Of course if I worked for Excalibur films I'd be happy to get my hands dirty!
John W. Cook
Systems Administrator
Partnership For Strong Families
Sent to you from my Blackberry in the Cloud

________________________________
From: Andrew S. Baker
To: NT System Admin Issues
Sent: Wed Aug 12 15:45:27 2009
Subject: Re: OT: Salary rant

It depends on the company and the industry as to whether or not you can be a 
senior technologist and still get your hands dirty.

Some people want to, and some don't.

-ASB



On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 3:34 PM, David Lum 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

What do you do as IT Director? Kind of surprised that a director-level person 
would be on a techie lis����� IT Direct�����s do����t get their hands dirty 
often, do they? I���m glad there are folks like you who actually WANT to do 
director --> C-level stuff. My boss asked me a few months ago what I would like 
to be doing a couple years from now and down the road farth�����a promotion to 
Sr. Systems Engineer would be pretty much it, I have zero desire to do anything 
other than be the guy folks come to for the tougher troubleshooting and 
implementing new infrastructure and figuring out the details of how to make 
subsystem A integrate with subsystem B.



Put another way, I want to be the one that the C-level types think should be 
easy to do (because they do����t know the technical hurdles), but that some 
techs think is impossible to actually achieve (because they DO know the 
technical hurdles).



Dave



From: Jacob [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:13 AM

To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: OT: Salary rant



From IT Director to ??? (CIO).



MBA, Project Management???



There is a great boo��������The Executives Guide to Information Technology���



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470095210/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=304485901&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0471266094&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0XYY03HV01EE7VB28FWX



I am not an CIO (not even close), but I use it. Great info.



From: Cameron Cooper [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:29 AM

To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: OT: Salary rant



So for someone who is looking to move up in the IT field, what do people 
recommend?



_____________________________

Cameron Cooper

IT Director - CompTIA A+ Certified

Aurico Reports, Inc

Phone: 847-890-4021    Fax: 847-255-1896

[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>



From: Andrew S. Baker [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:26 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: OT: Salary rant



Remember that when you look at averages for the US on a whole, you have to take 
into account the higher salaries available in the metro areas.

I find that most of the salaries in the more comprehensive surveys are low to 
average for the NYC metro area.   It all depends on the sample demographics.

-ASB

On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 1:05 PM, Maglinger, Paul 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

How about those salary surveys in the trade rags?



________________________________

From: Sherry Abercrombie [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:39 AM

To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: OT: Salary rant



Yup, what Vicky said.  I've read too many stories like yours Scott, so when I 
hear those radio ads, I KNOW it's not true and it just ticks me off actually 
that they are even doing it.  But, like they are saying in their ad, stimulus 
money is available....and I don't want this to denigrate into a political 
discussion but it just makes me angry when an unscrupulous company is 
capitalizing on a government handout and preying on clueless people and they 
won't be able to make good on their promises of a great paying career in IT.

On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 11:14 AM, Vicky Spelshaus 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

Ouch!  just ouch.



On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 11:03 AM, Scott Williamson 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

At least everybody here has a job. I lost my job in March.. The recession hurt 
our online sales (50% drop in sales). The owner, who had no clue when it came 
to SEO/SEM, decided to make all these changes to get it in top of the search 
engines. He ignored the employees, including our marketing person. We said this 
would hurt us even more. Boom!... an 80% drop in sales. From over $40,000 a day 
in online sale to just over $8,000 in six months. The owner kept assuring us 
that the company has been through this before and we will weather is out. The 
company has over $2 millions in reserves (found out this was not true).

The owner quietly sold the business under us. We came to work and it was 
closed. Your paychecks will be sent in the mail. It never came. Company filed 
for bankruptcy the same day it closed. I went from 115K a year as the IT 
Director to $450 a week on unemployment. If figured with 15 years IT 
experience, a Masters in Information Systems, a PMP, A+, Network+, MCP, and 
advanced ColdFusion certified, I could find a job.

Nope... Over 200 positions I have applied or sent my resume to and I got only 
one interview for an System Administrator making $55,000. The only way I got 
the interview was because I has to dumb down my resume. Did not get the job. 
They found someone with more experience and the HR person said that over 300 
people applied for the position.. Three years ago, they could barely get 5 to 
apply.    Recruiters are no help.

I do have family in the Dallas area, and got a couple hits from companies in 
Dalles. But the both stated that because I am out of town, they feel I will 
leave when things pick up. Not true. I am looking to get out of California!

So.. it is now August. My savings is dried up and my wife makes $40,000 a year 
as a dental assistant.. Not enough in Southern California. Mortgage company 
will not do a forbearance so we have to move out of our house and live with my 
brother. But the rent wont cover the mortgage and we have already accepted the 
fact that we will lose our house. I have spent $3,000 on two attorneys to help 
us with the mortgage company.. no help.

I get a kick reading that IT jobs are the hot jobs and they are hard to fill. 
Not enough skilled workers. I have not experienced that.



________________________________

From: "Ziots, Edward" <[email protected]>
To: NT System Admin Issues 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 3:34:23 AM
Subject: RE: OT: Salary rant

I agree, right now, a lot if not most companies ar�����bleeding a nicke���� 
when it comes to getting maximum productivity out of workers, on top of 
reducing costs any and every way they can. I d�����t see this trend ending for 
a few years to come.



Like its been said before for those that get raises ( Ours have been frozen 
too, and possibly for longer for just this year) along with the raise in paying 
more for your benefits, less in the 401K, 403B, and no training budget) be 
happy you have a job and a roof over your head, it could be a lot worse, and 
quiet quickly..



I agree use the opportunity to stand out, put in the time, (and we all know it 
isn���t a 40 hr work week, you are lucky if you get away with 60-70 hrs a week 
now a days) learn all you can learn with new technologies, and bide your time.



Z



Edward Ziots

Network Engineer

Lifespan Organization

MCSE,MCSA,MCP+I, ME, CCA, Security +, Network +

[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

Phone:401-639-3505

________________________________

From: James Kerr [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 7:17 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: OT: Salary rant



Guess I shouldn't complain about our 1% raise company wide.

----- Original Message -----

From: Sam Cayze<mailto:[email protected]>

To: NT System Admin Issues<mailto:[email protected]>

Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 6:49 PM

Subject: RE: OT: Salary rant



Well put, nice words Andy.  (And others).



They might be lowballing to find someone serious about the position, not the 
paycheck.  If you bite, they may make it worth your while if you are committed.



________________________________

From: Andy Shook [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 4:27 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: OT: Salary rant

Chris,

I����s tough out there no doubt and I feel your pain, many of us that are 
employed are right there with you.  Salary cuts, benefit cost increases, 
insurance coverage decreases, 401(k)s turning into 101(k)s, furloughs, 
FREAK����� COMISSION PLAN RESTRUCTURES (I fell better).  The cut sucks, I 
understand, but yo����re standing there with an FULL TIME OFFER LETTER.  To 
many IT guys that are stupid smart are now bagging grocerie����



I encourage everyone in this situation to look long term; the here and now is 
not fun but it is temporary�����This too, shall pas����, wrote the psalmist.  I 
would use the opportunity you have been given to rise above the morale, 
fear\doom & gloom and stand out; i.e. all of you be the rock star in your 
current position(s).  I����s a killer opportunity, as the fat has been trimmed 
and orgs are now focusing on everything & everyone with laser precision.



Be the best��� [1]



Shook

[1] This could be perceived as an unintentional Karate Kid reference 
(tournament mus�����.You���re the best, around.  No on����s ever gunna beat you 
down) but that was not the intent.����



On Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 3:49 PM, Christopher Bodnar 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

I know ����m not going to get a any sympathy here, due to the unemployment 
rate, and the economy in general, but needed to vent a little. Was hired as a 
contract to hire position last year. Great company, close to home, good salary. 
6 months in they cut my salary by 10% to the contracting company, which was 
then passed on to me. I was told at the time, that if/when I was offered full 
time employment, I would be brought on with the initial salary I had started 
at. Just go the official offer, and it���s 5% below that. I know I should be 
thankful I even have a job, which I am. But I still feel like they are 
low-balling me just because of the economy. If the economy would be better and 
more IT jobs out there, ����d tell them to take a hike and see what happens. 
C�����t afford to do that right now with a mortgage and 2 kids. For once I just 
wish someone would offer me what was promised. Sorry, not looking to offend 
anyone out there. Just blowing off some steam.

Chris






















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