They call me a Network Administrator, but what am I really?

Enjoying your posts, Oz. On the verge of breaking out per your path (former musician, yogi, cptr cons since 1985 turned netadmin) - possibly a commercial bodywork studio (to help fund maintenance of my injured and aging tissues), more music (doesn't end), selected cptr consulting, etc.

But all that caffeine - ow! And the sugar - reminds me of a story: after years of up to 7 cups a day and all the Dew he could process, an old friend ulcerated and had to clean up. After being clean for years, he was made diabetic by a food poisoning bout. Possibly predisposed by all that toxic behavior. Now pricks himself half a dozen times a day - stable, but it's no more new carbs for him in this lifetime. LET THE DRINKER BEWARE!

I used to hunt down Jolt for long drives - that's about it. Chocolate, on the other hand, tastes good, is easy to meter and has other social value...

I had the same situation where I am the System admin, Network admin, hardware tech, software support, training and anything else that came along.

It didn't affect my pay because I didn't increase the number of hours worked, just the number of toys I get to play with (making me more valuable), but we needed to better describe my position for the company Org chart.

We just came up with this generic catch all.

Most of the added "hats" were with my concent and desire to do. I am now a more diverse worker and my days are never the "same old, same old".

Wouldn't have it any other way.

I too live in CA for a similar sized company. I have the title of IT Mgr and do everything that has been discussed (including all the home repairs) with a 1/2 time assistant.

My take after 20 plus years or experience is that when you work for a Privately held company - the concern is how much money can the company make for that single owner to put in his pocket. They will step over dollars to pickup dimes. Usually they have little or no focus and are concern on how much money THEY are making today.

Public held companies have to respond and report to stock holders who usually demand that the company have vision and leadership.

It has been this way with most of the priviate owner companines that I have worked for. Find one that is concerned about employees instead of how many cars, boats, airplanes and vacations they can take and you will be working for the right company. Then once you have proven yourself - they will take care of you.

I'm a network admin/IT manager/civil engineer for a firm in Eureka. My job mobility is severely restricted if I wanted to move, but I am paid pretty well for taking care of 40+ users and 2 servers.
Because of distance and time to civilization, by necessity we have a little bit of everything here. The only thing really missing is a good electronics store (Fry's, please come in!) But the fiber-optic is almost complete, so we can join the digital first-world.
Houses are expensive now, but have leveled off in the last year. I made 40% in 4 yrs on a 3/2/2100sf on the edge of town. I bought a different house in the same 'hood for $310k, a steal for a newer 3/2/2400sf on a 10k lot. There are not too many easy buildable areas left, any new growth will be on marginal building sites, therefore if demand continues to increase, price will rise.

The only way that my clients home computers have access to any of the servers is via ADSL/VPN and I have Netsupport DNA Installed on them. I have 25 users over the 12 networks that work from home.

Pat

The call me IT Manager but, I get paid less than other managers and have only one person reporting to me. I am responsible for everything you have under your list plus project managment.

What can you do?

Congratulations!!!! That took balls. I admire you. You really stuck to your guns and surpised them. In this economy it's amazing you wasn't unemployed for longer. It's really slim picken's.

I got one question. Can you get me a job where you are? I'm CCNA certified, A+ knowledgeable, a hard worker with a genuine interest in IT. I'm currently working as a Assistant Systems Administrator at a 100 user company. As the Assistant Systems Admin, I have been taking care of everything else but passwords and various report runs. I only make 30k in Nashville. I am willing to relocate.

In simple terms, the average IT employee.
Your job description does not seem all that different than most others in your field, your salay is competitive.
I would be satsifed that you are getting a whole host of experience in many areas, others ae often limited by their jobs and do not get to become involved enough, this then turns ito a negative when seeking work. At least your position is allowing you to gain experience on many apsects of the industry and you will not be pigeonholed when you seek other employment.

In a nutshell, think yourself lucky, no everyone can say the same. Many do more for less money, others want to do more but can't as there are too many cooks in the kitchen.

Any business is geared to be successful. Success is directly related to the staff: those working in the core business, those working in support of the core business workers, and those working in the operations side of the company.

They've offered you 50k, which in Australian terms is about 72k. I live in Sydney, and for a decent house anywhere within a 10k radius of the city, it's about 800k-1.3million. I agree that this isn't much compared to how expensive it is to live and what your job duties are, but it's pretty much close to the mark of what you'd be happy with I think, after tax, give or take another say, 15k.

So what you have to figure out is how to get them to pay you 15k. Nobody is going to say, let's pay him more money, even if you ask. Why don't you, instead of trying to get it via wages which is always expensive to the company, try to get it paid in some kind of equity into the business?

You have just as much impact on the bottom line as anyone does, you're the one doing the purchasing, negotiating, planning. You're the one that is in the position of making smarter decisions about technology ie saving on licensing via citrix and that sort of thing. Ask them for a 1% profit share. This will show them that a) you are smart about money and know that it's more value than it is numbers b) you are commited to the success of the company by being directly involved in the bottom line. (You'll have to explain all of this to them and why it makes sense to include employees in profit, in the end, if people slack off or spend money unessesarilly, everybody loses.)

Put that to them, they may not give you 1% but they'll give you something, and judging from the turn over, that will equate into at least 15-20k per year, and there's your raise, plus there's your stable future since you showed them you are business minded.

Hi
Biggest problem in I.T. is that it is often viewed as an expense. The trick is to turn the job role in to a profit centre - Use your skills to create 'chargeback' reports or, as I do, create actual income for the business by selling on and/or supporting solutions. Also, present a project for a solution in a form that caters for the high end Sun/Unix environment and all the processor/licensing to accomplish the task and then create MS solution costings and then bottom line it with a full Linux solution that costs next to nothing other than time and a 3rd rate server/workstation. Instant value and appreciation in terms that the CEO down can relate to.
Like you and many others I am a Computer all rounder who has increased my skills and value to the company for a pretty good return (salary) AND made my position very difficult to fill!!

Based on the current surveys for the San Francisco Bay Area, $50,000 annually is actually quite reasonable. This is also depending on your years of experience, for example:

Years of Experience 10th Percentile Mean 90th Percentile
16 $66,955 $80,762 $100,113
8 $55,790 $67,337 $83,420
1 $39,581 $47,845 $59,184

Now, these number are considered your base compensation. You should also figure in Benefits and Bonus which will increase your income.

If you go to a Compensation Analyst, Web Services (Like SalaryExpert.com, Salary.Com, or SalaryReview.com), Watson Wyatt and more you can get a better fix on your salary structure. These resources also provide ammunition for requesting more compensation.

And welcome to the club. But you are not a jedi, though.

I do not know if my suggestion will be read by you because most often, this discussion might be over before I got it. But anyway, read on.

Anywhere you go, no matter what country for that matter, it is the same. It is because of the COLA in your country, I suppose.

All of the above guys comments and suggestions are correct. But I ask you one thing, though. Do you love your profession? Your Job? Of course, salary is should be synanimous to this, but most of the time is not. I can relate because we are basically the same. But I love my profession. And one advantage I got, is that I am single. So I understand your sentiments, especially if you have a family to support.

One thing you can do is gather all the necessary docs that you may need. Performance eval. and the like. Then present it to your manager, since you do not have a supervisor. Anyway, even if you have a supv., present it to yoer manager anyway. Then try to work from there. One thing is crucial, though. Timing.

Do not act like they owe you, even if it is true. Company politics might come into play here. Worst comes to worst, they may replace you with a younger IT with fewer responsiblities and higher paycheck. So keep it cool. As I have said, a big influence here is company politics. Ow, you got the idea.

That's what I did. Did not get much though, but it is a good start.

Hi Jellimonsta,

I agree wholly with what you say. However, it's clear that you have missed the point. You say you are fighting for the Network Admin title. This does not make sense as this whole discussion is focused around Network Administrators who are being exploited because of the dire economic climate. Why would you still want to be labelled
the same ?. I have no doubt that you are just biding your time where you are. Until the opportunity presents itself, try to increase you skills to surpase those of a Network Admin. After 4 years of fighting and still no title. I think they are trying to tell you something.

seanc

*phone rings* "MY SCREEN JUST WENT BLACK WHAT HAPPENED!!?" and you reply, "Is the computer plugged into the outlet?" , "YES IT IS", *walk to the other side of the building) , " I thought you said it was plugged in?" , "I THOUGHT IT WAS".

Users = Stressful comedy.

With that many talents who else is going to do the job?? I am in the same boat.
Jim La Dieu, Augusta Ga

Unfortunately I am in the same boat, I do all of that and then some, and I don?t even make 35. I live in CNY, where unless you know some one you will not land a decent job.

I manage 6 sites spread across 4 states with just about 100PC's, 12 servers and all of the Data and Voice needs, most of the time more work than a one man team can handle.

Don?t get me wrong I am glad to be employed during these times. But on this salary my wife and I cant afford groceries let alone anything enjoyable.

"and partly because it does not take the same skillsets to run an M$ network as it does an AS/400"

My one comment on that remark: Maybe the skillsets aren't the same...but the technical proficiency has to be there to run a MS network properly. Unfortunately, most don't config their MS networks properly...they just go w/ the default settings.

Just my 2 cents.

Dear Clindell,

First, congratulations on your soon to be permanent F/T IT job that actually pays!

I think you are in a privileged position that most IT professionals want to be in. 50K/yr to start is not bad at all, it will get better. If you are expecting more, don't worry it'll come if you hang in there.

If you asked me what you are in that company, I'd answer: you are the owner! You handle everything after all.

My only advice to you, not that you need any, is to get the "boss" to get you some help to relieve the pressure off of you and the stress.

Besides that, I think your grass is really green! :o)

Keep in mind that IT jobs like yours get off-shored all the time in massive, mad quantities leaving many IT professionals unemployed.

So you see Clindell, don't worry...be happy!
---------------------------------
Priscilla Owens

I am in your boat Clindell but I am making the figures of jkaras. I am one of only two people in the IT dept. supporting 200 users at 18 locations in 10 states. The big wigs use my age(25 with a Bsc) and 5 years experience as an excuse for under-paying me. I live one the East Coast and 30k barely pays my rent every month.

You should be making at least 20k on top of the 50k. I wish you much Good luck

In most of the country it's a little over US$2.00 per gallon, which is about 0.55 per liter. That's why so many of our people can afford to drive farm trucks disguised as station wagons for Klingons.

When and if US petroleum prices rise to the world norm, you're going to see SUVs abandoned along the roadways like Trabants in East Germany the day after the Berlin Wall fell.

I'd bet you work late hours and weekends and get calls when you're on vacation too - oh wait, you don't go on vacation. - been there.

It's a job of many hats and anyone who's been doing it for a while does the same stuff you do. "If it touches a PC, it touches me" was the way I always looked at it.

That's the way it is in small companies. The network admin is the expert on everything with a power-button from the office calculators to the CEO's vcr at home.

It sounds like you're a skilled guy who cares about his job who is in the process of paying his dues.

It also sounds like you may be within reach of a cert or two that could lead to a situation that is more to your liking.

it is ok!!!
if you can manage all that tasks in your office time its ok because you will have a good experience or knowledge in different areas ?
but if you can not do all that tasks on time it is mean you will have a problem with your manager then it is a bad point in your work history , so you need to talk with your manager and ask him about your job description?
Finally don?t think so match about title now , but always thinking who you can collect the experiences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hey, after reading between the lines, I can really relate to what you are saying.
I am in a very similar position (without the high house prices). After many many years in the industry, you expect to be in a better position, financially than you are. Agreed. The industry doesn't seem to pay on experience and the ability to get things done. THAT ability just earns you more (unrecognised) work.
By the way, you mentioned a strange word (to me): "lunch". I don't undertstand the concept. What I understand "lunch" to be is that sandwich you made sometime early this morning (when it was still dark) to eat at your desk while you save the company's time.
I am employed as a "senior Engineer" I have many certificates etc, gained over many years in the industry, from mainframes to PC's. I Manage my company's service team in my home city. I am the company's only large systems/mainframe Engineer in this city. I "look after" (call vet: 2nd level help desk) most of New South Wales (look at the map, see the area I look after). I habve a group of remote Agents I look after. After having my admin person retrenched in my absence (first holiday in yeras) I now do her work: stores, ordering, invoicing, bill vetting AND call desk operation). My day is about 8AM until I finish, usually 6:30 to 7PM. I then go home and do all those jobs I could put off through the day (good ole ADSL).
How much is THIS job worth? Less than the $50K you've been offered.

Mate,

You are getting heaps of experience with this job....whatever title you wanna give. Still around for some time and keep looking for an opportunity. You'll fly high in future.

Best of Luck.

You are . . . a perfect candidate for Prosac and a heart attack, per my doctor. My short story.

You don't state your age, so forgive me if I'm listing things that may not apply quite yet, to your life.

As someone who had been in your shoes for a couple of decades, I found myself in what my career counselor told me was classic career burnout mode. My Dr. said I needed to quit - NOW! He put me on Prosac, which I quit taking after a month. My company fired me after I returned from a mandatory two-week rest, per Dr. (yes, it was illegal, and they paid for it, via EEOC)

Unemployed, and depressed, I was forced to use my inate troubleshooting ability to troubleshoot my own LIFE!

Here's where I started: I listed everything I did in my career-past and present. Then, I categorized, by how much I liked/hated each task. I honed in on what I loved doing all those years, and I decided then and there to begin mastering certain things.

Today, I am a software trainer, spreadsheet and database developer and a general answer person. I redirect issues I don't want to handle to those who can and will, and who love doing so.

One thing, though. I work for myself, since working for someone else puts me at their mercy, as you currently appear to be.

Working for yourself may not work for you. But somewhere along that path, you might find a better direction.

Also, buy the book called, "Finding Your Perfect Work", by Paul and Sarah Edwards. It's a great tool that will help you regroup your life into a more sensible, nanageable existence.

It took me six years to extricate myself from corporate America. I had to discipline myself topaying off my bills, find the courage to locate clients, etc. But it's worth it.

Things to Ponder: Do what you love. Find your passion - that which energizes you. Your passion=even if you weren't paid, you would still love doing it. That passion is what you were created to do. Money's not everything. Great money - miserable job = Unhappy life. You're only a victim when you allow it.

God Bless You and Dont' Give Up - Reorganize.

It's a acronym for a Singlish/local dialect phrase used by Singaporean. "Bao Sheon Bao Hai"... roughly meaning you cover just about everything.

At least it looks good to have that in the Job Title.

Network admins are facing several problems: One, the economy has tanked in the last few years, two, more competition for college graduates who went into the program expecting to make a lot of money, three, competition with overseas workers willig to work for a fourth or what we make in the US, and the list goes on.

50K is unacceptable! Somebody with your responsibilities should be making at least 65 to 70K. I agree, you should bank on the experience. Try to stay at least a year, and update your resume everytime you get a new assignment... Most importantly do not stop looking.
I wish you the best luck.

Dude, sounds like you are up the proverbial river without a paddle. I'm not sure what I would do in your position.

With all of the crap you are doing, seems like CIO would be the most appropriate title for you, as you do quite a bit of managing of the budget and technology.

I have the most respect for someone in your position that has to do so much with so little.

Regards,
Chad

I am in much the same situation with my job and with no relief in sight. I have made my short-term career goals very clear to my manager (the guy that I do his job and my job for) and gotten a lot of lip service and pillow talk. I am going back to school this spring for my MBA (part-time) and will further reevaluate my options there.

Keep fighting the good fight!

I have a friend who was once in the same situation.
We called him the manager...

Clindell,

You're a Systems Manager and severely underpaid. (Hey, you didn't hear that from me.) Please don't go postal on your employer and demand a salary increase right away. If you like the job and are very happy with it and can live within the range of the salary, then hang in and keep your eye open for opportunities elsewhere. Good luck!

Sam S.

Unfortunately, that's the role of most small shop IT guys. One is left alone to handle everything top to bottom. The difficult problem is that to large companies a jack of all trades is viewed as not much more than a senior helpdesk, maybe an administrator.

Break out into a larger shop and experience the mind numbing boredom of the engineer, watching over 40 firewalls and 100 or routers. Every mouse click documented three ways to Sunday and a change management board to review each proposed actions required. Well paid baby sitters?

Try IT management for a while, you get to bethe crap buffer for your team, deal with bizarre personality issues, unexplained absences by staff and deliver it on time under budget. Mobody stands too close as you have the bullseye for anything that needs a technology scapegoat. Document everything, play politic and slowly watch your marketable skills erode while you manage.
Hang out your own shingle and consult. Now you're the sales guy, business office and talent, plus the ultimate scapegoat.

All that said, it's not so negative. Find the role you really like balance with a salary that pays the bills. Let's face it, most people hate thier job, if you can say you don't hate it, get along with the people you work with and can pay your bills -- probably you're better off than most folks.

BTW, you should be referred to as IS Manager for all the title is worth. The pay seems fair enough, maybe 55k-60k. Pay is comensurate with experience AND RISK.

You do the same thing as I do but my title is "IT Director". If you are handling budgeting, planning, implementation, ordering, and you also take care of all the brreak/fix and support issues with Hw and SW then that is what you are.

I would discuss a possible title change. At least to IT manager (anything that shows that you have sole responsibility for their IT dept0>

Hope that helps!

Greetings my friend:

I can respect how you feel, having all that responsibility.
I my self would love to have the challenge that you
seemed to have mastered. But I am only doing level 2
support and trying to get the knowledge you have
earned over the years. Then ofcourse, I would seek
better paying opps. So, if I were in your shoes, I would
certainly want to have at least (2) people working
under me so I could delegate the responsibilities. The
2 people would have Level 1-3 support experience and
deserve annual salries between 28k-36k expecting
them to be on call in rotation and working 45hr work
weeks.

I hope this information helps. As for the salry you
deserve.... Pending demographic location from 55k -
80k.

Good Luck and please aknoledge my post,

waynemallory@comcast.net

Best Regards,

Wayne