Advice on pursuing salaried Disney IT job - worth it? (relocating, salary)

[oldweasel]

Hello all, I am currently an IT employee (software developer) in Kentucky that is considering applying for an IT job at Disney. I make 80K a year here in KY (Lexington area) and am married with kids. I have read on many forums that the lower-paying (hourly?) jobs at Disney are not worth relocating for, and that many of the administrative positions are the same.

What about IT? Does it suffer the same "pump and dump" attitude that many of the other employment areas seem to experience (i.e. - long hours with low long-term job security)? How do IT jobs at Disney pay compared to IT jobs at other companies?

My perceptions may be clouded by the fact that my family is full of Disney fanatics, but obviously none of us have worked there. What is a realistinc view of IT employment there?

[cmj_fla]

I worked with Engineers at Disney and they were paid very, very competitively but I do not know about ITs salaries. However I do know that in the IT field you have to be careful not to fall into the "contract" jobs - meaning you work for another company that is contracted by Disney. I have noticed that contracted employees are not treated as good and do not get the same pay. If you do not fall into this category then I would definitely look into the salary - Even if it is a few thousand less then what you are getting paid now their benefits may make up the difference for you.

However, in my opinion I would think very hard about moving here if you have a family. In this volatile job market a great paying IT is getting harder to find and just in case Disney did not work out then I would worry about finding another job. Also, our school system is not as good as yours IMO.

Just a few opinions - hope this is helpful.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Something I would research before I took a salaried position is how many hours above 40 can they expect you to work?

In some states being salaried means they own you, in others they have to pay you for anything over 45 hours a week. I'm not sure what the rule here in Florida is. I know the company I used to work for, they had salaried people working as much as 60 hours a week.

[oldweasel]

Excellent points, thank you both for responding. I am hoping that since the job is posted directly on Disney's website that it is a direct hire, but that is a question I need to ask.

I was not aware that the IT scene in Florida was unstable, is that the case?

[amax41]

while cheap isn't a great word here..... Oldweasel - IT is cheap here. I'm in IT, I can't work in FL unless I'm on contract. The paycut would be way too much.

[cmj_fla]

My father-in-law has worked in the IT field for 15 years now and was laid-off in April and can not find another job. I have heard stories like his more often then people finding a great job with great pay in this field. Therefore, IMHO, the field is quite unstable at the moment.

[oldweasel]

Thanks again for the responses, any ideas about the IT positions Disney is offering on their site? Sounds like they may be getting a lot of applications if the market is so bad there....

[amax41]

Disney will pay sometimes better than others, depends on what the technology is. I've asked a few of the folks that we have had close to there - 60-80k. Some will stretch to 90k (non mgmt). It can be great and a sweatshop all in one.

[montague]

I don't know if you have made any decisions yet about this position, but you may want to do the "Ben Frankling" to help you decide. If you aren't familiar with this term, it means making a list of the pros and cons about moving to Florida. Enlist the whole families help... Your list should include things like cost of living, quality of schools, cost of the move, impact on family (it is a well documented fact that you should not move your kids (if possible) at certain stages of their development). Those kids entering 5th grade and 8th grade have the hardest time moving and adjusting. You will probably be surprised at what you come up with.

[oldweasel]

Thanks AMAX and Montague, trying to get the facts as much as possbile so that the Ben Franklin method will work .

Being only an infrequent visitor, I don't really know much about the area.