Salary Question

[nca]

Around here, 65-85 is the going billing rate for junior levels. 85 plus seems high, but if your salary is commensurate then that makes sense.

 

You should feel lucky to get any additional benefits. Here it is not unusal for employers to cut all medical, dental, pto, etc…forget overtime too.

 

Yukonwanderer–could you upload some work samples so we can see the caliber of work of those finding jobs?

[ykonwanderer]

I know that the company misses out on some projects (typically the “cooler” projects) because they are considered expensive. You think my salary should reflect what appears to be a higher billing rate than average?

 

I also think that on salary we do not get paid overtime, but benefits are provided for sure (dental, physio/massage, not sure what else.  Up here we don’t need medical benefits obviously, except for prescription med coverage.

 

I can’t really upload much on here without giving myself away, and I’m very paranoid now that someone from the firm might be on here.

 

I think it has a lot to do with the lighter recession here.  My work is by no means extraordinary: I just have additional in-demand skills and am a hard worker, efficient, reliable and a perfectionist.

[ykonwanderer]

p.s. Nick – I looked over your portfolio on here and it’s great!  You are not  unemployed right now right??

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Why do any of you try to come up with formulas of what a pay rate should be? It does not matter what you come up with. That firm, and every other firm, is going to offer compensation as they see fit. Averages and generalities are only good for non-specifics.

Let’s not forget how data is collected. ASLA does it by survey, so only those who want to answer are counted and no one confirms the answers.The Bureau of Labor Statistics does it by tax information.

 

Also, remember that we are going to be one of the fastest growing professions between 2008 and 2018. No flaws in that analysis?

[alland]

In my day, graduating in ’95 and working in a design build firm – 35k

engineering firm 2000 – 40k

engineering firm 2005 – 52k

engineering firm (5 mos.) 2008 – 70k

after the crash – whatever i can get on a cutback schedule…

 

 

 

 

 

[nca]

No.

 

I work from home in Aspen, which is pretty nice. Sometimes I wish I were working on cooler projects, but I think things will turn around in time.

 

I understand your concern about sharing infomration online..no worries.

[Pat S. Rosend]

How long has this “offer ” been out thre? I have worked in a number of oranizations ad things change quickly. I would get back to them , express your interest and ask for the details. My experience has been that most companies will offer a salary number if you ask them. A HR manager will probably be better at negotiaing skills than a design professional(IMHO) (Meaning the people you worked/interviwed with are not actually the people who put the final numbers together)

 

Timing could be a concern in that 1. Funding for the poistion goes away and the offer is closed. or 2. Someone else steps up and takes the offer. First jobs are never your final job. Look at it like it is, an opportunity to get started. It is never what you think, but it allows you to see where you might want to go.

[Jennifer de Graaf]

My feeling is that you need experience, and to get over yourself.  I don’t mean to be harsh, but why on earth would a company hire you if you tell them that you don’t appreciate and admire their work and would require not to do it OR get more money just to grace them with your presence?  If you don’t want to work there, work somewhere else.  If you continue with this attitude, I guarantee that you won’t work there.

[Jennifer de Graaf]

Actually, I disagree.  Land8 is not facebook, it is an opportunity to show something about yourself outside your actual portfolio.  Treat it as an extension of your resume/portfolio and get over the private information.  Nobody on here has any idea what your skill levels are (I tried to look) because they have to be your friends first.  I don’t think that is in keeping with the spirit of land8.

[ykonwanderer]

Who are you to tell me what I should and should not show on here?  Land8 is many things besides simply a “portfolio extension”, and if some people choose to show their work than that is great.  You need to respect others who do not wish to show their work.

[ykonwanderer]

Please.  You don’t know who my employers are, what they have told me, where my skills fit in to the equation, and you have obviously been selectively reading snippets of this thread (or you have chosen to only comment on the negatives).

 

For some reason you are under the impression that I would tell the company I don’t like their work?  For some reason you equate wanting to learn how people negotiate with wanting more money “to be graced by my presence”?  I suspect you are jealous that a “newbie grad” has a job offer and is in the actual position to negotiate salary.

 

Fact of the matter is I already expressed dissatisfaction with that one area of focus to the regional manager during a performance review during my internship, and he said that they are trying to get the guy to diversify his interests and bring in other types of work, and that other offices (he offered me a transfer to other offices) would not be doing work like that.

[ykonwanderer]

It’s been out there for a few months. I spoke to some ex coworkers over x-mas break and the offer was there for me to work over the holidays if I wanted to.  I declined because the office is way too far away from my home, and I didn’t feel like trying to come up with accommodations for such a short amount of time.

 

And yes I am going to be contacting them shortly.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Quite consistent with my own experience, Alland.

[nca]

For what it’s worth…

 

You can make your profile here accessible only to members who add you as a friend so it’s pretty difficult for an employer to see what you’ve been up to…even so..

 

I tend to believe that I would say in person whatever I write here and my activity on Land8 is somewhat of an extension of my professional bio. That said, if someone doesnt want to hire me in the future because of a particular opinion I took on a topic, thats unfortunate–and not just for me.

 

If anything Land8, my blog/website, etc has helped me connect with colleagues and led to relationships.. 

 

Still, I understand and respect each members right to keep certain information private.

[Heather Smith]

My first reaction was…you found jobs to apply for? 😉

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