Which way to go?
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So I've been in IT for roughly 7 years now, and although I enjoy the many different aspects of the job, I'm not exactly sure which path to take in the near future. The majority of my IT experience has been playing the Network Admin role for multiple in-town locations, taking care of 500+ devices for 125+ users. Both after work, and on the weekends, I work for my own MSP supporting a client base made up of small to medium businesses. Although I do enjoy my current job, the position pays so little that I find myself working the minute I get out of working my full time job. I've requested a raise multiple times and have been told it "Can't be done due to budget restrictions"(It's so bad that 2 years out of the past 5 no one has received a raise)...within the next few months the amount of work that will need to be done should be done by 3 full time IT positions (Including the removal of 200+ computers, installation of 350+ computers, conversion & consolidation of 14 physical servers to 9 virtual servers, installing projectors, installing access points, re-routing cables in over 50 rooms, etc). Now, I would have no issue at all working 12+ hour days to ensure the work is all said & done but not for the amount of money I'm paid. I feel like leaving would leave the building in the dust, but I just can't see myself salving over wages comparable to an entry level computer tech.
I've updated my online resume and have been getting multiple calls, but nothing that would have much growth potential (Unless I relocated or travelled a massive amount).
Not really sure if I should approach my "uppers" with a "requirement of a raise or I must leave" situation or just hand in my 2 weeks and risk going to work on my own business full time or continue going back and forth with recruiters until I find something more appealing?
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If you haven't received a raise, using potential departure will be a temporary help. If you make your mind up to leave, leave. As someone who's moved literally halfway across the country for work, sometimes you just need to do that. Traveling for work can also be lucrative, but I understand that it isn't for everyone. Sometimes compensation grows as the position grows, but sometimes it doesn't. In the latter situation, you need to change in order to make the appropriate amount of money. Whichever way you go or don't go, there will always be what-ifs, but it's a matter of learning to not dwell on them.
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What are the chances of you quitting your current employers but then being re-employed by them as a consultant through your own business for mega-bucks?
(I don't actually know what an MSP is, so I'm not sure if I've understood your post correctly).
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@alexntg said:
If you haven't received a raise, using potential departure will be a temporary help. If you make your mind up to leave, leave. As someone who's moved literally halfway across the country for work, sometimes you just need to do that. Traveling for work can also be lucrative, but I understand that it isn't for everyone. Sometimes compensation grows as the position grows, but sometimes it doesn't. In the latter situation, you need to change in order to make the appropriate amount of money. Whichever way you go or don't go, there will always be what-ifs, but it's a matter of learning to not dwell on them.
I wouldn't mind the travelling but only to an extent, and the relocating is very appealing although leaving the area that my entire family resides in is not. I understand there will always be what-ifs, but this one is going to be the first big change after 7 years old the same work environment.
@Carnival-Boy said:
What are the chances of you quitting your current employers but then being re-employed by them as a consultant through your own business for mega-bucks?
(I don't actually know what an MSP is, so I'm not sure if I've understood your post correctly).
(Managed Service Provider) Sadly enough, they pay outside vendors at fair market value...so if I ran 40 cables (Which I did a few months back) whilst doing every day IT work here there's no bonus. If an outside vendor does it, they make half of my annual salary in less than a month. I've thought about it, and although I wouldn't mind proposing it, I'm sure they wouldn't agree to it.
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As Alex alluded, once you have to threaten to leave, you are at the end. It's a bad move. No good ever really comes of it. It just makes a bad situation worse in the long run.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
What are the chances of you quitting your current employers but then being re-employed by them as a consultant through your own business for mega-bucks?
(I don't actually know what an MSP is, so I'm not sure if I've understood your post correctly).
I've done that before. It was lucrative, though awkward.
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I've been in your position. Left my in house job to work at a MSP, left them to create my own baby MSP. I've never been happier.
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I don't agree that threatening to leave is necessarily a bad idea. I've never done it myself, but have seen it work well for colleagues. I've dropped subtle hints that I'm considering leaving, and that has worked out well for me. It all depends on how you do it, and how your employer reacts - no two situations are the same. But I've found that most employers will only give big pay rises if they believe their is a real risk they will lose you, and it doesn't do any harm to help them evaluate that risk.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
I don't agree that threatening to leave is necessarily a bad idea. I've never done it myself, but have seen it work well for colleagues. I've dropped subtle hints that I'm considering leaving, and that has worked out well for me. It all depends on how you do it, and how your employer reacts - no two situations are the same. But I've found that most employers will only give big pay rises if they believe their is a real risk they will lose you, and it doesn't do any harm to help them evaluate that risk.
Well it wouldn't necessarily be "Threatening" as much as unveiling the idea that there's a good chance that I'll have to walk out the door if the reimbursement for the work doesn't change. There are two staff members who received large "Stipends" for doing "Extra work" or finishing the work "Early". When in fact there is no staff member that comes close to the amount of hours we spend here in IT.
The same situation happened to a close friend of mine that worked here(Non-IT). She was great at what she did but they paid her on a part-time pay grade. She left and they immediately were forced to hire someone full time since no one would do the work for such a low number.
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@Condonian said:
unveiling the idea that there's a good chance that I'll have to walk out the door if the reimbursement for the work doesn't change.
I think that's a good strategy and I've used it myself in the past with some success. But generally speaking, the biggest pay rises a person gets during his career come when he move jobs, and that's what you may have to do.
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@Condonian said:
@Carnival-Boy said:
I don't agree that threatening to leave is necessarily a bad idea. I've never done it myself, but have seen it work well for colleagues. I've dropped subtle hints that I'm considering leaving, and that has worked out well for me. It all depends on how you do it, and how your employer reacts - no two situations are the same. But I've found that most employers will only give big pay rises if they believe their is a real risk they will lose you, and it doesn't do any harm to help them evaluate that risk.
Well it wouldn't necessarily be "Threatening" as much as unveiling the idea that there's a good chance that I'll have to walk out the door if the reimbursement for the work doesn't change. There are two staff members who received large "Stipends" for doing "Extra work" or finishing the work "Early". When in fact there is no staff member that comes close to the amount of hours we spend here in IT.
The same situation happened to a close friend of mine that worked here(Non-IT). She was great at what she did but they paid her on a part-time pay grade. She left and they immediately were forced to hire someone full time since no one would do the work for such a low number.
Yes. It puts you on a bad path. If you stay with a raise you have likely poisoned the relationship and they are not happy. If you stay without a raise they know that they can walk all over you and that later raises are a waste if money. Likely you have to leave and everyone knows that the relationship is over and you are preparing to leave. It's high risk and even if it appears to pay off, likely it does not in the long term.
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I have never taken a counter offer or even considered it. Think about it this way, if you are worth the salary they are countering with, why did they not pay you closer to that in the first place? I consider that an insult.
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@JaredBusch said:
I have never taken a counter offer or even considered it. Think about it this way, if you are worth the salary they are countering with, why did they not pay you closer to that in the first place? I consider that an insult.
I agree.
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@JaredBusch said:
Think about it this way, if you are worth the salary they are countering with, why did they not pay you closer to that in the first place?
Because they don't know? Neither myself, my boss, our CEO or our owner really know what I'm worth. If someone offers me an extra 10 grand, I'd probably take it, but I'd be satisfied if my current employer matched it.
No-one ever gets paid what they are worth, they get paid what it takes to keep them there and to keep them relatively motivated. Sometimes, it doesn't do any harm to prove to an employer you should be paid more. I'm not sure if you guys like soccer, but Wayne Rooney just got a massive pay-rise to stay at Manchester United simply by throwing a strop and threatening to leave for a rival. He's currently as popular with his club as ever, and his threats and disloyalty were quickly forgotten.
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@JaredBusch said:
I have never taken a counter offer or even considered it. Think about it this way, if you are worth the salary they are countering with, why did they not pay you closer to that in the first place? I consider that an insult.
I agree with CB, this is a difficult situation. I suppose the best solution might be: interview for a position to get a gauge for your current market place value, If you get an offer but you really like the company you work for, visit with management and let them know you have done the research and need a raise. If they scoff you walk. If they say, OK Jim you've done your homework and we like you so here's your raise, then you turn down the other offer.
The unfortunate thing about this is that most companies won't give you the raise right then and there. They'll give you some kind of song and dance that it's not in the budget, etc, etc. Now this has left the company in one of two positions, a) they will try to acquire the needed budget to keep you, or b) they will start looking for your replacement.
I guess your best bet if they do anything other than simply say, OK, and sign a piece of paper stating you will get the raise on your next check, you kinda have to walk (ok turn in your two weeks notice).
