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Your pay scale after certification

By johnmariquit ·
Before I got my certification, I was already getting 60% higher than the market rate for what I do. According to my local sources, a person with an MCSE cert gets a 40% higher pay than market rate, while an OCP gets 60% higher pay than market rate. Caveat is either salary increase is still below my current rate. Plus, I recently got 4 certifications, an MCSE, MCDBA, OCP-DBA 8i, and OCP-DBA 9i.

Question now is am I entitled to a 40%-60% increase as well?

My boss thinks that I should be promoted to CTO or CIO status because of the skills and responsibilities that I have. But the market rate for a CTO or CIO here 260% of what I am currently getting. Or do I ask for the CTO/CIO market rate?

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Cert city

by Jellimonsta In reply to Your pay scale after cert ...

I have personally been in the IT field for a short amount of time (2 1/2 yrs). I was hired at my present company as a PC support tech and became Net Admin 8 months later. I became certified as an MCSE 2000 last year and I am looking at getting my CCNA certification the end of this year. With those certifications under my belt is it reasonable to think that I may be in for a salary increase? I have been on regular reviews and receiving small salary increases at those review points but does any one think that upon receiving my CCNA (or possibly CCNP) I may be entitled to a reasonable salary increase?

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Position, Position, Position...

by ghstinshll In reply to Cert city

Your salary will only increase when someone finds a way to utilize these skills, and if you current employer is using them without pay difference, then see if you can move on to another company. Do it quietly and patiently, and let your experience grow at the same time. You've only been around for 2 1/2 years remember...

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if you're lucky

by fatmanRidesAgain In reply to Cert city

I think it depends on who you are getting certified for - yourself or your employer.

If you are actually using the skills obtained during the certification process at your workplace, and it is to their benefit then certainly expect to be rewarded. If it doesn't happen straight away then put your case forward to your manager/boss as to why you should be rewarded. On the other hand it is hardly fair to expect a salary increase because you felt the need to get certified and there is no discernible benefit to your employer.

I recently obtained MCSD and MCDBA certs while at my current employer and unfortunately my boss had no idea what they were... I had to request any other work where i could demonstrate these skills and so far so good - the certifications by themselves are but pieces of flashy paper (and useless lapel pins).

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Inflation?

by ghstinshll In reply to Your pay scale after cert ...

If you were already receiving an inflated salary, don't expect it to keep jumping all the time with the same employer and the same manager. Sometimes it requires a departmental move and/or a company change before someon realizes you for yout true worth.

My former company (Xerox Connect) had such budgeting issues that they wouldn't give me any more than the reasonable and customary %4 any year or review... Once a manager stuck her neck out and gave me %13, based on stealing from everyone else in the department! That's wasn't easy to swallow. Needless to say they all left within weeks because the department was going down any way.... My moral here is that you have to be utilized or appreciated, or current employers view your cert as a gift to them, not an asset that they should value.....

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certs

by teegood In reply to Your pay scale after cert ...

I am unsure as to what certification does for you besides get you an interview. Once you learn your organizations network there is little a certification will do for you...that is if your doing your job. When it comes time to add a router, installan server, firewall, etc..it is important not to be biased about what brand you decide to utilize. Remember that certs are promoted by the manufacturer and it's not like getting Cisco certified gets you certified in routers. Additionally, you may find that getting routers configured by a vendor will cost alot less -and take up alot less time- if you outsource. Frequently, you are much better off NOT troubleshooting your WAN's, let that to the telecom folks. Focus on your network, and don't feel that you need to get certified in "SonicWall" or "Watchguard" before you buy and use a product.

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Exactly

by Benci In reply to certs

I totally agree with what you say.

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Pay for performance

by Ken In reply to Your pay scale after cert ...

Certification is worth the blazing sum of $0.00! A good employer will pay for performance and promote for potential. Your boss may be right - your certification (along with experinece, problem solving skills, management skills, and 10,000 other things) may improve your potential to the point where you should be promoted, but certifiction ain't worth a dime - unless you use it to PERFORM.

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