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Old 07-01-2014, 02:41 PM
 
Location: Central East Austin
615 posts, read 776,192 times
Reputation: 551

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Quote:
Originally Posted by winkosmosis View Post
Excuse me for whining that jobs in my field and many others don't even pay a living wage, simply because the job description isn't "software engineer".

Employers in Austin expect people to use their educations for $12/hr to do technical jobs for them, less than they'd make at Starbucks.
Is that even true though? I have worked in tech in Austin for almost 10 years and make about double what the current median household income is here. And I'm not a programmer, I'm a writer.

But, you can't expect to start off at that level. You say you're a "GIS guy," but that means very little. What are your credentials? How much experience do you have? Are you currently employed in the field? Do you have network connections?

You may need to get hired at a more entry-level salary and work your way up.
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Old 07-01-2014, 02:41 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,237 posts, read 35,421,260 times
Reputation: 8571
Quote:
Unfortunately all these low paid jobs will find many applicants
Who then will likely network up into better paying jobs.....

I started out at the state many years ago at about 1/2 to 2/3 of the private sector going rate for ChemEs in Houston/gulf coast area. Was there 7 years and worked on up to a passable salary, but ended up leaving for consulting and am making quite a bit more (plus am an owner of the company). It is how it works, especially in Austin.
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Old 07-01-2014, 02:54 PM
 
Location: Maui County, HI
4,131 posts, read 7,404,606 times
Reputation: 3391
Quote:
Originally Posted by petro View Post
Is that even true though? I have worked in tech in Austin for almost 10 years and make about double what the current median household income is here. And I'm not a programmer, I'm a writer.

But, you can't expect to start off at that level. You say you're a "GIS guy," but that means very little. What are your credentials? How much experience do you have? Are you currently employed in the field? Do you have network connections?

You may need to get hired at a more entry-level salary and work your way up.
I have a Geography degree from UT and 7 years of GIS experience including land mapping, cartography, GPS, analysis. For the last 6 months I've been a data analyst at a patent services company. I do have a couple connections in the environmental field in Austin, but mostly I know software engineers.

---Which is all beside the point, because all these GIS jobs at the entry and mid level pay what I'd consider even lower than entry level pay. There's nothing worth even applying for, and nothing to move up to.
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Old 07-01-2014, 02:58 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,237 posts, read 35,421,260 times
Reputation: 8571
Quote:
There's nothing worth even applying for, and nothing to move up to
That may be (I have no idea), but, say, if you are a petroleum engineer, you don't apply in Austin (you go to Houston). It is where the jobs/money is located.
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Old 07-01-2014, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Maui County, HI
4,131 posts, read 7,404,606 times
Reputation: 3391
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainwreck20 View Post
That may be (I have no idea), but, say, if you are a petroleum engineer, you don't apply in Austin (you go to Houston). It is where the jobs/money is located.
What if petroleum engineer jobs in Houston paid $13/hr? That would be the equivalent scenario
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Old 07-01-2014, 03:05 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,237 posts, read 35,421,260 times
Reputation: 8571
No, the equivalent would be a petroleum engineering job paying $25/hr in Austin instead of $150 in Houston. And that just may be what it is :P.
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Old 07-01-2014, 04:35 PM
 
1,549 posts, read 1,942,007 times
Reputation: 1668
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainwreck20 View Post
No, the equivalent would be a petroleum engineering job paying $25/hr in Austin instead of $150 in Houston. And that just may be what it is :P.
Exactly. Like I said, if your skill set doesn't match the demand of an area, then you need to educate yourself and change professions, decide to live in the area you want on much less, or move somewhere your skills are in demand. Whining on the Internet certainly isn't going to help a person make any progress.
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Old 07-01-2014, 05:15 PM
 
Location: Maui County, HI
4,131 posts, read 7,404,606 times
Reputation: 3391
Quote:
Originally Posted by A-Tex View Post
Exactly. Like I said, if your skill set doesn't match the demand of an area, then you need to educate yourself and change professions, decide to live in the area you want on much less, or move somewhere your skills are in demand. Whining on the Internet certainly isn't going to help a person make any progress.
"Demand of the area"? Interesting because there seems to be plenty of demand for GIS professionals, CAD drafters, graphic designers, lab technicians, chemists, etc in Austin. And these jobs keep getting reposted because they aren't being filled. Yet the salaries stay low.

It's not the free market, it's culture. These jobs are undervalued so employers are unwilling to pay decently. Instead THEY COMPLAIN about how there's a "STEM shortage" or whatever.

No such cultural bias exists for software engineers, so their salaries are where they should be or higher.
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Old 07-01-2014, 08:45 PM
 
1,807 posts, read 2,953,196 times
Reputation: 1469
I left Austin for a better job opportunity in San Antonio. I'm not in the tech/software field like yourself. Deal with it.
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Old 07-01-2014, 09:02 PM
JH6
 
1,435 posts, read 3,200,996 times
Reputation: 1162
Government jobs usually have free healthcare premiums, and pension.

Also other little perks like every holiday off under the sun.

It isn't all salary it is the whole package.

Also you have to start somewhere and pay your dues. I know tons of people who work in Austin and commute to the cheaper suburbs because they can't afford a place in Austin.
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