Topic ID #2551 - posted 12/10/2007 10:16 AM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
Field crew: how low $$$ will you go?
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
In light of all of the recent discussions on this website regarding wages in CRM, I thought it would be interesting to post a new survey. This is for those who work in field crew positions.
The question posed is, "How far below your ideal hourly wage have you taken a paying field position?"
In other words... Let's say you would ideally like to make $20 an hour as a field tech. If you haven't been able to get jobs paying $20 hour, how much have you been making on your projects? How low have you gone on the pay scale in order to find a paying job, to pay the bills, or just to find work in order to stay working in field archaeology?
As always, your comments are welcome. Please note that there are also ongoing threads in great detail regarding current salaries in CRM within the discussion forum on this website.
The question posed is, "How far below your ideal hourly wage have you taken a paying field position?"
In other words... Let's say you would ideally like to make $20 an hour as a field tech. If you haven't been able to get jobs paying $20 hour, how much have you been making on your projects? How low have you gone on the pay scale in order to find a paying job, to pay the bills, or just to find work in order to stay working in field archaeology?
As always, your comments are welcome. Please note that there are also ongoing threads in great detail regarding current salaries in CRM within the discussion forum on this website.
Post ID#4890 - replied 12/10/2007 5:18 PM
Dmack89
I would not take a job below my ideal - of course my ideal is realistic and at this point in my career, its not too much of a problem.
Post ID#4893 - replied 12/10/2007 6:42 PM
daphnelaurel
Yeah, this poll is an interesting one.
I chose the "other" option, mainly because when I was working in the private CRM world, I worked only for reputable (and yes, that term is relative) companies that would not hire only "per project". I did not want to bum around from company to company or project to project, worrying when or where my next paycheck would come from. I refused to live that sort of lifestyle, and amazingly enough, I never had to.
What was more important to me was a fair to decent wage, WITH work status and advancement possibilities, health and retirement benefits, and permanent work so I could have a mostly stable lifestyle. I never found meeting those goals to be difficult; and I was much happier with the outcome.
When I applied to work for the Federal Government (I now make a great living, and am able to live the life I want) my work history looked better and more stable--I spent many years at just a few companies--rather than working a million projects all over the place and for a million different companies. Don't get me wrong, I have over 20 years experience (and am only 35) and have worked all over the US and the world, but I feel that my good work ethic (evidenced by companies wanting to keep me around for the long haul) and solid employment history with good references and benefits was more important than an outstanding wage. Yes, I suffered through not being able to pay bills all of the time, but now I'm in a great position--just bought my dream house (a historic victorian), I can take REAL, PAID vacations, sick leave, etc.....
I think in the long run, it's been a better way to look at it. I don't think I could put a price on an hourly wage if it was enough to pay most of my bills (which would be realative from person to person) and I had health insurance. I don't know what I would have done had I not had insurance and had to pay the thousand dollar bill to have my wisdom teeth removed...!
However I agree that EVERYONE in the CRM world is making too little compared to other fields and compared to the cost of school, and I do support a higher pay rate-- however personally I made it on lower wages and think that it is possible for others to do so.
I chose the "other" option, mainly because when I was working in the private CRM world, I worked only for reputable (and yes, that term is relative) companies that would not hire only "per project". I did not want to bum around from company to company or project to project, worrying when or where my next paycheck would come from. I refused to live that sort of lifestyle, and amazingly enough, I never had to.
What was more important to me was a fair to decent wage, WITH work status and advancement possibilities, health and retirement benefits, and permanent work so I could have a mostly stable lifestyle. I never found meeting those goals to be difficult; and I was much happier with the outcome.
When I applied to work for the Federal Government (I now make a great living, and am able to live the life I want) my work history looked better and more stable--I spent many years at just a few companies--rather than working a million projects all over the place and for a million different companies. Don't get me wrong, I have over 20 years experience (and am only 35) and have worked all over the US and the world, but I feel that my good work ethic (evidenced by companies wanting to keep me around for the long haul) and solid employment history with good references and benefits was more important than an outstanding wage. Yes, I suffered through not being able to pay bills all of the time, but now I'm in a great position--just bought my dream house (a historic victorian), I can take REAL, PAID vacations, sick leave, etc.....
I think in the long run, it's been a better way to look at it. I don't think I could put a price on an hourly wage if it was enough to pay most of my bills (which would be realative from person to person) and I had health insurance. I don't know what I would have done had I not had insurance and had to pay the thousand dollar bill to have my wisdom teeth removed...!
However I agree that EVERYONE in the CRM world is making too little compared to other fields and compared to the cost of school, and I do support a higher pay rate-- however personally I made it on lower wages and think that it is possible for others to do so.
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