How much should I be paid?

[Fusion]

Do what you did here, make a nice writeup of what you've accomplished, a graph or two and sums of the savings. Don't write the payroll you want in there, debate that in person. Just leave the paper there so they don't forget the numbers and can thoroughly think about it.

[Deathtoll]

If you are really that good be sure to document everything you have done in great detaila and bring it up to your supervisors. Please keep in mind that some things do require time and the job market is tough to get into. Another good option is to get some time in at that company and document EVERYTHING. when it's time to look for a job somewhere else you will be in a much better position to bargain.

[slaterd]

I have been logging EVERYTHING day by day of what I've done along with an Excel Spreadsheet of money saved for that day because of time savings, expenses, salary expenses, etc. I will take your guys' advice on pay rates and taking these logs in for negotiation purposes. Wish me luck! :D

[Deathtoll]

I have been logging EVERYTHING day by day of what I've done along with an Excel Spreadsheet of money saved for that day because of time savings, expenses, salary expenses, etc. I will take your guys' advice on pay rates and taking these logs in for negotiation purposes. Wish me luck! :D

Just remember one thing, If you don't get what you want at this place just keep on doing what you are doing. It might take a few months/years but keep building on your skill. The next place you go to will oay you.

A few years ago I left a company I worked for to go to another company (their competition). I was given a 50% raise for doing the exact same job. Patience my friend!

[mulletman]

Ask for what you think you're worth. Don't under-sell yourself. There are far too many underpaid people out there.

Honestly, I'd start with the fact that for a person working full time in this country to live a normal life, they're going to need a salary between 30-40k/year. I'd ask for $3 more per hour than you expect to get, and be negotiable.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Consider balls grown.:) Your sig is the complete opposite of what you're telling me though ha.

You are very observant.

You don't need to demand, just state your worth. State that this is the way things are and that's the way it will be. You are not threatening them that you will leave. Just stating that you need x amount of dollars to continue to grow with the company. That is all. No arguing, or fighting or being scared to do this, just accept it and address them accordingly.

I used to consider myself in a much worse position financially when negotiating salary (when I used to do that office type work). I imagine myself with a wife, kids, mortgage and a $30,000 SUV payment. Then I talk money. You are much more believeable when you are desperate and act as though you have so much more looming over you head.

You have already proved your worth to them, it's not like you are starting from scratch.

[brent5631]

Make sure when you tell them how much you are saving them or improving their system that your don't make them feel like they were idiots before you came along. That won't help your cause too much. Focus on what you can do related to what others are making but considering that you don't have a degree you still won't have as much earning potential if others actually have degrees

[Massimo]

Time for me to step in. I have been a CAD drafter for 6 years now, and pay is a difficult question. Ultimatly as someone else has said you are just a CAD drafter and know nothing about the engieering side of things.

I started drafting with no qulaifications and still don't have any, if you are only going to stay in the CAD game for your career then it is all about experiance and speed, no one gives a shit about your diploma or degree.

Mind you I am in AUS but when I started I was getting 40k a year wihch works out to about $20 an hour, I find AUS usually pays about 70-80% more then the USA. I started my career at KBR if anyone knows who they are, while there I worked as lead drafter for the biggest infrastructure jobs in South Australia, I also learnt 3D vizulalization, CAD lisp and scripts, CAD management, and some Civil Design software called 12D.

My skills were broad, as a lead drafter I review and issued work for mechanical, civil, structural sections. Where did this all get me well for the 4-5 years I was at KBR I went from 40-45k, as I was leading people I felt this was not enough and asked for more. They said no, so I left. I went to a company called SMEC got an instant rise to 60k have been here for 2 years and am on 63500 now, I have also taken up a program called PDMS very advanced piping and structural design software.

What dose this all mean. Well unfortunatly any decent pay rise comes from jumping ship, all I can say is keep you resume up to date with everthing you have done and can do, your skills are sort after, there are not many that know lisp and srcipts, always keep an eye out for new employment as that is the only way to further your career. I would say you rate is about on the money, but never expect a big pay rise it don't happen.

6 months after I left KBR they called me up wanting me back they offered me the same I was getting paid at SMEC but could not afford to pay me more then SMEC. So I declined, the funny thing was I only asked KBR for a 10k pay rise if they said yes I would be still there for 55k.

I don't know what you have written for you employer but look into linking excell cells to attributed text. We do this here we can have 1000's drawings and all the title block infomation is likned in the excell spread sheet, that way we can update revision ect ect without ever opening a drawing. We can also select drawings from excell and batch plot them with out opening Autocad.

[pandaboo911]

don't do too much, you could work yourself out of your job. That is my advice.

That is very true. I know some software engineers that make their coding extremely hard to read for anyone else, and even occasionally put in meaningless lines of code so anyone trying to debug or modify would have a VERY hard time doing so. Its called job security.

[slaterd]

I thought about putting a couple of small lines of script in the files for that same reason. Great advice everyone!

[Pac1373]

yes include some proprietary coding that allows you and you only to manage the system, or else you have no security.

I would not want to make you to sad btw, but I will tell you if you lived in western Canada, you could wipe your ass with your $13/hour and light it on fire because you would probably be making 85 k a year or up.

you guys get so fucking screwed by greed driven business owners (no, no sociallist, just a good business man) pay your loyal great producers a lot of money, and treat them like you want to be treated with respect they will make you even more...it is demonstrable truth.

Atlantic Canada is the same way. fucking $13/Hour is totally joke worthy man, start looking around at other options/moving.

[z31maniac]

Around here an EXPERIENCED drafter who can do Solidworks as well AutoCAD is looking at 20-23/hr.

I'm not sure how the GIF/PDF thing save 8-10 people a weeks worth of work......being that once you have your settings going it takes a few minutes to save the drawings in those formats. Yeah, you're saving MAYBE 90 seconds per drawing, but I've got a hard time believing a 1500% increase.


The flip side is, as awesome as you may be at your job, CAD monkeys are easy to find and in this economy getting all uppity about asking (as some have suggested) for a 75% raise is a good way to not make your probationary period.

You young guys have to learn you have "to pay your dues" before you start getting anywhere.

My first job as a Tech Writer, I went from never being a Tech Writer or knowing the software, to being the editor of a 10 person dept in 6 months.........no promotion, no raise, no full-time offer.

It was when I went to a different company that I got the 40% raise, benefits, flex time, etc.

Not trying to knock you down, you just need to be a bit more realistic.

[slaterd]

Around here an EXPERIENCED drafter who can do Solidworks as well AutoCAD is looking at 20-23/hr.

I'm not sure how the GIF/PDF thing save 8-10 people a weeks worth of work......being that once you have your settings going it takes a few minutes to save the drawings in those formats. Yeah, you're saving MAYBE 90 seconds per drawing, but I've got a hard time believing a 1500% increase.


The flip side is, as awesome as you may be at your job, CAD monkeys are easy to find and in this economy getting all uppity about asking (as some have suggested) for a 75% raise is a good way to not make your probationary period.

You young guys have to learn you have "to pay your dues" before you start getting anywhere.

My first job as a Tech Writer, I went from never being a Tech Writer or knowing the software, to being the editor of a 10 person dept in 6 months.........no promotion, no raise, no full-time offer.

It was when I went to a different company that I got the 40% raise, benefits, flex time, etc.

Not trying to knock you down, you just need to be a bit more realistic.

It's because there are thousands upon thousands of drawings. Compared to what everyone was doing with old templates and systems by replacing everything individually, I can do it in just a couple of steps. While I'm doing that, DWGing and PDFing thousands of drawings takes out alot of time. While rapidly replacing parts out, the automated system is doing what would typically take me 3 days full time down to 4 hours. In that time I can be doing something else. Total efficiency from 3 weeks to a max of 4 hours is EXTREMELY quick.

[z31maniac]

While rapidly replacing parts out, the automated system is doing what would typically take me 3 days full time down to 4 hours. In that time I can be doing something else. Total efficiency from 3 weeks to a max of 4 hours is EXTREMELY quick.

In two sentences you said you made 24 hours worth of work 4 hours, then you said you made 120 hours worth of work 4 hours.

Hence my skepticism.

However, judging by your response, you didn't actually read what I wrote. So go ahead and go to your boss and ask for that 75% raise. I hope you get it, just don't be surprised if you don't.

[slaterd]

In two sentences you said you made 24 hours worth of work 4 hours, then you said you made 120 hours worth of work 4 hours.

Hence my skepticism.

However, judging by your response, you didn't actually read what I wrote. So go ahead and go to your boss and ask for that 75% raise. I hope you get it, just don't be surprised if you don't.

24 hrs in 4 hrs is DWG/PDF.
120 hrs in 4 hrs is part exchange.