Spinoff- How much should a job pay

[09zkrankin]

Re:

It used to really bother me that employers charge the customer so much but very little of that is returned to the employee, but then I realized all of the expenses of operating a business once I started researching going out on my own.

The one thing along these lines that I do have a problem with is for example:

My employer bills $100 an hour for a given machine and operator under normal circumstances. If you tell them it is rush the rate then goes to $150 an hour. If it is an emergency (hot rush) then the rate goes to $200 an hour.

The cost to do the job does not increase when the job is rush, the admisitrative cost, tooling cost, insurance, etc are all the same. But the employee who is doing the job has to bust there ass to get it done as quickly as possible, and makes the same rate that they would have working at a normal pace. All while the people who are in charge set back and count the extra cash that they made from you working your ass off.

I wouldn't expect the company to give the extra $50-$100 an hour to the employee as that is unrealistic. But it would be nice for them to come out and say " we made really good money on that job, thanks for getting it done, here's $50". Maybe that is also unrealistic, but it would make a world of difference to the guys who are actually busting ass making the company money

 

[BustedKnucklefilms]

College Degrees are not for everyone. They are a good way to get yourself into debt if you think it will be a golden ticket to a good job.

I wouldn't take back my college days for anything even though I don't use my degree now, I do use my business minor and marketing though.
What counts is the 2 years I used my degree to earn enough money while still living on that ramen noodle budget so I could do what I really wanted.

Being an Employee is easy. Being a Boss is not. You can't leave it at work. And you have to Risk everything to make it. So you can either make someone else money or make yourself money.
In life you can be an employee or you can be a Boss. Degree Not Required.

If you want something...Work for it. Its that Easy.

 

[al1tonyota]

Like JJ said companies have a lot of expenses you don't see that everyone has to share! Receptionist don't make as much as skilled laborers and also don't earn their equal part of the overhead as far as production so you have to pay part of their part same goes for janitors and several other positions. I work at a large plant where the jobs have pay grade type levels depending on job duties, I make decent money but I make bank considering fringe benefits (machine shop and some serious tools I can use) and amount of actual hours worked I'm there for 40 but may only "work" 2-3 a day I'm there for preventive maintenance and break downs if my equipment breaks down the amount of profit loss goes up exponentially by the hour therefore that's why my pay rate is justified!

 

[Beerj]

Re:

But I've yet to see a reason a young person should skip college to be a skilled worker.

I never went to anything past high school. Without throwing out numbers, lets just say I'm doing just fine. Good enough that I will not pressure either of my kids to go to college and would be happy to have them follow in my footsteps. If they want to go for schooling, fine. But they'll know that college isn't a necessity to be successful. And after factoring in student loans, it takes quite a bit just to break even. And that's if you can even find a job.

 

[5BrothersFabrication]

As I was putting a trailer back together today, and the inside of it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 120*, I told myself, "I'm tired of making someone else rich." This surprised me because I am a capitalist pig. But it's true. The manager has a nice Dahj truck, bass boat, rzr, supercharged Challenger, it's high time I got mine. Ready to venture out on my own or go back to teaching and just put up with the b.s. that comes with good pay and lots of time off.

I aint got nothing to hide, I make $16 an hour now. Be $17 in September. But I don't think it's worth it with the drive I have, the attitude I present, and what I do every day.

 

[krahn]

When I was in the software world I was paid roughly 20% of what we charged hourly on my projects. My personal rate and what we charged was standard for our target market (insurance processing software). After 3 years of that I finally realized I was getting the short end of the stick because our overhead beyond my compensation was virtually nothing and the rest of the company's overhead was otherwise covered by other avenues. I was an isolated profit center. A little discussion with the head cheese showing some figures on what I perceived as our profit margin on my projects made the negotiation for higher pay a lot easier. IMO if you feel under paid then get some numbers together that take the "big picture" (from the business owners perspective) into consideration and then prove your worth to the guy that decides your rate of pay. It's a gamble but I've always believed that employment is a 2 way negotiation. They want me to provide them with a skill that I'm capable of delivering and when I accept the job I'm accepting the fee for service agreement. If at any time that becomes unbalanced I'm going to go renegotiate my fees to continue providing them my services.

 

[LandSpeeder]

I'm the only person I know that honestly feels like they make more than they deserve. And I do not make nearly what most folks on this board make.
In college I worked in a factory running 60 and 100 ton presses stamping parts made $7.50/hr. I started there in the shipping dept SHOVELING industrial skate wheels all day into boxes. It was cheaper for them to pay me/us than it was to buy a machine to perform the task, because that job paid $7/hr.

Everyone typically feels like they should be paid more. I don't.

 

[mdo817]

I promise I make more than my worth, but there is that time every now and again that when **** hits the fan, they get their monies worth. Just this week was a prime example.


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[Mortalis5509]

Re:

My wife's has this same issue about what she is paid to what her labor rate is. She is in commercial real estate and is only receiving 9.5% of her hourly rate. She makes pretty good money but she is way off her true pay range. The company is charging hundreds per hour for her labor.

** side note - this is a great field to get into. Average age for residential appraisal is around 60 and that means there is a market for people, and even on the commercial side they need people. I'm taking an online to be a trainee right now, but even as a trainee I'll do better than the damn chicken business which I can no longer stand. Hate every minute of my salary pay of 40 hours with an input of 50+. J-riches pushing me, cussing me out, and on***

 

[ridefast]

How can you convince a young guy to work for 12-15 bux an hour.

You tell him that is how the world works and stop being a *****, there are plenty of people that would be grateful to make that and there are plenty of people to fill the role.

 

[jeff150]

Re:

Yes I'm aware of all the factors of owning a business. But I've yet to see a reason a young person should skip college to be a skilled worker. The ones that complete college make more than most skilled workers when they get out of college.

Ranger, Lots of "skilled workers" make damn good money. College degrees are as common now as a high school diploma was when i graduated in 1988. The shift is coming where the lack of skilled trades will make them able to name their price. I have a college degree, my wife has two degrees and a masters. We have two kids that I am trying to get interested in trade school or the military to learn a trade instead of college.

There are 3 keys to making it work. (1) Better work ethic than most, (2) A niche market or at least one where there is more demand than supply of your particular skill set, (3) Ability to take risk and start your own company.
I personally don't have #3 so I went to college, work for "the man" and make a good living.

I also know lots of "skilled workers" be it landscapers, restaurant owners, mechanics, etc. that make a hell of a lot more than I do.
Some of them have a trade school or technical degree, and some a GED. I do think some form of secondary education makes it easier but do not think a college diploma is the key. Most of it boils down to the 3 key points above imo.

As far as your original question of how much should a job pay, My answer is you earn what you can earn. If you are a good enough employee and can market yourself either your employer will pay you or a competitor will. And if you are real good and have the stomach for it, do what your employer did and start your own service based company. If you do your homework and put forth the effort, that is where skilled labor will make you big bucks...

 

[85toyo]

I have been with my company for almost 6 years now. Starting pay was nothing to brag about but I worked my ass off to move up as fast ass possible. For the last two years, I have been in the top three in revenue for the whole company that consists of about 50 crews. I now make nearly double what I started at and get a nice check at the end of the year to go with it.


Nobody starts at the top. If you want it, you have to earn it.

 

[poolman]

I have been with my company for almost 6 years now. Starting pay was nothing to brag about but I worked my ass off to move up as fast ass possible. For the last two years, I have been in the top three in revenue for the whole company that consists of about 50 crews. I now make nearly double what I started at and get a nice check at the end of the year to go with it.



Nobody starts at the top. If you want it, you have to earn it.

Well said

 

[tallnate]

The growing trend of "Entitlement" in this country really concerns me. If you want a higher wage, your work ethic can get that for you. If you want to collect $90/hour, your business can bill for it. There's no assigned seats in this world, there's opportunity.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas A. Edison

 

[bbtank45]

The growing trend of "Entitlement" in this country really concerns me. If you want a higher wage, your work ethic can get that for you. If you want to collect $90/hour, your business can bill for it. There's no assigned seats in this world, there's opportunity.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas A. Edison

^^this x2. The entitlement trend starts with my generation. Bunch of lazy

 

[LightBnDr]

As I read this thread I think what an unlucky guy this Jrich dude is. I can't see emojeez on my phone. Lol

The job market is a funny creature. I have only been in the car business where we make full commission. So your pay is always dependent on how much work you complete, how well you complete it in an X amount of time. So if you're lazy or incapable, you ain't makin money.

Years ago when I was fresh in the biz I put together some numbers to see how much my company was making off me versus what I was making. They made about 70% of what I billed. At the time it pissed me off. Thought I could do much better on my own.

So I took that chance and built a clientele. Had my own shop for only just under 2 years. Enjoyed it I spose but learned what it takes to pay taxes, to do the job of 3 people by myself. What it takes to keep paperwork current, what it takes to purchase new equipment, how tough it is to think about hiring employees and what it takes to buy or build a shop in a great location etc.

In the end I learned that I would give up some of my gross pay in trade for being a W2 employee. Also to be thankful that I have an excellent job that allows me to almost set my own schedule and spend much more time with my family.

Could I make 500k a year? Absolutely!! Then I would have to trade my wife, my kiddos and all my stability.
No thanks

Really I mean to say if you wanna make more money, it falls from the sky in this country. Quit bitchin and work for it.

 

[5BrothersFabrication]

I know a feller that owned a machine shop, had BIG clients, VW in Chattanooga for example. Made money hand over fist, but did most of it with one or less employees, couldn't seem to find good help. Sold it off, got hired back in to run his own machinery, but only works as much he wants to now. Traded money/no family time to punch a clock. I like money more than alot of things, not sure if I could make that trade.

 

[417chevy]

I know a feller that owned a machine shop, had BIG clients, VW in Chattanooga for example. Made money hand over fist, but did most of it with one or less employees, couldn't seem to find good help. Sold it off, got hired back in to run his own machinery, but only works as much he wants to now. Traded money/no family time to punch a clock. I like money more than alot of things, not sure if I could make that trade.

I know a lot of business owners that would make that trade less stressful


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[halcat]

I own a construction co. I do pipeline. Water and sewer. Mostly relocates for TDOT on highway relocates. I have good employers but there is a limit to what you can pay. Everybody top out sooner or later. I have people I don't want to loose, but when they threaten to leave for more money, I can only do so much. I pay above state scale so most of my men will not make more, in there trade, any where else. I have offered my men a cut of the "action" and they all want part of the fun, until I ask for there contribution, they say no. There is opportunity out there for most, but you HAVE to work for it. I am 62 years old and when I was a teen there was very few occupations you could get in. My dad was a pipe liner so that's me. But now, there is rich people doing jobs and making Money that I dont even know what there job does. There is so much more things to do now. If your not in business for your self now, you either don't want to, or your scared, or lazy. Sorry guys.

 

[LandSpeeder]

So, growing up I was HUGE in 4-H in Alabama. Went to State every year, went to Nationals one year in Chicago, was on the State 4-H Counsel my senior year of high school. HUGE 4-H nerd... so much so that I thought I wanted to work as a Cooperative Extension agent as a living... until my family got hold to me and convinced me not to pursue Agricultural Engineering. Now, 21 years out of High School... I woulda LOVED being in that profession.

I say this because tonight on the news they ran a piece about agri-jobs being 60,000 positions annually open up. 35,000 applicants. The job pool is shrinking and jobs are staying left open. Kids... go get dirty!