:*ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] *On Behalf
> Of *Jim Kinney *Sent:* Thursday, April 26, 2012 10:44 PM *To:*
> Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux! *Subject:* [ale] pay
> rates vs. experience
>
>
>
> One of the things I see as the admin for the list is the postings
> for the ale-jobs list before everyone else. I've never rejected a
> posting for having a crappy pay rate and never will.
>
> BUT....
>
> Given the state of things, economy, growth in demand for Linux
> skills, number of qualified admins in the field, etc., maybe it's
> time for a knock-down, drag out discussion on pay vs. experience.
>
> The last time I saw a usix pay chart was probably 2005. At that
> time a RedHat EL admin wiiht a solid 5 years experience on the job
> was worth an average $80k/yr with decent benefitsw (company health
> insurance, retirement fund other than stock options, dental, etc).
>
> Windows admins with 5 years were around $65k.
>
> Solaris with 5 years got $90k. IRIX admins were looking for a new
> OS to use.
>
> Oracle DBA with 5 years could grab $95k anywhere.
>
> Any professional certification added 5-10k to the above. Thos
> numbers were nation-wide averages so no are specific cost of living
> differentials.
>
> Atlanta is cheaper than LA or New York and has a large and growing
> IT presence and a similar demand for Linux skills.
>
> Lately, I've seen startups pay more but the risk is higher. Lower
> risk jobs pay less but the check always clears the bank. I recently
> took a lower pay job than I'm accustomed to just for the lower risk
> of short-term with a large corp. I have "stuff to do" that
> scratches some of my geek itches but leaves many untouched.
>
> Is the current economy eating admin pay grades? I didn't take my
> current position because i wanted the main job function. I took for
> purely "gotta eat and pay bills" reasons (sell out but not starving
> does cause me some sleepless nights - then I go get something to
> eat and forget about it).
>
> -- -- James P. Kinney III
>
> As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted
> to consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then the powerful can
> do as they please, and those who survive will be left to
> contemplate the outcome. - /2011 Noam Chomsky
>
> http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com//
>

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