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I've been at my job about 18 months now (24 years old). I only make about 41K a year, but live on Long Island and commute to NYC. I can survive on this salary but can't really do much on the weekend because then it hurts my budget. What I make is terribly low for both Long Island and NYC.
My job is sort of a "business analyst" role where I coordinate meetings between technology and business groups to make product enhancements and I also handle performance metrics for nearly the entire department. That said, most of what I do feels like basic administrator work. I collect a lot of data and fill out forms to appear on these reports. Very easy work. The most technical thing I do is some VBA programming in Access, though I'm not a programmer by any means. Sometimes it just comes up when learning some of the access programs we use. Sometimes I'm stuck listening on conference calls. Other than that, of the 8-9 hours I spend at work, I spend about 4 hours a day browsing the internet and random forums!
But the general consensus is that I'm well liked by all the managers and I'm starting to become a key person in the group (any kind of statistics or data mining they come to me). I even won a 1000$ bonus a few months ago for outperformance and exceeding expectations. Chances are, my year end evaluation will go well.
BUT....my salary is just pathetic, especially for NYC standards. My commute is about 2.5 hours a day and that commute alone costs me 3600$ a year just from train tickets. I've gotten used to it all, but i still feel like I'm slowly drowning. A significant salary boost (10% +) would really feel like I'm showing something for all the time I'm putting in. Luckily, at my company, if I show up an hour earlier, but still leave at 5, that extra hour goes in my paycheck. Same thing if I leave past 5.
I want to know how I can get more opportunities to prove myself at work. I'll take more hours, more challenging assignments, whatever it takes. I want to work my ass off and feel accomplished...but I also want better compensation in return. I don't really know how to broach this though in my talk with my manager.
Right now I don't really have the money to invest in further education (just MBA programs) and even if worst case scenario, I had to switch jobs, I don't think the job right now has given me any tangible skills to find positions at other companies. So I feel like I'm kind of stuck at my current company. No problem - but I really want to start getting more bang for my buck - and I also want to be more tact about going that direction.
I've been at my job about 18 months now (24 years old). I only make about 41K a year, but live on Long Island and commute to NYC. I can survive on this salary but can't really do much on the weekend because then it hurts my budget. What I make is terribly low for both Long Island and NYC. . . .
I want to know how I can get more opportunities to prove myself at work. I'll take more hours, more challenging assignments, whatever it takes. I want to work my ass off and feel accomplished...but I also want better compensation in return. I don't really know how to broach this though in my talk with my manager.
Right now I don't really have the money to invest in further education (just MBA programs) and even if worst case scenario, I had to switch jobs, I don't think the job right now has given me any tangible skills to find positions at other companies. So I feel like I'm kind of stuck at my current company. No problem - but I really want to start getting more bang for my buck - and I also want to be more tact about going that direction.
Any advice for when the time comes?
You've pretty much figured it out for yourself with this post. During your review, you can voice your concerns to management. Practice what you are going to say before the meeting so it comes out smoothly. Assuming your review will be as good as you think it will, you can thank them for valuing your performance and let them know you appreciate the positive feedback and then segue into some of the things you said above (except the "work my ass off" part). If you ask for more challenging assignments and handle them well, it would go a long way towards letting management know you are serious and they would be more wililng to better compensate you for your efforts. For all you know, there might already be plans to give you a decent salary in the works, but they won't know your needs unless you find a way to voice them. Good luck.
I'm in the same boat as you, except only 1k more. Just moved to NYC from Detroit, and even in detroit with the horrrrrrrrible economy they have I would have made as much or more if I stayed in Detroit and went full time from my internship instead of moving here.
My job isn't in anything I want to be doing. And I spend most of my day browsing the internet. I ask for more things to do and nothing comes of it. My manager says he is going to teach me all of these things... and... nothing comes of it.
I look for jobs in my free time in the field I would like to into and will be going for an MBA in the fall. I don't care how much in student loans i'll have to pay I just can't stand doing what i'm doing now.
My advice to you is to keep searching for something that you would want to do. You have to word your resume like it would be something you would do in your field of choice. Just because something is a menial task doesn't mean you have to make it sound that way. turn your resume from "Trash collector to Sanitation Engineer"
Dude no offense really intended but you do sound like a whiner and even narcissistic. Life sometimes don't really work out the way you want it to and this is occurs with almost everyone. YOU are not the only one with problems.
Dude you got a job, be happy. Want to earn some major points with supervisors and colleagues cook them a special ethnic dish. Someone did that at work and now we all really like her and appreciate her.
Nah, you don't need to figure out. Go arrange a meeting with your supervisor and ask him/her this question :"What would you think I should do to get to the next level? Training? Education? More responsibilities? Different work attitude etc."
At 18 months, you can leave and find something better. You could jump ship now and get $55-60k. With you spending half the day surfing the internet since it's slow, I would be worried about a potential layoff. It's also unlikely you get a $14k raise, because it's so slow.
I have to say. You seem very intelligent and capable. I would leave off the "work my ass off"...and I would quit browsing the internet while at work, unless it is part of your job.
Is there an accepted protocal at your agency re: asking for a raise? Could you bargain somehow for at least your transportation costs?
Maybe instead of spending those hours cruising the net, you could plan and carry out some programs you devise to enhance the company. Perhaps you could implement the occasional staff training....i/e/ teach them to fish.
You said you are the go to person for research. Perhaps you could devise a data base of the most frequently asked questions...Or develop a suggestion box type situation...Ask the higher ups to suggest things you could delve into, gain expertise in, then share and train others in.
You could make yourself indispensable...and of course you'd expect compensation to increase along w/ all this value added performance you'd achieve. The worst that could happen would be increasing the job description for your resume, and gaining these experiences...moving up eventually to a much better job w/ this increased skill set. Good luck on your performance evaluation. Hope you get a great big raise.
41k is reasonable for an entry level job, even in the NYC area (I live in NJ). But at 18 months, it is time to get ramped up.
If you have a review coming up, its the perfect opportunity. Discuss with your supervisor how you want to advance in your career. Assuming they are on the same page as you regarding how well you are doing, give it like 3 months, see if a promotion is on the horizon, and if not, start looking and jump ship for a job at the next level paying in the $50,000s.
Dude no offense really intended but you do sound like a whiner and even narcissistic. Life sometimes don't really work out the way you want it to and this is occurs with almost everyone. YOU are not the only one with problems.
Dude you got a job, be happy. Want to earn some major points with supervisors and colleagues cook them a special ethnic dish. Someone did that at work and now we all really like her and appreciate her.
Possibly the worst advice I've read on this forum.
Yes, OP, never fight for anything in your life. Just accept the bare minimum so that you can complain to your fellow low-achievers while drinking s****y beer for the rest of your lives.
On 2nd thought, just cook your co-workers ethnic dishes. That'll make things better.
I've been at my job about 18 months now (24 years old). I only make about 41K a year, but live on Long Island and commute to NYC. I can survive on this salary but can't really do much on the weekend because then it hurts my budget. What I make is terribly low for both Long Island and NYC.
My job is sort of a "business analyst" role where I coordinate meetings between technology and business groups to make product enhancements and I also handle performance metrics for nearly the entire department. That said, most of what I do feels like basic administrator work. I collect a lot of data and fill out forms to appear on these reports. Very easy work. The most technical thing I do is some VBA programming in Access, though I'm not a programmer by any means. Sometimes it just comes up when learning some of the access programs we use. Sometimes I'm stuck listening on conference calls. Other than that, of the 8-9 hours I spend at work, I spend about 4 hours a day browsing the internet and random forums!
But the general consensus is that I'm well liked by all the managers and I'm starting to become a key person in the group (any kind of statistics or data mining they come to me). I even won a 1000$ bonus a few months ago for outperformance and exceeding expectations. Chances are, my year end evaluation will go well.
BUT....my salary is just pathetic, especially for NYC standards. My commute is about 2.5 hours a day and that commute alone costs me 3600$ a year just from train tickets. I've gotten used to it all, but i still feel like I'm slowly drowning. A significant salary boost (10% +) would really feel like I'm showing something for all the time I'm putting in. Luckily, at my company, if I show up an hour earlier, but still leave at 5, that extra hour goes in my paycheck. Same thing if I leave past 5.
I want to know how I can get more opportunities to prove myself at work. I'll take more hours, more challenging assignments, whatever it takes. I want to work my ass off and feel accomplished...but I also want better compensation in return. I don't really know how to broach this though in my talk with my manager.
Right now I don't really have the money to invest in further education (just MBA programs) and even if worst case scenario, I had to switch jobs, I don't think the job right now has given me any tangible skills to find positions at other companies. So I feel like I'm kind of stuck at my current company. No problem - but I really want to start getting more bang for my buck - and I also want to be more tact about going that direction.
Any advice for when the time comes?
Twice in my career I have asked for a raise in my year-end performance review. This would be my advice:
Gather as many statistics on salaries as you can. Understand what the industry average is for your position is in NYC. Next, put together a list of what you want to accomplish next year and go over that with you boss during the review. Don't outright ask for a raise. Towards the end of your review tell your boss you are interested in pursuing options within the company that give more responsibility and reward, and ask him/her what you can do over the next six months to prove you deserve it. If you are right about what they think of you, chances are your boss will give you a list of things to do. Finish all of them, and schedule another meeting six months from now showing you did everything discussed and ask for the raise then.
I have done this twice, and it worked both times. Good luck!
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