as a LVL2 help desk i only made 35k, im now working for a company as a consultant on a 43000 salary doing Level 2 hardware work. Honestly anyone paying 68k for helpdesk has lost their mind.

I actually turned down an IT position that was going to pay $16/hr.  I knew exactly the messed up problems that the company has, plus you are on call 24/7, mobile constantly, and have to cover more than one store in a 250mi radius.  The job would need to pay in the $20's/hr for the kind of mess that it handles.

The problem I see is that young workers will not start at the bottom and move up the ladder.
They want to start in the middle, and most think they deserve it. This I believe the really problem now for IT Jobs.
IT Jobs = Information Technology "Less Programmers as they are in their own class."
 
 
 

bcavnaugh
The problem I see is that young workers will not start at the bottom and move up the ladder.
They want to start in the middle, and most think they deserve it. This I believe the really problem now for IT Jobs.
IT Jobs = Information Technology "Less Programmers as they are in their own class."
 
 
 

 
yep see this all the time, quite a few of my friends have gone to school for IT, but starting at a help-desk for 14hr or a mom and pop shop for 12hr insults them, they think that fancy degree means they should make the same money some certified with experience makes. I had a friend that actully got mad at me for landing my current job because he applied for it as well. They choose me because I'm A+, MCSE, and have 6 years experience in the field, and 3 years as LVL 2 support, he has an associates in Information Technology, No certs and no experience, and simply could not understand why I got chosen. But its the biggest problem in this field right now, well that, and the number of shade tree techs selling illegal software, and doing poor quality work, driving people to the big chains like Best Buy for their computer work instead of small shops or independents like myself.

blacksapphire08

bcavnaugh
The problem I see is that young workers will not start at the bottom and move up the ladder.
They want to start in the middle, and most think they deserve it. This I believe the really problem now for IT Jobs.
IT Jobs = Information Technology "Less Programmers as they are in their own class."
 
 
 

I started at the bottom working alongside people who have little to no qualifications. Im just hoping that it will eventually payoff.

 
You prove yourself and it will, I am taking about your customers not your managers.
One who only proves themselves to their manager are only looking to take their job.

finiousfingers
I think I started at 15/hr then moved to 17/hr. But... now they readjusted my scale and I pull 80K/yr now. Was a nice bump all at once. Think there was a bit of an oversight somewhere before.
 

Yes and a Big One at that.

yeppers, thanks for the lookout.

Remember too that on a Salary you normally do not get overtime and you can end up working 50 to 60 hours a week as a normal work week.

candle_86

bcavnaugh
The problem I see is that young workers will not start at the bottom and move up the ladder.
They want to start in the middle, and most think they deserve it. This I believe the really problem now for IT Jobs.
IT Jobs = Information Technology "Less Programmers as they are in their own class."
 
 
 

 
yep see this all the time, quite a few of my friends have gone to school for IT, but starting at a help-desk for 14hr or a mom and pop shop for 12hr insults them, they think that fancy degree means they should make the same money some certified with experience makes. I had a friend that actully got mad at me for landing my current job because he applied for it as well. They choose me because I'm A+, MCSE, and have 6 years experience in the field, and 3 years as LVL 2 support, he has an associates in Information Technology, No certs and no experience, and simply could not understand why I got chosen. But its the biggest problem in this field right now, well that, and the number of shade tree techs selling illegal software, and doing poor quality work, driving people to the big chains like Best Buy for their computer work instead of small shops or independents like myself.

If you make 43k with 6 years of exp in the field, and an MCSE cert (A+ is utterly useless beyond getting a job at best buy) I feel bad for you. My first full fledged IT job and I made 40k that year...doing support before that got 30k ish a year. You are severely underpaid or work in a market that is low cost of living, low pay to IT.

When I first started in the IT/Cyber field I was making around 45K and that was for Help Desk Tier 1, I have a few friends at my work that are Tier 3 and making more than 85K+

candle_86

bcavnaugh
Remember too that on a Salary you normally do not get overtime and you can end up working 50 to 60 hours a week as a normal work week.

thats why I like Consulting in this manner, I'm a salaried contractor, they wont allow me to work more than 40 at a job site because they pay my employeer extra for the over time, but if I have to leave early I get paid the whole day. 

Lucky You!

Punchy

bcavnaugh

RushXTC
IT pays okay, But the field I'm in pays even better bro...
 
Sometimes I make up to $4,000 in less than a week depending on if I'm feeling lazy or not.

What do you do to make that kind of Money?

If you see one of his other threads, it seems to involve accurately weighing and delivering oddly-shaped packages whose packages cannot be disclosed publicly.

you beat me to the Punchy Punchy

Punchy
Back on topic, I think there is a whole spectrum of "IT" jobs so it's really hard to put a figure on a generic "IT" job.  Certainly help desk jobs are at the low end of the range and are often at great risk of getting off-shored.
 
Also some places use "consultant" as a synonym for "contractor" which often really just means you are not a permanent employee, may be one of the first to be laid off during hard times, usually don't get benefits, and can't be hired for more than 2 years at a time.  Independent contractors/consultants pay rates should be adjusted downward when comparing to salaried positions to make up for the lack of benefits plus having to pay self-employment tax in addition to regular income tax.

I don't get what you mean by adjusted downward. An independent contractor has more out of pocket expenses than a salaried person. 
 
Maybe I just misundertood your statement.

Brad_Hawthorne

bcavnaugh

RushXTC
IT pays okay, But the field I'm in pays even better bro...
 
Sometimes I make up to $4,000 in less than a week depending on if I'm feeling lazy or not.

What do you do to make that kind of Money?

He wrecks cars for a living.

While delivering oddly shaped packages?

Punchy

DenyGFX
 
I don't get what you mean by adjusted downward. An independent contractor has more out of pocket expenses than a salaried person. 
 
Maybe I just misundertood your statement.

Or maybe I just didn't express it clearly.  I think we're in agreement.  As a rough example, for overall compensation, a salaried job at $30/hour could be equivalent to a contracting job at $40-50/hour - i.e. adjust the contracting rate down when comparing to salaried jobs.

Ok yes, we're in agreement. I had to reread it twice. I thought that was what you meant.