Looking for adivce on appropriate salary

[budha1]

Today I have to decide whether to sign a contract for my first full time job. However, I am uncertain as to whether the pay I am being offered is appropriate for my skills. I recently graduated with a master's degree and have a background in web design, specifically designing accessible web sites. The job I have been offered would involve designing accessible web sites and acting as a web master. I am being offered $18/hr, which I realize is good pay under the current situation with the economy. However, the company I work for (I am currently temping for the company that offered me the job) recently showed me a receipt where they paid a contractor $95/hr to complete the same duties I would be responsible for. I would also be receiving the same pay as the woman who acts as our office secretary (she has been there six months). I currently don't have any other jobs offers, so I don't have any bargaining leverage. Do I ask for a higher salary, or should I just realize how lucky I am and be happy with what has been offered to me?

I greatly appreciate any adive anyone might have. I'm new at all of this.

Thanks!

 

[CajunCenturion]

Since you just graduated, I would accept the offer, even tho its measly, get some practical experience and perhaps some name recognition, and when the real opportunity comes along, go get what you deserve. I would not consider working for this employer as a potential career, but rather as a short-term stepping stone. Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[KingofSketch]

Not sure how useful this will be for you but.......

http://www.vnunet.com/Careers/Features/SalaryFinder/index.jsp

will show you what us Brits should be getting for the same position, it might help with a comparrision Sketch
"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines"

 

[drodriguez37]

I would negotiate a higher salary. If not after a month you will resent the fact that he did not get what you deserve.

 

[Morsing]

I would definately wait for about six months. Then you've proved your worth and they won't let you go.

Cheers Henrik Morsing
IBM Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration

 

[SUnderwood]

The money they are offering will be the lowest they think they can have you for. If taking the job gives you a pay increase from your current salary, take it. Otherwise ask for a pay increase due to the higher responsibility that is required of you.

Make a note of all tasks completed and use these as ammunition in 6 months time to negotiate a pay increase.

Always let management know tasks that have been completed and how the company benefits from this. But don't tell anyone else as they will use your achievement to better their position in the managers eyes.

And my golden rules "Never feel sorry for businesses" and "State your price". If they can afford to think about the position of webmaster, they can afford to pay for the position. With experience your price goes up, if they can't pay, someone else can.

(I've been working for small businesses for too long)

Regards
Sean

 

[mmorancbt]

As an employer (past) of consultants and web designers, I am always hesitant to pay anyone until I've seen proven results. I do not believe you "deserve" any particular salary per se. You are paid for performance and what the particular company's view of your worth is. Your pay is both a condition of economics and opportunity.

Now as a technology and career development consultant I counsel other technologists to set your rate and then search for it. However, this does not preclude trading pay for opportunity. You may have the opportunity to learn some valuable skills at a company that simply does not have the budget to pay a higher rate. In most cases, a short term trade is beneficial.

One approach, particularly if you feel your work is VERY good is to negotiate for a shorter review cycle. Also, do not be afraid to let your employer know what you would like to make and ask them how/what you need to do to get there.

Even if not formalized, it gives you a "contract" of sorts. Not the binding type but a more important, integrity contract. If you are able to produce and they do not respond you at least know the type of employer they are. In most cases, employers will admire someone who is that forthright.

I know I did.

I hope that helps. I kind of rambled. Matthew Moran
The I.T. Career Builder's Toolkit

http://www.cbtoolkit.com

 

[tanderso]

Did you accept or reject the job offer yet? Personally, I think $18/hr is a laughable offer. I would counter with at least $25/hr, but probably closer to $30/hr, especially since you have a Masters degree. On the other hand, it is really an employer's market right now, so if you've looked for awhile and haven't found anything, you can't be too picky.

My advice is to go to

http://salary.com

and purchase a personal salary report, which will compare your education, position, location, etc., with industry benchmarks which match your situation. This way you will know what you are worth to the average company like the one your are applying to, and be presented with steps you can take to improve your offer. You could even show your employer this report and ask them if they think their offer is really fair in light of it. Maybe they can't match exactly what you're looking for, but at least you can open negotiations to find out what their real maximum salary is for your position, and get that instead of their minimum. If you are truly interested in working there, don't make it an ultimatum, or else they may look toward other candidates, but at least let them know that you think you are worth more and try to get them to agree to what you believe is fair market value. As others have noted, maybe you could negotiate a shorter review cycle, so that maybe after a few months, your salary could be increased as long as you meet or exceed some basic requirements.
Sincerely,

Tom Anderson
CEO, Order amid Chaos, Inc.

http://www.oac-design.com

 

[garyrimar]

It is a buyer's market out there. You can accept the lower pay, but you may consider making it clear to your boss that you consider that to be a probationary wage, and that you would like to make XX per hour after a 3-6 month period, contingent on good work performance.

I started out as my own contractor at $60 per hour. When they decided they needed to hire me or fire me (because they couldn't afford me) I negotiated my wage, added in their cost of medical benefits, and reduced my contractor wage to $35.00 an hour until I could buy myself a place to live (owning a company for 13 years was better than being new on a job for six months). Finally they insisted that I take a staff position (so they wouldn't have to pay overtime). You can do better than 36K a year, especially if the secretary is making that much.

 

[MasterRacker]

Tom had a good suggestion with salary.com. Go a step further. There are a ton of salary surveys available. Some put out by consulting firms, some through employer surveys and some through employee surveys. Do a Google search on "Salary Survey" and start checking them out. Some will be oviously inflated over others but you can make your own determination of what's reasonable for various positions in your area.
Jeff
If your mind is too open your brains will fall out...