PayRaiseDisappointment: Help Needed with IT Junior Position in Alberta, Canada
Hey there! So, you just got a $1 raise from $22 to $23 after a year in your first IT job, and you’re feeling disappointed. I totally get where you’re coming from, especially when you had higher expectations going into that performance review.
Feeling Disappointed: It’s Okay
First things first, it’s completely normal to feel disappointed when you were hoping for a more substantial pay increase. Your feelings are valid, so don’t beat yourself up about it.
The Reality of Pay Raises for Junior IT Pros
In the world of IT, pay raises can sometimes be tricky, especially for junior professionals. Factors like market trends, company budget, and individual performance evaluations can all play a role in determining the extent of your raise. It’s important to remember that raises are a reflection of many variables, not just your personal worth.
Actionable Steps to Take
1. Have a Candid Conversation
Consider having an open and honest conversation with your director about your expectations and the rationale behind the $1 raise. Understanding their perspective can provide you with valuable insight and allow you to express your thoughts in a constructive manner.
2. Document Your Achievements
Compile a list of all the accomplishments, projects, and improvements you’ve contributed to during your time at the company. This can serve as tangible evidence of your value and may help support your case for a higher raise.
3. Research Salary Benchmarks
Take some time to research salary benchmarks for IT professionals in Alberta, Canada. Compare your current salary to industry standards to gain a better understanding of where you stand and what a fair compensation looks like.
4. Consider Future Opportunities
While a $1 raise may not have been what you hoped for, it’s important to evaluate your overall job satisfaction and future growth opportunities within the company. If you feel stuck or undervalued, it may be time to explore other opportunities that align better with your career goals.
Final Thoughts
Remember, your worth goes beyond just a number on a paycheck. Your contributions, skills, and passion for IT are all valuable assets that deserve recognition. Keep your head up, stay proactive, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. You’ve got this! 💪🏼
Let me know if you have any other questions or need further assistance. Good luck! 🌟
You’re only worth what another company will pay you. Full stop. There are almost no other factors in tech roles.
If you want a raise, get another offer. If your skills and value grow, in that scenario you could make a case, but the skills must also be worth x somewhere else.
That’s a 4.5% increase, slightly higher than the current yearly inflation, so it’s not that bad.
Also it is help desk and there is someone out there ready to take your job for a lower wage, even minimum wage in the current market.
Help desk is not the place to make money, it is the place to skill-up, specialize and move on to a higher-paying position. Disappointed? Good. Use it to work harder and get out of there.
You get a substantial pay bump when you get promoted or when you get a new job. Your yearly raise is never going to be substantial. The industry standard is 3% no matter how amazing you are. If you suck, no 3%.
This early in your career you won’t have leverage.
I’m at 2 YoE and while I got a $5 raise from $20 USD to $25 USD after 6 months (it was raise for me, but not a big increase in cost for the company..they were already paying probably $25/hr to the contract agency). Then this Jan I got a raise to $28/hr, 12% increase
I am about $15k under the median for my role and experience level for my region. It sucks. I too also built up the KB for my company and even configured up and enrolled all devices for MDM in Intune. I’ve taken on more work and responsibility and even fleshed out my PowerShell skills.
Truth is we got to jump jobs to get a real increase. But associate level job hopping is just as bad as the entry level right now. Worst comes to worst we’ll have to hunker down for 2-3 more years.
But don’t stop applying, always try for other opportunities
If your boss won’t give you the raise you think you deserve, someone else will.
Apply for other jobs that is not help desk
Just because you’re really good at your job doesn’t mean your job demands that level of performance. We lost a high performer and suffered for it, but didn’t really lose any money or fail to hit targets over it. Really just meant others picking up a little more slack. Performance is usually leverage towards promotion rather than a significant pay raise.
HelpDesk doesn’t pay well because there are little barriers to entry. You have to get skilled or certifications.
I don’t know where you see yourself as entitled to a 27/h raise. You need to get a promotion to get a raise like that, doesn’t matter if you’re good at your job. It’s not really normal to get a 1.5x salary increase after just a year.
Fact is, helpdesk is an entry level position, and despite what you might think, you are very easily replaceable. If you want a higher salary but the same role, you can look for government type IT positions, which have a higher floor than the private sector. Or you can move up in the company to a higher role.
“I’m working the help desk as my first IT job and manage the queue/ new implementations for this company.”
Just because you did extra work to help doesn’t necessarily mean you’re worth $5 extra per hour. You just started there. What makes you think you’re better than everyone else? If you are, go somewhere else and this will solve your hourly rate dilemma, if you think you are worth $27.
You had too high an expectation for your pay, considering this is basically your first IT job. Some people are lucky to even start at $20-$23 per hour in a help desk position.
This all depends on where you are and how much you know.
Where I’m from, a dollar raise is fantastic and most places aren’t shy about “percentage” raises that end up being around 50 cents. 23 an hour is also great comparatively, but I understand this is a pittance in other places.
I’m curious on what implementations you did for the company?
I went from $18.75 as a co-op (intern) and then went to $29 as a non-co-op. Same company, same role.
Then I went to cloud engineer with the same company and am making $45.
Vancouver Canada
Time to move on, I got 5 Cent raise one time and dipped faster than they could blink.
The job market is bad right now. But guess what you have a job already. It’s the best time to start applying for new better paying jobs.
Less pressure.
Might take a while but you should actively search.
Those who can do better will.
Take any training opportunities and move on.
The fastest way to get a raise and climb the career ladder is not from your current employer but to find a new job and negotiate yourself a big fat raise. Never tell them what you actually make, they cannot verify your salary. So jump and get that big raise you deserve!