Is my pay reasonable?

[AuntySocial]

Hello, I'm wondering if my pay is what would be expected for my job. I get $14/hour to do a bunch of generic IT tasks for a home builder, flooring store, and credit repair company in NW Indiana (all owned by the same guy in two locations). I've been there nearly a year and repair the computers and network, train them to use the software, manage/develop/design the three database driven websites, customize MS Dynamics CRM, edit testimonial videos, and setup their point of sale system and inventory database. Before this job I was primarily a freelance website developer/designer with additional experience in video editing. I have no official certifications and only a certificate in computer science. I'm largely self taught. I realize I don't deserve the big IT bucks without really any bona fides and still having much to learn to be considered an expert, but it does bug me a little that I spent years just learning how to do programming at all and how computers work to earn the same as the others in the office whose jobs you could train just about anybody to do. Does $14/hour seem like a fair rate? Thanks.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

It's not even minimum wage in this country, so I'd have to go with no.

 

[Lexluethar]

Depends on what you feel you are worth in comparison to the job you do. sounds like you feel you are worth more, but you don't feel the job you do is worth more. Companies pay you based off the job you do. lots of people feel they are worth way more money than they are paid - which may be true but from a business perspective, you get paid for the job not who you are.

It's tough, every company, industry and region is different. For a general IT person who is going day-to-day general tasks i'd saying anywhere from 30 to 35k would be average. Sounds like you are a hair below that.

It must not bother you that much if you aren't doing anything about it. I'm not trying to sound like a d1ck but if you feel you are underpaid, tell your boss or get another job. As you said it sounds like you have a decent amount of experience in a few different areas but no certification or education (Associates or BS) to back that up. Again, not trying to sound harsh but it annoys me when people complain about pay but do NOTHING to help their situation. If you feel you are worth more to the company talk with your boss about a raise. If you feel you are technically knowledgeable get a few certifications under your belt to prove that fact.

I love the saying, i'm the master of my fate, i'm the captain of my soul. Only you can do something about your situation.

 

[AuntySocial]

I don't think you sound harsh. I was looking for opinions. I'm well aware of my options (ask for more, live with it, or get another job) which is exactly why I was wondering if I have any grounds to expect more money. Maybe the sectaries in the office are just paid higher than you'd expect, or perhaps generic IT is about the same pay scale as a secretary.

 

[Lexluethar]

Some companies value positions differently. Considering they are having you do a ton of different tasks and aren't paying you a whole lot - seems to me like they don't value IT that much. I'm sure that would change if you quit and they realized all of the things you do, but unfortunately 99% of management / ownership will never own up to that fact and will just swallow their pride and live with it.

I always tell people - do what you love. Everything else will come after that. If you focus on working on what you like doing, pay and opportunity will come with time. Happiness on the other hand doesn't (which is why you should do what you love). I would suggest focusing on what you really enjoy (IT or otherwise) and try to position yourself to land a career doing that. Love web design? Get an associates in web design and land a job doing that specific task. Love fixing desktops and hardware, get an A+ and Net+ certification and position yourself better your career.

My old boss once told me, you cannot make opportunity happen - you can only ensure that you are ready and prepared when that opportunity arises. This simple fact is beyond most people. They don't do anything about their career, then they all of the sudden get in a hurry to get certifications, learn up on skills or talk about getting specific certifications but do nothing up to that point to prepare themselves for that opportunity. They sit and do nothing, when what they should be doing is refining their craft, getting that education, testing out on those certifications so that when that opportunity does come - your boss is coming to you asking you to apply or that recruiter is emailing / calling you about positions instead of you initiating the conversation.

Just my two cents.