Those with jobs in IT, reasonable salary?

nickmack

pault123 wrote:

I have been offered a job as a mobile field technician. Company car, laptop etc. :beer:

They will fully train me from the ground up in networking, and their software package.

The job requires a lot of time on the road, and overnight stays. What would be the minimum salary you would expect me to be offered?

What amount per year would you class as too little, what amount reasonable, and what amount probably quite generous as I have no qualifications?

I don't want to reveal just yet what ive been offered, just trying to get a feel first off you guys what you would expect? / offer a trainee?

Sorry Paul, I can't remember if you said you had any experience or qualifications, but if they're training you, I'd assume you have little but a good hunger for knowledge!

I would say anything above £20k and you're doing quite well. Not that many companies train from scratch now. You can expect for that to increase nicely towards £30k as you gain experience over the next few years.

As a trainee, the smallest you should accept is that you can survive comfortably on. Certainly no less than £18k if you have any sort of responsibilities. A generous salary for someone of your experience would be over £20k, remember they are giving you valuable knowledge and paying you for it.

Good luck in your new role!

nej

pault123 wrote:

Hi,

You may recall my earlier post 'Who works in IT'.

Thanks for all the previous advice everyone!

I have been offered a job as a mobile field technician. Company car, laptop etc. :beer:


They will fully train me from the ground up in networking, and their software package.

The job requires a lot of time on the road, and overnight stays. What would be the minimum salary you would expect me to be offered?

What amount per year would you class as too little, what amount reasonable, and what amount probably quite generous as I have no qualifications?

I don't want to reveal just yet what ive been offered, just trying to get a feel first off you guys what you would expect? / offer a trainee?

As you have zero experience I would have said less than £20k, probably £17 to £18 but would expect a reasonable increase after a couple of years.

happenstance

If it's over 20k its a very good offer, I know people with IT degrees taking jobs on 21-24k. As they are training you I'd expect it to be much lower but with the oppertuninty to increase once you have prooved yourself.

hobo28

Hi Paul

I would say that a salary of £20k plus car would be a good salary for someone with some experience. > £23k for someone with a couple of years experience.

From what I recall, you didn't have much experience and understanding of networks. Therefore I would say that £18k plus car plus a promise of decent payrises for when you get experience & qualifications would be a fair offer.

I wouldn't worry about the offer as long as you can live on the money. Its the experience you need. If they can offer you that, take it and when you have got it, you can either haggle for a payrise or leave for a company which pays better.

pault123

Thanks for the input so far

Area is north of england.

The salary is more in the region of £15k. and I have NO network experience whatsoever.

I will struggle to survive on this, have house, bills, debts etc. Working it out it left me with roughly £100 a month to live off (food, drink, going out etc) it will mean relying on creditcards and running them up no doubt.

I'm considering it due to the scope for what I could earn once qualified.

The company car is another thing altogether ive heard these can be quite an expensive luxury!

"Its a tough job all the staying away and driving can make it hard you leave monday and arrive home friday the time in the hotel I found it hard to relax and usually sorted recipts or other paperwork it can get lonley. Saying that I have ben doing it for 8-9 years almost now."

Has anyone else got any working away from home feelings/advice? Do you feel as youve not walked through your own front door your almost still in work?

:beer:

phill79

Damn, I've been working with the LA for 5 years and just breached £20k this year. I was trained before I started too. There is just no jobs that pay that much round here. boohoo.

village_life

Hi Paul

i do a consultancy type role, and have just recently moved from one company to another, and got a good payrise plus other benefits into the deal

however with this appears to be more of a requirement to travel, at the moment i'm doing ok, its just 2 nights away per week, but potentially it could be leave my house monday morning and return on a friday....

i've just bought a house, getting married and so that bugs me a bit, but its a double edged sword - you cant earn my salary by doing a local office type job, and my industry is more based in the city so travel is a necessity

luckily i have a supportive fiancee' but its still hard being away from her, and will probably be more so when we get married - god forbid when we have kids - i think i'll look to change locations/careers at that point!

rough and smooth - for now my job provides a great lifestyle, and so there is a compromise - other couples work shifts/weekends etc- luckily we still have that quality time together!

you should have a think whether being a "road warrier" is what you really want as well -as i am sure it can get you down, and might be a lonely job if your always out and about!

pault123

inmypocketnottheirs wrote:

Beware of the tax trap on company cars. Many previous company car drivers (myself included) have opted out and taken a mileage deal instead. A company car is not a perk but a tax liability.

Good luck!

I have unlimited personal fuel allowance which I understand is another tax in itself

nickmack wrote:

As a trainee, the smallest you should accept is that you can survive comfortably on. Certainly no less than £18k if you have any sort of responsibilities. A generous salary for someone of your experience would be over £20k, remember they are giving you valuable knowledge and paying you for it.

Good luck in your new role!

hobo28 wrote:

I wouldn't worry about the offer as long as you can live on the money. Its the experience you need. If they can offer you that, take it and when you have got it, you can either haggle for a payrise or leave for a company which pays better.

Its whether its worth me getting into debt and hoping to achieve a payrise or move on to somewhere better paid when I have a bit of experience.

village_life wrote:

i've just bought a house, getting married and so that bugs me a bit, but its a double edged sword - you cant earn my salary by doing a local office type job, and my industry is more based in the city so travel is a necessity

Very similar to myself, i'm trying to justify 15k a year for working mon - fri without going home, I feel if I don't go home at night and relax in my own surroundings, have my own luxuries, its like i'm still in 'work time'. More money I could justify it, but its one of those catch 22, I can't get more money till ive struggled and got the experience.

nearlyrich

My company car costs me around £150 per month in tax ( on 40%) and I get 11p per business mile for diesel. If anyone can tell me where to buy or lease a new car every 100K miles and run it for less I will change to a taxable car allowance.( I don't pay insurance, servicing, repairs, tyres etc) A petrol card would cost me £115 per month in tax ( it depends on the emmissions of the car and the fuel type) I don't have one because it costs me less than £1000 per year for my private miles.

I work from home for a large Southern based company and some weeks have one or two nights away. I usually walk in and check my email in the evenings but I try to keep my hours reasonable. If I am in a hotel on my own I might do some work.

I enjoy driving and I don't mind my own company so it works for me, I am in IT but sales not service.

pault123

"and I get 11p per business mile for diesel."

So you pay for the diesel yourself and get reimbursed in your pay at the end of the month?