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Will $23,000/yr for Programmer affect my career path?

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I've worked at many different places for many different wages and this is my opinion:

I'd much rather work for a lower wage at a place that isn't going to be watching me like a hawk. I'm prefer to come and go as I please without getting hounded, including coming in late if I like. I don't like being questioned on why I took a two hour lunch or why I am wearing jeans to work. I love the idea of being able to do whatever I want at work, including working on my own projects.

Maybe this seems radical, but if you're working for that wage, I'd imagine this job won't take you long to learn and master. If that is the case and the environment is relaxed, I'd do it. Especially since I could waste all the excess time learning new skills or playing around with things that I might not get to in another job.

Are you worth more? Probably. Do you need more, do you want more? That's up to you. Money doesn't buy happiness, but having a fun, relaxed job with cool co-workers makes the day much more enjoyable. I don't know if you'd get that at this place, but if it is, I imagine some day you'll look back fondly on your time there.
 
If you have an MS, I wouldn't even think about it (I would barely think about it even with a BS). Tons of people go straight from undergrad to grad with only intern work experience. Did you do a thesis/project?
 
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
you guys are making me sad 🙁🙁
I'm working for this much right now as a computer programmer (entry leve) in the silicon valley. I graduated last year with a BS in CS. I haven't gotten any other offers AT ALL so this is the only job I have.
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You do know Davis is not Silicon Valley? I made over $20/hr in Silicon Valley as an Intern junior year and they paid for my housing, rental car, and relocation for the summer. So it was probably more like $30/hr if you counted those perks. Frankly if you are making 23K with a BS, apply to PhD programs and go back to school. You can get a nice stipend with a TA job that will be that much or more, and you actually improve your skills and have tonnes of free time to enjoy yourself in college, instead of being exploited and then thrown out when they find a cheaper slave offshore. Three of my friends are leaving $70K/year jobs to go back to grad school because they are bored or whatever. And they will get higher stipend for spending 6 years chilling out doing a little bit of reseach here and there, maybeTAing a class 10 hrs a week, 3 months of vacation, tonnes of free time and getting a better education, than you will working your behind off for some schmuck who treats you like cheap labor.
 
yeah, that is low

I havnt even graduated yet and I just got a job that pays 13.00 bucks an hour then after 90 days they will increase to 15 bucks an hour plus I get a percentage off all the webstore orders that are sold.
 
Oh, and one of my other friends, graduated with a BS in Engineering from the same Ivy League school as myself, then couldn't even get a job at Best Buy. We were all laughing at him 🙂 So he traveled and lived with his parents for a year, went back to grad school and got a masters, and now got a really nice job paying 70K or so.
I recommend looking for work with government contractors, like Lockheed. I hear from my friends who work there that you can just sit in front of your monitor and pound your head on the keyboard, and every 6 month you'll get automatic raise. Pretty much the only way to get yourself fired is gross misconduct. If you just don't do jack, they'll just keep transferring you around but not lay you off. Our tax money at work.
 
when i was working (retired now heh) i would hire computer operators for $10-20 an hour. To get an computer operator job all you need to know is how to turn a computer on. No degree needed.

what they are offering you is really low. As others stated you take it then you just handicapped yourself in the future.
 
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
you guys are making me sad 🙁🙁
I'm working for this much right now as a computer programmer (entry leve) in the silicon valley. I graduated last year with a BS in CS. I haven't gotten any other offers AT ALL so this is the only job I have.
Click to expand...

You do know Davis is not Silicon Valley? I made over $20/hr in Silicon Valley as an Intern junior year and they paid for my housing, rental car, and relocation for the summer. So it was probably more like $30/hr if you counted those perks. Frankly if you are making 23K with a BS, apply to PhD programs and go back to school. You can get a nice stipend with a TA job that will be that much or more, and you actually improve your skills and have tonnes of free time to enjoy yourself in college, instead of being exploited and then thrown out when they find a cheaper slave offshore. Three of my friends are leaving $70K/year jobs to go back to grad school because they are bored or whatever. And they will get higher stipend for spending 6 years chilling out doing a little bit of reseach here and there, maybeTAing a class 10 hrs a week, 3 months of vacation, tonnes of free time and getting a better education, than you will working your behind off for some schmuck who treats you like cheap labor.
Click to expand...

I know Davis is not Si Valley, I work in Sunnyvale.. just haven't changed my location in my profile.
 
Originally posted by: Jzero
You would make more and have a better shot at career advancement going to "Hamburger U" and managing at McDonald's.
I'm not kidding.

My fiancee makes that much and she is a SECRETARY.
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LOL, how do you know this ??
Actually this is very true..
Salaried managers at McDonalds here in Fla starts at around 25K and thats grossly under paid for all the crap they go through.

23k is extrememly low but you have to start somewhere to get the experience.
I'd say take it for the experience and then go out and find another job.

I know most of you who have good jobs are offended by such a low salary but he has to get experience somehow.

In my case, after 9/11 I was desperate for a job and I got a job as a salaried manager at McDonalds.
Even if my connection(my buddy is the owner's son), they started me at only $25K.
I had no experience so I took it, no complaint.
After learning the rope, I knew how valuable I was and I used it to my advantage.
Threaten to quit a few times.....I went from $25K to making $43K last year and I've only been with them for 1 1/2 year.

23K is very low considering you have a master degree but use it to your advantage if theres no other offer.
 
Originally posted by: Dacalo
Originally posted by: TommyVercetti
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: TommyVercetti

How do companies find out your salary history?
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A lot of companies I've applied to have asked for it.
Click to expand...

Still, how do they really know?
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It's called a background check. You lie, you bye.
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A background check isn't going to pop up your last salary. You just don't answer the question...how hard is this?

 
I would think it would, but there are exceptions. Certain employers may not ask/care about what you made at your last job. My current employer did not ask what I was making. If you're in the IT contractor game, you WILL get asked this question, and if you answer $23k/yr, they WILL screw you.
 
I know Davis is not Si Valley, I work in Sunnyvale.. just haven't changed my location in my profile.
Click to expand...

hey! Im trying to get a job with a company in sunnyvale. how is the area? how is housing/rent/commute that kind of stuff? there's no public transport i gather.

 
$10/$11 for a mindless job (warehouse etc.) is ok, go there and after eight hours leave and get some money for it 🙂

But for a programmer job or any other job where they expect you to DO something very involving lke coding this is a ridiculous rip-off !
I think $23k is REALLY low, actually the lowest i've ever seen looking around for IT jobs myself. $35k already is very much on the low-end, but $23k is a joke !

Dont support that BS ! Thats NOT how our economy gets better...
 
That seems extremely low to me. If I remember correctly my first job was also around 23K but it was a government job and it was over 17 years ago. 23K seems like the type of wage a person with a HS diploma in retail might make.

The fact that you sense they might work you hard makes me think you should try to look for something else. If you need the money now and can live off this salary it might be okay to take for the experience. I don't think past salary should affect future pay. I don't see how future employers can find out your past salary without you telling them.
 
Most background checks today include a credit check. Even if your former employer refused to confirm your salary information with your new employer, they could figure out pretty quickly that puppy was grossly underpaid from his financial data.
 
One word: Negotiate

Talk to them, let them know you're worth more than what they're offering you. What have you got to lose?
 
Yes it's very low. As long as you're getting experience no it will not have a significant effect on career path. You can simply not tell employers in the future your salary, or lie. If I were in your shoes I'd take the $23k and spend as much free time as possible looking for something else.

As long as the position is a good one and giving you good experience, at this point the pay is secondary.
 
You have a graduate degree and a few months still to earn it. Unless you've recieved NO other offers, have looked around a LOT, and (most importantly) need the cash right away(!!), then don't take this job. Well, unless there's some really compelling reason for joining this company you haven't told us about (see dirtboy et al.'s post). You're worth more than that, know you're worth more than that, and will likely get more than that if you poke around and network some.
 
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
Originally posted by: SuperTool
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
you guys are making me sad 🙁🙁
I'm working for this much right now as a computer programmer (entry leve) in the silicon valley. I graduated last year with a BS in CS. I haven't gotten any other offers AT ALL so this is the only job I have.
Click to expand...

You do know Davis is not Silicon Valley? I made over $20/hr in Silicon Valley as an Intern junior year and they paid for my housing, rental car, and relocation for the summer. So it was probably more like $30/hr if you counted those perks. Frankly if you are making 23K with a BS, apply to PhD programs and go back to school. You can get a nice stipend with a TA job that will be that much or more, and you actually improve your skills and have tonnes of free time to enjoy yourself in college, instead of being exploited and then thrown out when they find a cheaper slave offshore. Three of my friends are leaving $70K/year jobs to go back to grad school because they are bored or whatever. And they will get higher stipend for spending 6 years chilling out doing a little bit of reseach here and there, maybeTAing a class 10 hrs a week, 3 months of vacation, tonnes of free time and getting a better education, than you will working your behind off for some schmuck who treats you like cheap labor.
Click to expand...

I know Davis is not Si Valley, I work in Sunnyvale.. just haven't changed my location in my profile.
Click to expand...

Wow, I live in Sunnyvale too. How can you afford to live here on so little $? I guess rents have come down, but still 🙁
 
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