Do you make as much as you deserve? 4

[mikiekwoods]

This may be a sensitive topic, but feel free to share if you'd like. Open to anyone and no judgment here. Hopefully myself and others can benefit from your answers.

Question: do you believe that you make the an adequate salary considering your training and experience (don't have to say the amount)? If not, why not?

 

[ctopher]

These answers will be all over the board.
A lot of people feel they are underpaid, regardless of experience and education.

I feel I am paid where I should be based on my experience and education.

I was underpaid last year when I was laid off.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[JohnRBaker]

I feel that I am adequately compensated for the contributions I make, particularly considering my nearly 45 years of professional experience and 30 years with my current organization.

Now don't get me wrong, if I were offered a big raise or a bonus tomorrow, I'd have no problem finding my way to the bank to cash the check ;-)

But that being said, I have to admit that when I left engineering school in 1971, the salary I was paid for my first full time professional position was very fair (and about $50-$75 per month more than that year's average for our class), however, it now takes only a bit more than a day to earn what I did in an entire month back then (and I was already married with 2 young sons and 6 years of student loans to pay off).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[ScottyUK]

The UK, and my region in particular, were in a pretty bad recession when I graduated. My industry was being torn apart by denationalisation on top of the other problems, so it was thin pickings work-wise and salaries were very low. You didn't moan about low pay because there were tens of thousands who'd do the job for less. Today my industry pays above average and I look on it as having come full circle since those bad days. Among my engineering peers I'd say things are pretty good, but alongside the restricted professions like accountancy and law we still lag way behind in terms of remuneration v's contribution. I'll stop there because I'm not sure if this is heading in the direction you intended.


----------------------------------

If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[SomptingGuy]

I don't see much in the job sections of engineering rags that attracts me. So I guess I must be adequately paid.

I had a beer with a former boss last week. He was moaning about tax changes in the UK and how he's having his personal allowance taken away this year. Tough eh?


- Steve

 

[moltenmetal]

In basic salary terms? Absolutely not, even though that's "fair" based on the salary surveys- it's nowhere nearly fair compared to how much I contribute to the business.

In overall compensation terms? Quite satisfied, thanks.

I don't know for sure what the other engineers on my street make, but I have a clue. None of them work as engineers. Yeah, in total compensation terms, I'm even OK with that.

The non-salary part of my overall compensation dries up if the business stops making money. That's VERY motivating!

 

[Noway2]

In comparison to other professions that require the same number of years of college and on going education, most definately not.

As I have stated in other posts in this forum, I believe that this is due to the fact that engineering lacks a definiative certification board that everyone must pass and periodically recertify to.

 

[Mr168]

Base pay is acceptable. Overall compensation with per diem and project bonus makes it worth while. Where it stretches thin is when I'm covering 4-6 projects simultaneously, as opposed to the one in which I'm geographically located.

 

[Latexman]

In 1965, U.S. CEOs in major companies earned 24 times more than an average worker; CEO pay has exploded and in 2005 the average CEO was paid $10,982,000 a year, or 262 times that of an average worker ($41,861).

Do I make as much as I deserve? No, not relative to this boondoggle!

Here's more:

http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/webfeatures_snapshots_20060621/

Good luck,
Latexman

 

[cksh]

I am happy for the most part. I would even be willing to take a small pay cut if it meant a more flexible schedule.

My coworkers make a lot more money then me (At least 10 to 15k more per year), but that is probably why they never leave (not one of them seems happy). Their salary is far beyond what our field will support. Not that I would complain if I made that much!

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I'm quite satisfied with what I make. I wouldn't still be doing it if I wasn't.

 

[Twoballcane]

In this down economy, I feel I'm being paid way too much.

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

 

[grimmy65]

I will preface my comment by saying that I am very happy to still have a job. (Here comes the big but) BUT in the future I will get any promise made in an offer in writing wand signed by HR and the hiring manager. Noobe mistake.

I consider myself to be underemployed.

 

[IRstuff]

It's great! Still haven't figured out why they pay me to have so much fun...

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[mtu1972]

Considering that I am still trying to get back to where I was in 1999-2000, I would have to say no. Of course not comparing apples with apples.

Back then - project manager with a Fortune 500 corporate engineering department - salaried with good benefits but put in lots and lots of hours to keep all of my projects going.

Three jobs later since being downsized out - the last two being hourly - I make a lot less but also work a lot less hours.

Still, it affects security, retirement planning, etc.

gjc

 

[oldfieldguy]

Oh, hell no!

I'm at the top of my game.

In a just universe, I'd be making as much as a star athlete, although that whole "perform at your peak in the middle of a stadium while watched by 90,00 screaming fans" bit might be bothersome...

Okay, yeah, I'm fine...

old field guy

 

[IRstuff]

OFG,

Only 9000 fans? Then, you definitely don't deserve that megabuck salary ;-)

Or, is it only 9000 that are screaming?

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[JohnRBaker]

Question: mtu1972, does the 'mtu' by any chance refer to 'Michigan Technological University'? And if so, does the 1972 refer to the year you graduated?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[CRG]

Do I make as much as I think that I deserve? Absolutely, I work in a somewhat free market where I have to compete for compensation, and as such, I earn what I make. If I thought that I did not get what I deserved, I would first look at myself to determine whether it is me or the industry. If it was me, I would become more productive either by improving efficiency or working longer hours. If it were the industry, I would move on because I have others skill sets besides mechanical engineering.

Now if I worked for the government, I could not state that I earned anything, but instead would say that I take money from tax payers to put into my pocket.

 

[Lion06]

I definitely feel like I'm underpaid. Because of a pay cut and freeze (across the board), I'm making 3% more than I was fresh out of school 4 years ago.

Even if I didn't have the cut and freeze, I think engineers, generally speaking, are underpaid and underappreciated.