Am I getting screwed at my job?
 

I have worked at an awards shop since 2002. My father is the GM who runs the place, but the owners are a couple of old investors that are hands-off. My job is to design every award that comes through the door, and we do everything from trophies, plaques, glass and acrylic awards, medals, ribbons, t-shirts, hats, custom engravings, you name it. I use two laser engravers and a sublimation printer. I use CorelDraw and Photoshop for everything. A lot of times I have to design artwork for lazy customers who can't get us something usable. I have a very very good record of not screwing things up, which is easy to do.

I started at 8.50 an hour and I now make 13.50. I haven't had a raise in 2 and a half years, and it was a dollar raise. We probably do between 3,000-6,000 dollars per day in business. We only have about 7 employees currently. I was told this past Christmas that the owners weren't giving Christmas bonuses. I usually have gotten like 150 bucks or so every Christmas. We had a pretty good year...

Every time I rarely, politely ask for a raise I'm told by the owners or my father that I should be happy with what I make, and if I want more money I should help the company make more money...should I get the hell outta here?

yes

I would certainly be exploring my options.

Good God. Eject, eject, eject!

http://www.ejectionsite.com/eyewitne...nthroatsm1.jpg

Yes.

Sounds like you want to leave and you've already answered your question.

If you're unhappy, start looking around.

Do you have any education?

I'm currently taking college classes at night trying to complete my Associates in Fire Science. I was wanting to be a firefighter or something related to the fire protection industry, but now...I just don't know. I'm over halfway done.

I do have over 10 years experience doing what I do, but I just don't know what's out there involving what I've been doing.

If you can find better money in this economy, then yes.

$13.50/hr is probably pretty good for Tulsa.

The equivalent for Cost of Living in San Diego is $20.17/hr.

It sounds like you and your dad know how to run a place like that and you would probably be better served to break off from the owners and start your own place.

Pretty much all American Workers are getting screwed at their job, and not in the good way.

My dad has been wanting to buy the place, but he just has awful awful credit and he only makes about 50-60k himself.

Can the business expand? Can you becoming a manager help that expansion? Can you be co-manager with your dad?

Send this company a resume. Its in Independence. It's owned by a guy I used to work for. I left one of his other companies for more money at my current job:

http://www.rpawards.com/

I basically manage the place as is. He's not around much, and when he is, he doesn't do anything very often. There is literally no room for growth as far as my position is concerned. I'm good at what I do and it would be hard for him to replace me considering I've been doing all of our customers shit for 10 years.

I really hate the place, and am bored with my job. Really grown complacent and burnt out. But ya know..I got rent, car payment, insurance, food. Stuff I gotta have. I just don't know what options to explore. I'm good with Corel and Photoshop with what we do HERE, but a lot of the stuff we do is pretty simple compared to a lot of "graphic artists".

BTW: Corel Draw? Really? Really???

Cool, thank you. I will. I was looking to move back up to the KC area eventually anyway. Still have a lot of family and friends up there.

Plus....the Chiefs......:shake:

I cant imagine the startup costs could be all that much, any idea what it would take?

So your Dad makes a comfortable living, and you make around half or less than he does after 10 years. Word to the wise, 13.50 today is worth about what 8.50 was 10 years ago. They don't value you. Get the **** out.

If you're doing much design work AT All, you're getting screwed.

No Christmas bonus...


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Have you found out how much employees at other Trophy shops make that have your same position?

God...don't even get me started. Such a shit program. Each version has more and more bugs. We're using X5 now and it randomly crashes whenever the hell it feels like it and I can lose files in the blink of an eye. But...it works for a lot of the simple things we do.

Yeah, well, don't mention the Christmas Bonus thing. Guy cut mine from $500 to $100 in 2005 and I left three months later.

Dude, you have 10 years of Photoshop & graphic design experience and a rock steady work history. Make a resume and get it out there. Start applying for anything you can find. I guarantee you will find a job you love sooner or later. Don't compromise and work somewhere you hate.

This.

I make $16/hr. I've been there about a yr. At 6 months I received a favorable performance review, but no increase. If I don't get a raise at 1 yr, I'm looking elsewhere.

Hell yea you are getting screwed, tell him a dumb **** hillbilly truckdriver from NC that works for FEDEX makes over 30 bucks an hour driving... Take your talents elsewhere

^

this^

What a bunch of loyal employers you work for

yes.

Adios.

Find a new Job, Leave and most important profit.

Oh BTW: If you stay and make 20 years, don't be surprised if your 20 year appreciation bonus is a plaque.

That's what I got. Yip-freakin'eee.

I doubt that would happen, they would need him to design it first.

Get out of there. You could be making more at Quicktrip in a relatively short time.

Sounds like that place isn't really big enough for you and your Dad at the same time. You're doing all the work making his job simple enough that it requires no actual work. Yet you're still getting paid like a peon.

I'd start looking elsewhere. Sounds like you're not getting any respect there, and considering your father is your supervisor, that's a bad position...

The problem is, a lot of the designing I do is too simple compared to a lot of traditional "graphic design" jobs.

This is probably the most elaborate design I've done in the past couple months. For a big ass cast bronze plaque.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/...plaque2012.jpg

Doesn't make a bit of difference. Quit selling yourself short. Most hiring managers wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway.

You have 10 years' graphic design experience. That's all companies will want to hear.

Be a salesman. Sell yourself.

Oh yeah, something I forgot. About 5 years ago my dad hired this woman to help with the front counter and phones. He hired her on a recommendation from my aunt, who was working the front counter at the time and needed help. He hires her, and she's the flirty type. Married with 3 kids, but eventually she ended up over at my dads house every single night. Eventually, she got her own desk and office where she does nothing but sit and play Farmville. My dad has always stood by "she's just my friend" but everyone knows better. They go take a 2 hour lunch every day, and she gets to leave every day at about 3 oclock. So she makes about the same wages as I do, but does nothing. Occasionally she will write up an order or something and make a big deal about it so it looks like she's worth something.

Yeah, it pisses me off.

Welcome to my world.










(As in getting screwed out of pay raises and such, not the thing you just posted. lol I should really learn to read posts before replying. Heh).

As gross as this sounds, you may have to start banging your dad for more loot.

so your dad is ****ing you and her?

Wow! That sounds exactly like my situation 8 years ago. Worked for a mom n pop IT shop. No benefits what so ever....even money for gas when I had to make numerous house calls.

when asked about getting a raise they said I'd have to help bring more business in. I did but still when I asked they would say that I should be happy with what I have.

After 7 years of working there I decided to start looking around for a different place. 8 years later I'm making almost 3 times what I was at this company.

Start looking my friend. The very least is if you get offered a job for more money you can ask your current employeer to counter offer. In my instance they said no, thankfully.

Yeah, get the **** out of there.

I'm sorry to say this being as how it's your father and all, but you should find a better job, Mr. lcarus.

$150 dollar Xmas bonus? That's not good, man. I know receptionists who get $1500 Christmas bonuses. You've been misled, my friend. And taken advantage of. By your own blood, too. Stand tall, take your keyboard in one hand, your balls in the other, and tell them to find somebody else to do all that stuff you do for that kind of money. Then, strike out on your own and start a new life.

FAX

yes

You've averaged a 5.2% per year raise, so they're not screwing you. You're just in a low-wage job. Maybe you could make more money at another company with the same job, which would be great, but even a big boost would put you at maybe $20. If you want to make significantly more you probably should consider switching careers.

yeah, to be fair, it's not like he's in a real high stakes industry. He does a job and make steady profit I'm sure, but in professions like mine where I can post a net profit of $160k+ on a project in 6 months or less that's where you see compensation accordingly.

You are right, but I feel like I'm entitled to at least a couple dollars per hour more. I do a lot for the company. I often work on weekends, work late, deliver product to customers, fix our laser engravers. The problem is, the company is run so poorly and inefficiently, we aren't making a ton of profit. For instance, we pay a woman 30k a year almost to sit around and play Farmville.

That said, there are some perks to this job. If I'm engraving a big order, I can watch Netflix or play an NES emulator at my desk. I would get a lot of flexibility as far as hours and days off, IF I wasn't needed. So it isn't an entirely grim picture, but as a whole, I really am tired of the way things are going here, plus I'm having a tough time as I'm single and living on my own with a car payment and all that stuff.

are you paid hourly or salary?

Hourly. I do get some OT, but a lot of times I come up there and do stuff off the clock, which I don't mind too much. I just feel like I should be appreciated a bit more. In the form of a raise, however minute it may be.

oh, I get that....but you have to temper somewhat in today's economy. Just becuase you have'nt kept up year to year doesn't mean you can realistically expect to make it all up in one year. You need to make your concerns known, and if they value you, they will work on making it right.

I got a $10k raise and a $10k project bonus last year by letting the mgmt here know I was underpaid and needed to catch up. It didn't make it perfect, but it's a start.

Yes u are getting ****ed. Leave that job and work for yourself

I'd get on www.odesk.com and www.elance.com as a designer. There are all sorts of people on there looking for designers to create website layouts, advertising material, etc. for them. You can set your own rate and let people find you, or you can actively search for the jobs that people are posting for design work.

As others have said, you're selling yourself short. 10 years experience working on Photoshop means you know how to use it when most people don't. Simple as that. There will always be more to learn, but you can do that while working on new projects.

I can pretty much guarantee you that you'd be making a heck of a lot more working on your own as a sub-contractor than you are based on what you've said here. I wouldn't just quit the job and start it immediately, but get yourself on those platforms, get a couple of side jobs, and I'd bet you'll quickly feel a lot more comfortable telling them to screw off.

Then, who knows, they'll probably realize how much they need you at that point and fight to keep you.

When did 50-60K become a comfortable living?

Depends on how many kids you have. I have one. If I made 60k I would be living very comfortably.

It is for KC (per person, anyway), and I assume it would be for Tulsa, too.

And I posted about rip-off oil changes. Sheesh! It's worse than I thought.

Plenty of money

I don't know what the cost of living is in Tulsa, but $13.50 isn't much. I'd tell you to take your talents elsewhere, but consider that a lot of employers want to see a piece of paper to go along with your experience. Better have something else lined up before you tell them to take this job and shove it.

You mean there's no casual sex Friday?

Yes I agree and it's my fault for taking this crap job for so long. I just need to motivate myself to find something else. Hell, I've been telling myself I am going to try my hand as a standup comic for a long time now. :rolleyes:

It's garbage living in Seattle. Tulsa on the other hand? It's enough for home ownership.

It's okay here...certainly not living the high life at that wage.

**** no. That's drinking namebbrand soda pop, and doing better than PB&J every single day for the kids. The important part is home ownership.

Screwed would be putting it mildly.

You could easily do free lance work for tech companies or your self doing design work for websites and graphic ads. EASILY make $25-50 per hour. Use Craigllist or many of the freelance boards

Also you need to learn Flash and other higher end programs

In general, the answer to "Am I getting screwed at my job?" is pretty much always an emphatic "yes".

If spent wisely :D Bein debt free, yes it is.

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

The more money you make for the man, the more money he's willing to pay you. If "the man" is going to lose money by letting you move on then maybe he'll be happy to throw you some more. But yeah, working for your old man isn't always the best idea. If he's not willing to go to bat for you, who will?

If you really know that much about the business, product, supply, marketing et al, go out on your own. That'll fix em.

If you've got a good skill set you can at least do a little job hunting to see what the market IS for your skills, and then determine if you should go or stay.

I'm trying my ass off to hire qualified people for 2 positions right now, and can't seem to find solid employees who can get very far away from girlfriends and other bullshit. I'd like to see someone who wants a job actually demonstrate that to me and they'll be working monday for quite a bit higher than going rate for that job position across the state.

You're only worth what it would cost to replace you.

Lol. Yes was probably posted a lot.

If you love doing it but hate it there start up your own by find an investor.
How can a place have that many employes geting paid?

Everyone is ****ing you there. Start looking. Tell them to fire the girl and/or yourdad.. sunds like they don't do shit. Hell tell them to give you the 30k and can both, business would get 60k more profitable.

Or, as people have said, that much experience and do most of the work. Give them their options. Steal sme clientele. No loyality to people that take advantage of you.

But line stuff up first.

and seldom paid accordingly...

Cost and work he does. They have to find someone to replace his abilities andknow the programs.

If they become dicks before you leave. Password the programs and delete all your designs. Document the times you worked off the clock.

U answered the question.... better job opportunity is out there waiting for you.

lcarus, It seems to me you've got to think about how you can better your standing at work by bringing in more money,etc.. or think about what you would have to do to leave and be successful.
If you're comfortable - stop bitching
Otherwise, get a plan, get off your ass and make it happen.

In this job market I would think the ball would be rolling all over the employers court. What is the job? Does it not pay high enough to pull in the more motivated workers?

That was going to be my reply without reading a word.

Then to find out they wont even give a small Christmas bonus? those guys need a visit from a Beastly, BULGING man like Cousin Eddie.

Sounds like you're in a bad spot Lcarus. I've always thought working, or doing business in general, with family was a bad idea. If you step up and let it all out, you're calling your father out and cock blocking him all at the same time. I'm guessing there would be repercussions for doing so, even though you're in the right.

The way the job market is right now I wouldn't dump and run without a plan, but I would definitely be putting myself out there and testing the waters. If you hit something you want, turn your two weeks in and either demand your worth or wash your hand of the situation.