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Message 1 of 34
Anonymous
414 Views, 33 Replies

you are not worth...

So get the big yearly review. For the past 5 years you have been doing the
job of Drafter/cad man/IT/trouble shooter in a 45 person firm. You track the
hours of each job you do and come up with a pay increase to get you above
what a drafter in your area makes and more in line with the job you do. The
response from the uppers is "we can't have you making as much as an
architect"...... talk about make the jaw hit the floor.
33 REPLIES 33
Message 21 of 34
qfanatiq
in reply to: Anonymous

Sorry to hear that.

But generally reading the replies, i have not had the exprience of not being appreciated in IT and CAD Management. I eanr more than a majoirty of the Architects here and have done since i went into IT and CAD management based in an Architect envorinment.

Consider UK!

The only problem is, sometimes these jobs are few and far between, some emplyees will try and cash in on alots of people applying for the role and try and get the cheapest.

You get what you pay for and i have walked from job offers in the past and when asked why, i simply reply with, if you can get someone at that price who DOES know what they are doing, good luck to you.

Also walked fomr jobs when they promise a pay increase after a period of "prove yourself" than get lame excuse of company and money coming in.

Been doing this for 6 years, in the industry for 9 (near 10).

Certainly not the best, but i have an incredible foundation and the ability to find answers and solve problems when i dont know.

Prmote yourself well and dont settle for second best.

Good luck to you.

Q
Message 22 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:38:27 +0000, MJ wrote:

> The response from the uppers is "we can't have you making as much as an
>architect"

My response would be something like, "I know what you guys make, and neither can
I."

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 23 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

hah! I thought MJ (ther previous employee) was a thing of the past. Are people there still worried he might come back
packing heat?

Dave Drahn
|>Dang. Sorry. Let me try to wrench my foot out of my mouth. We're a civil
|>(hydraulics and hydrology) firm but will definitely consider you, too MJ -
|>unless MJ is Mike Jackson, then posssibly not.
|>Get me a resume if you're serious.
|>
|>"MJ" wrote in message news:5470816@discussion.autodesk.com...
|>Ouch, pour salt on the open wound.
|>
|>"Dave Drahn" wrote in message
|>news:5470803@discussion.autodesk.com...
|>Actually this was directed at you, kemp:
|>Any chance you'd looking consider anything in Stockton (CA), Orange County
|>(CA) or Phoenix?
|>
|>"kemp" wrote in message news:5470742@discussion.autodesk.com...
|>I would continue doing what you are doing, because learning more skills
|>makes you more valuable. Settling back into a drafting position will be
|>counterproductive for your future. The only difference is you should
|>consider taking these skills to another firm. I am in a similar ship,
|>and preparing to take the jump to another firm. Good luck matey!
|>
|>MJ wrote:
|>> "If you're only making what other drafters earn, then why take on all the
|>> other responsibility? Just go back to full-time drafting (unless you
|>> really
|>> want to do the IT/CAD stuff).'
|>>
|>> I like doing that work more then drafting. But if they are not going to
|>> pay
|>> for it then I feel I shouldn't do it.
|>>
|>> "I used to be in the IT/CAD field, but there is no appreciation for what
|>> is
|>> done. I realised there was no way to progress in money or respect unless
|>> it's through project work, certainly not IT. I came up with processes to
|>> improve everyone's productivity and it's 'ho hum' to them, but do 1 pretty
|>> rendering and it's 'wow, you're worth more money'."
|>>
|>> You are right, it's always a slap on the back and a "good job, we
|>> appreciate
|>> that", but that doesn't pay the bills. Maybe I'll just start doing
|>> drafting
|>> and then when they want something else done send them a bill for the work
|>> done.
James Maeding
Civil Engineer and Programmer
jmaeding - athunsaker - com
Message 24 of 34
k.baxter
in reply to: Anonymous

Our firm interviewed a person that they didn’t offer the position to. Two months later he was let go from the company that he had received a job from. Then promptly returned and shot the first person he saw. So to answer your question, YES they do.
Message 25 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

we know, he came back for his drafting scale a week later! You should have seen us, wondering if the fire escape in the
roof actually worked!
The poor guy had anger issues, I felt bad for him as that must be miserable.

mrwendal6 <>
|>Our firm interviewed a person that they didn’t offer the position to. Two months later he was let go from the company that he had received a job from. Then promptly returned and shot the first person he saw. So to answer your question, YES they do.
James Maeding
Civil Engineer and Programmer
jmaeding - athunsaker - com
Message 26 of 34
sgsawdy
in reply to: Anonymous

From my own experience, I can only add that they will never pay you for the "extra" you are doing, but the next company will. If you like doing the extra stuff, do it and learn on their time all the while looking for a new job where what you learn now will be appreciated and compensated for. What you learn now they cannot keep you from taking with you.

Good luck.
Message 27 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

MJ = Matt Johnson

"James Maeding" wrote in message
news:5472331@discussion.autodesk.com...
we know, he came back for his drafting scale a week later! You should have
seen us, wondering if the fire escape in the
roof actually worked!
The poor guy had anger issues, I felt bad for him as that must be miserable.

mrwendal6 <>
|>Our firm interviewed a person that they didn’t offer the position to. Two
months later he was let go from the company that he had received a job from.
Then promptly returned and shot the first person he saw. So to answer your
question, YES they do.
James Maeding
Civil Engineer and Programmer
jmaeding - athunsaker - com
Message 28 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

You have email Dave. Love your company web site... The swimming fish are
a riot!

Dave Drahn wrote:
> http://www.p-a-c-e.com
>
> Besides the very good benefits package, we also have a nice ongoing
> committment to in house training in place in case you want to learn how
> 'they' go about designing for open channel hydraulics. pressure piping
> systems, pump design and pump selection, industrial electrical systems, CAD,
> LDT, C3D, river sediment transport, hydraulic physical modeling, wetland
> systems, bio-filtration for water purification, lake design, lake
> biology/ecology, etc etc. Actually passing a certain number of 'credits'
> (during work hours, unless you decide to test on one of the pre-recorded
> courses) is required to be eligible for the bi-annual bonus.
>
> So if you don't lke learning new stuff, it would be a tough place to work.
>
> wrote in message
> news:5470900@discussion.autodesk.com...
> Whats the name of the company?
Message 29 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Yea, I still hear a comment and a cautious sideways glance every now and
then. He called Derek for advice on starting 'is own business a year or so
ago - I guess if he was terminated there going postal would be suicide.



"James Maeding" wrote in message
news:5472328@discussion.autodesk.com...
hah! I thought MJ (ther previous employee) was a thing of the past. Are
people there still worried he might come back
packing heat?

Dave Drahn
|>Dang. Sorry. Let me try to wrench my foot out of my mouth. We're a
civil
|>(hydraulics and hydrology) firm but will definitely consider you, too MJ -
|>unless MJ is Mike Jackson, then posssibly not.
|>Get me a resume if you're serious.
|>
|>"MJ" wrote in message
news:5470816@discussion.autodesk.com...
|>Ouch, pour salt on the open wound.
|>
|>"Dave Drahn" wrote in message
|>news:5470803@discussion.autodesk.com...
|>Actually this was directed at you, kemp:
|>Any chance you'd looking consider anything in Stockton (CA), Orange County
|>(CA) or Phoenix?
|>
|>"kemp" wrote in message
news:5470742@discussion.autodesk.com...
|>I would continue doing what you are doing, because learning more skills
|>makes you more valuable. Settling back into a drafting position will be
|>counterproductive for your future. The only difference is you should
|>consider taking these skills to another firm. I am in a similar ship,
|>and preparing to take the jump to another firm. Good luck matey!
|>
|>MJ wrote:
|>> "If you're only making what other drafters earn, then why take on all
the
|>> other responsibility? Just go back to full-time drafting (unless you
|>> really
|>> want to do the IT/CAD stuff).'
|>>
|>> I like doing that work more then drafting. But if they are not going to
|>> pay
|>> for it then I feel I shouldn't do it.
|>>
|>> "I used to be in the IT/CAD field, but there is no appreciation for what
|>> is
|>> done. I realised there was no way to progress in money or respect unless
|>> it's through project work, certainly not IT. I came up with processes to
|>> improve everyone's productivity and it's 'ho hum' to them, but do 1
pretty
|>> rendering and it's 'wow, you're worth more money'."
|>>
|>> You are right, it's always a slap on the back and a "good job, we
|>> appreciate
|>> that", but that doesn't pay the bills. Maybe I'll just start doing
|>> drafting
|>> and then when they want something else done send them a bill for the
work
|>> done.
James Maeding
Civil Engineer and Programmer
jmaeding - athunsaker - com
Message 30 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Whew. Thanks for clearing THAT up. I was about to switch identities and
I'm sure you know what a hassle that can be.


"MJ" wrote in message news:5472878@discussion.autodesk.com...
MJ = Matt Johnson

"James Maeding" wrote in message
news:5472331@discussion.autodesk.com...
we know, he came back for his drafting scale a week later! You should have
seen us, wondering if the fire escape in the
roof actually worked!
The poor guy had anger issues, I felt bad for him as that must be miserable.

mrwendal6 <>
|>Our firm interviewed a person that they didn’t offer the position to. Two
months later he was let go from the company that he had received a job from.
Then promptly returned and shot the first person he saw. So to answer your
question, YES they do.
James Maeding
Civil Engineer and Programmer
jmaeding - athunsaker - com
Message 31 of 34
soccerdanno
in reply to: Anonymous

The best way to get a raise is to switch jobs. From my experience the "all around" type of CAD guy really fares well with many employers. If you want to stay at your current job, use a job offer as leverage for more money.

"I like my job here, but another employer thinks I am worth "x" ammount of $$ to them"

Best of luck.
Message 32 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Don't go backwards. The problem with putting yourself out there and doing
what needs to be done for a firm that doesn't appreciate it that all you do
is raise the bar of expectations. When you drop back, management sees it as
your attitude going into the crapper. So then, even though you may be doing
a better job of drafting than the drafter next to you, you're not doing as
good of a job as you used to do. The mistake a lot of "first-timers"
(meaning those who have just discovered that there is a lot of stuff that
has to happen outside of CAD in order keep CAD productive and have some
personal need to fill those gaps) make is not making sure the firm they are
with will appreciate the extra effort. I made that mistake - twice, as have
many, many others inthis NG. So it is true that the best move is to move on.
Hopefully you move on to a place that is looking for what you're offering.
But if you can't find one of those, at least you can start the process a
little differently by pointing out potential improvements and the benefits
and how you can fix it but it's not really your job but you'd be willing to
discuss making it your job... At least in this latter situation you'll
probably make a few more bucks doing the basics, and not be criticized for a
crappy attitude... (to be clear - I do not think you have a crappy
attitude - I think you have a great attitude...)


"MJ" wrote in message news:5470642@discussion.autodesk.com...
"If you're only making what other drafters earn, then why take on all the
other responsibility? Just go back to full-time drafting (unless you really
want to do the IT/CAD stuff).'

I like doing that work more then drafting. But if they are not going to pay
for it then I feel I shouldn't do it.

"I used to be in the IT/CAD field, but there is no appreciation for what is
done. I realised there was no way to progress in money or respect unless
it's through project work, certainly not IT. I came up with processes to
improve everyone's productivity and it's 'ho hum' to them, but do 1 pretty
rendering and it's 'wow, you're worth more money'."

You are right, it's always a slap on the back and a "good job, we appreciate
that", but that doesn't pay the bills. Maybe I'll just start doing drafting
and then when they want something else done send them a bill for the work
done.
Message 33 of 34
qfanatiq
in reply to: Anonymous

If you do choose to do the other offer to try and get a raise, make sure you do have an offer and make sure you are prepared to take it if things go belly up.

Job satifaction does have alot to do with how you feel about money, but if you are now thinking you are not reciving your fair amount, perhaps it is time for a change.

It is never easy to move, even if you have done it many times before.

All the best.

Q
Message 34 of 34
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Sounds familiar.
Sounds sooo' familiar.
Unfortunatly i'm running in my 50ties so changing jobs is not that easy
anymore (europe is somewhat different) so i guess i'm sort of stuck
here. :-((

Regards,
Jan

MJ wrote:
> So get the big yearly review. For the past 5 years you have been doing the
> job of Drafter/cad man/IT/trouble shooter in a 45 person firm. You track the
> hours of each job you do and come up with a pay increase to get you above
> what a drafter in your area makes and more in line with the job you do. The
> response from the uppers is "we can't have you making as much as an
> architect"...... talk about make the jaw hit the floor.

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