Okay... as for variables, someone like me: 2 years experience in the Aerospace industry, implemented ISO 9001:2000 from scratch, took the initiative (after asking the employer, of course) to get the system certified - original goal was just to be "compliant", and on top of that I am the go-to person when a spot needs to be filled... like running a machine, shipping/recieving or doing whatever else needs to be done. Not to mention, I hold 2 titles... Quality Assurance Manager/Administrative Assistant. And I have 10+ years in the admin field as well.

The reason I ask is because I am bucking for a raise. I only make $16.00/hour salary. I'm nearly 29 years old. I work hard and helped my company reach a goal for something they thought they'd never acheive. When we talked about me coming to work for them, I was told I would get a bonus for completion of registration and that they would pay me well. I haven't seen anything yet... and we've been registered now for a little over a month and a half. They seem to be acting like nothing happened. Purchase orders have been flowing in since our customers found out we were registered, so I know they are profiting from my work. What to do? How to go about asking for a raise? What is appropriate?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Search ASQ.org for a annual salary report, it should be able to give you some insight accross the board.

Good Luck,

Ralph

I'm not certain how realistic these are... Most say that someone with my experience, in the geographic area that I work in, and my title/type of work makes $50K. And that's the median! They can't be serious?!? If that's the case, I could ask for a raise of $20K more a year...

Part of the reason I wrote in the other thread about salary surveys having "suspect" scientific rigor is what you have intuited:
Salaries range by experience, company size, actual functions (not just titles), general economic conditions, and, most importantly, geographic location.

Justifying an increase in wage or salary (technically different - wages are hourly, salaries are fixed regardless of hours worked. In the USA, you must fit certain parameters to be exempt from overtime pay.) definitely requires marshalling your research so you can compare apples and apples to have the weight of reason and logic on your side.

When all else fails in convincing the powers that be of your true worth and getting compensated accordingly, you need an escape plan, because, once begun, bosses will sense 'wanderlust' in you and seek to replace you ASAP to prevent being caught if you leave with little or no notice for a job that pays what you are worth.

I think this can be a very meaningful thread, especially in these recessionary times. I'm looking forward to the discussion!

Here's an easy way that's worked for me:

Get your resume prepared.
Post it on Monster.com and/or careerbuilder.com
Make a profile on Linked In (see my thread on LinkedIn to see a bunch of us covers who would happily add you to our networks)

Let some recruiters call you and see what they have to say about how much they can land you at another gig.

That'll at least give you a starting point.

Corona is in Southern CA - I have a couple of friends out there who may have be able to give me a range.

I’m actually in a pretty similar situation. I was brought on board solely to do entry level engineering work, and it turned out they needed someone to do QA management (and engineering and inspecting and everything else). I single-handedly pulled the company through AS9100 certification (with no QMS at all, let alone previous ISO certification), and I take on a ton of random daily responsibilities from shipping to answering phones to whatever else needs to be done.

I make the same salary as when I started more than a year and a half ago.

For me, the solution is to find a new job (process well underway), but there are a LOT of reasons for that besides salary – may not be your route. On the other hand, your raise depends a lot on your current salary. If you go somewhere else to do QA work and dodge the salary question until they make an offer, you may find that you’re worth a lot more than you’re being paid.

If you’re looking to stay, I think the key things are to be confident in your ability, to be legitimately justified in wanting the raise (which it sounds like you are), and to be tactful and nonconfrontational about it. Tell your boss that you’ve been performing well (make sure you have examples of how you’re performing well), and remind him (her?) that a raise was promised and your side of the bargain has been upheld. It’s kind of like a job interview – you just have to convince your boss that you’re worth the higher price tag without sounding demanding.

Hope that was at least marginally useful.

ALL of you guys had great answers for me! I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the idea that I am not truly being compensated what I am worth. I will definately try the Linked In site. I have my resume already posted at Monster (I don't think it's all that spectacular. It could use a little help. lol!).

ALL of you guys had great answers for me! I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the idea that I am not truly being compensated what I am worth. I will definately try the Linked In site. I have my resume already posted at Monster (I don't think it's all that spectacular. It could use a little help. lol!).Have you taken the time to read through these threads?
As always, I suggest folks start their job quests by reading through the tips offered in these threads
Candidates:
Thinking about a New Job for New Year? (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=19619)
http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=19619
Resume and cover letter - How good are yours? (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=10169)
http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=10169
The Job Hunt - Care and feeding of references (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=19094)
http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=19094
Tips to get past the "gatekeeper" when job hunting (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=9325)
http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=9325

Okay... as for variables, someone like me: 2 years experience in the Aerospace industry, implemented ISO 9001:2000 from scratch, took the initiative (after asking the employer, of course) to get the system certified - original goal was just to be "compliant", and on top of that I am the go-to person when a spot needs to be filled... like running a machine, shipping/recieving or doing whatever else needs to be done. Not to mention, I hold 2 titles... Quality Assurance Manager/Administrative Assistant. And I have 10+ years in the admin field as well.

The reason I ask is because I am bucking for a raise. I only make $16.00/hour salary. I'm nearly 29 years old. I work hard and helped my company reach a goal for something they thought they'd never acheive. When we talked about me coming to work for them, I was told I would get a bonus for completion of registration and that they would pay me well. I haven't seen anything yet... and we've been registered now for a little over a month and a half. They seem to be acting like nothing happened. Purchase orders have been flowing in since our customers found out we were registered, so I know they are profiting from my work. What to do? How to go about asking for a raise? What is appropriate?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Well, Kyle, it's borderline impossible to really say how well you are doing. I am not in that area, so I don't know what jobs are going for. You need to determine your value for that job in that area. It's similar to getting comps on a house you are about to list. The house will sell for what the market price is in that area.

I'm not certain how realistic these are... Most say that someone with my experience, in the geographic area that I work in, and my title/type of work makes $50K. And that's the median! They can't be serious?!? If that's the case, I could ask for a raise of $20K more a year...

Trust your gut. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. However... I don't know; Do Not sell yourself short. You might want to contact someone in your local ASQ section. Most of them have job listings similar to the one your in. They may be able to assist you better since they have local contacts.

FWIW, if my math is not too far off... you're talking about close to a 100% raise. That will be tough. I think if you're worth that much, you may have to go to another company.

Here's an easy way that's worked for me:

Get your resume prepared.
Post it on Monster.com and/or careerbuilder.com
Make a profile on Linked In (see my thread on LinkedIn to see a bunch of us covers who would happily add you to our networks)

Let some recruiters call you and see what they have to say about how much they can land you at another gig.

That'll at least give you a starting point.

Corona is in Southern CA - I have a couple of friends out there who may have be able to give me a range.

Scott is right on. Too, his gracious offer of checking with some friends will be helpful too. However, his best suggestion is to post and see what recruiters offer you. That will give you the best idea.

ALL of you guys had great answers for me! I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the idea that I am not truly being compensated what I am worth. I will definately try the Linked In site. I have my resume already posted at Monster (I don't think it's all that spectacular. It could use a little help. lol!).

If you don't think it's spectacular, then probably no one else will either.:) IMHO, by far the most important piece is a good resume. Hard work is important, but a good resume just seems to make things easier. Post it here, if you like. If you don't want to do that, PM me and I'll work with you on it.

Hi Brad,

Thanks for your post - nicely summarised and motivating :)

Please accept the following with the intent I post it...to do no harm.

Here's reality.....You're female (unless you are good at disguises), you're young (my youngest is 30 and oldest is 40), you're married (a guess after reading your Profile), and you're in a male dominate field/industry....and that's a fact. Based on all kinds of reports and research that many here might be familiar with, you're not unique in the workplace.

You didn't mention education level or other experience and to be honest 2 years is equivalent to total time for lunches in the careers of others. In the last 5 work years I have about 4000+ hours standing on my feet teaching ISO related stuff (that's nearly equal to your 2 work years to put it in perspective).

You have to look upon yourself as a comodity and then market yourself as such. What do you have to bring to the negotiation table besides the level of experience you stated and the one system that reached certification? If you had 5+ years and a handful of successful systems, coupled with formal training, post secondary education, multiple industry experience and such you might have some leverage.

As for promises made and not kept, ask the promiser if what was offered is going to be forthcoming...they may be waiting for a reason. If the response is that they forgot or it can't be done, then you'll know where you stand and the decision you have to make.

Let me expand a little on Randy's points.

It is certainly true men dominate your industry, but things are changing more rapidly in the last five years than in the previous twenty-five years. Don't be discouraged by "glass ceilings." If you encounter one, it is easier to find a place where there isn't one than to shatter one all by yourself.

In point of fact, some individual organizations do NOT have sufficient income to pay the same wages as other organizations in the same industry and same geographical area. That means the organization has a problem, not the individual, but the problem does affect the individual. Folks with lots of broad experience in solving business and marketing problems in addition to helping the organization follow a relatively simple (yeah - simple to us old hands!) Standard are what's necessary to solve those problems. We usually take a piece of the equity as a guarantee we'll get paid if and when we solve the business problems. It can be VERY lucrative when we succeed and a total bummer when we don't. It takes a good track record to convince owners of a substandard business of two things:
First, that they have a problem which can be solved (most don't recognize they even HAVE a problem!)
Second, that an outsider can lead them through the wilderness to the solution and they should get a BIG piece of the rewards for doing so.

Finally, the worst error you could make is to stay silent about the promised bonus/raise. Bosses are a peculiar class of people. If the employee makes it easy to be exploited, bosses choose the easy route. Be diplomatic, not angrily confrontational, but rehearse and work out a few scenarios before you ask about the timetable. Regardless of the answer, do not quit in a snit and leave yourself without a job or any other benefits. If the raise simply isn't forthcoming, you learned an important lesson sooner, rather than later. Start to execute your transition plan as soon as you leave the meeting!

One of the tips from another poster was to check with a local ASQ Section for jobs - definitely check with them for some realistic figures on what folks with your skills and experience can expect in the local job market, even if they don't know of any open positions, because it will help with your discussion with bosses about a raise.

Regardless of whatever the outcome, don't waste time venting on "woulda, coulda, shoulda" - that's history and you can't change history, but you CAN change what you will do tomorrow and the next day.

Now, for folks who may find themselves in KWalls's place soon, the perfect antidote for the situation she finds herself in is to find an organization which practices Deming's System of Profound Knowledge so everyone in the organization has a true picture of his true value to the organization and the organization responds by paying for that value. It may be idealistic, but there ARE some organizations out there which do follow SoPK.

Great advice and tips from some very knowledgeable folks here! :applause:

At a previous employer, as the doc control/FDA/regulatory "go-to" person, I undertook a major project that resulted in a successful internal audit and subsequent FDA inspection with no nonconformances found in either. Not long afterward, I asked for a few minutes of my boss' time and suggested that my efforts might be worth an increase in pay since the project had huge advantages for the company. I had a figure in mind but was willing to negotiate if necessary. We discussed it and he agreed to talk to his boss about it and see what they could work out for me, because he recognized the amount of work that I'd put into the project and the fact that we received zero NCs was valuable. Although I didn't receive the figure I'd suggested, I did get a better-than-average increase at a time of the year when raises were not usually given (they were usually done at the end of the year, effective Jan. 1 of the next year). So, I was rather satisfied with the way things worked out for me.

Perhaps another thing you may be able to negotiate, if not monetary, is more perks - such as additional vacation/personal time, etc. It may not hurt to ask. :)

Good luck to you, Kyle, and please keep us posted on how things go. :bigwave:

Okay... as for variables, someone like me: 2 years experience in the Aerospace industry, implemented ISO 9001:2000 from scratch, took the initiative (after asking the employer, of course) to get the system certified - original goal was just to be "compliant", and on top of that I am the go-to person when a spot needs to be filled... like running a machine, shipping/recieving or doing whatever else needs to be done. Not to mention, I hold 2 titles... Quality Assurance Manager/Administrative Assistant. And I have 10+ years in the admin field as well.

The reason I ask is because I am bucking for a raise. I only make $16.00/hour salary. I'm nearly 29 years old. I work hard and helped my company reach a goal for something they thought they'd never acheive. When we talked about me coming to work for them, I was told I would get a bonus for completion of registration and that they would pay me well. I haven't seen anything yet... and we've been registered now for a little over a month and a half. They seem to be acting like nothing happened. Purchase orders have been flowing in since our customers found out we were registered, so I know they are profiting from my work. What to do? How to go about asking for a raise? What is appropriate?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Then that is how I would approach the request (50/50 chance). Check on the web for salary calculators. When I reviewed it just for information I found that a Quality Engineer with 4-8 years experience in Los Angeles, California (median salary) was $72000.00

There are some other viable responses, that address the experience factor. That could play a vital role in getting what you want.

Ask anyways.

:yes:Okay... as for variables, someone like me: 2 years experience in the Aerospace industry, implemented ISO 9001:2000 from scratch, took the initiative (after asking the employer, of course) to get the system certified - original goal was just to be "compliant", and on top of that I am the go-to person when a spot needs to be filled... like running a machine, shipping/recieving or doing whatever else needs to be done. Not to mention, I hold 2 titles... Quality Assurance Manager/Administrative Assistant. And I have 10+ years in the admin field as well.

The reason I ask is because I am bucking for a raise. I only make $16.00/hour salary. I'm nearly 29 years old. I work hard and helped my company reach a goal for something they thought they'd never acheive. When we talked about me coming to work for them, I was told I would get a bonus for completion of registration and that they would pay me well. I haven't seen anything yet... and we've been registered now for a little over a month and a half. They seem to be acting like nothing happened. Purchase orders have been flowing in since our customers found out we were registered, so I know they are profiting from my work. What to do? How to go about asking for a raise? What is appropriate?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!
Dear Kwalls, I can only speak from an outside veiw. I work with many different companies in the Aerospace industry. Not yet have I seen one starving for work or funding. If you have stepped up your qualifications and any certifications through or for your company, usually the increase of salary is not a hard sell. Only a guess, but if you are in beautiful California where I grew up, I must say your salary is somewhat WEAK. I would just sit with the person who is the decision maker and just simply ask what your position means to them as a business and then find out whether it has value or future benefits to them. Quality is about many things, voice of the cusomer and minimizing losses. Will this company profit from your new knowledge? Of course, so whats next? Get in there and ask!

From what Kyle has posted, we can tell that she is not afraid of taking on challenges, she is smart and willing to learn. And she delivers. But, if my memory serves me, she is trying to reason with an employer that:

had promised her a raise, post certification achievement, and did not deliver.
was not willing to invest the money for Kyle to attend a lead auditor training class
was remiss of her management duties, during the implementation phase.So, while I sincerely hope that Kyle can reach her goals, it seems that her employer suffers from the typical dysfunction of running a business with the sole goal of strengthening her personal wealth. And this people normally operate under the mind set that they should maximize their own personal gains, at the expense of the workforce. I might be wrong, but I believe Kyle will not be able to convince her employer about a decent raise. Even if she (the owner) agrees to a raise, it will be a disappointing one. Or so it seems. I hope I am wrong for Kyle's sake.

I might be wrong, but I believe Kyle will not be able to convince her employer about a decent raise. Even if she (the owner) agrees to a raise, it will be a disappointing one. Or so it seems. I hope I am wrong for Kyle's sake.

Well Sidney, you were spot on. Monday I asked for a few minutes of my bosses' time and they agreed to meet with me. I diplomatically laid out my acheivements and experience I have gained. We discussed what this new system has done and will do for their business. FYI, we are getting MORE business now than they have had in the last 10 years of business after sending out letters regarding our certification to all customers that we have served - we're now running 24/6. I asked for $2/hour, which in the grand scheme of things isn't that much. They came back after 2 days of deliberation and proposed the following...

-$1/hour more, but they are taking me off salary and putting me back on hourly. I was put on salary in January after falling ill for a week and a half with the flu. They don't offer sick time and they were worried about me having a paycheck for that pay period so they told me they would put me on salary. Even though if I missed hours I would have to make them up. And since I moved more than an hour away from where i work, I was showing up 1/2 an hour early to bank time incase of emergency... NO LONGER will I do this.

-I will no longer have health insurance (I opted out of it when we went to employEE paid from employER paid. With my circumstances the way they are, I couldn't afford the monthly premium. They wanted me to have it, so they opted to keep paying it for me. And it only covered me, not anyone else in my family.)

-They are giving me a life insurance policy that they are paying for. This was their idea of what my raise/bonus was and weren't going to do anything further for me until I asked for a raise. (And they also gave it to the shop foreman... so am I going to get a raise or perk everytime he does??? I thought it was supposed to be my reward for a job well done? Why does he get to share in the benes of my hard work?) Granted, I can draw on it any time I choose... but honestly, that's not something I would have expected.

Their justification is this: I now commute 60 miles to work one way. They aren't certain of my future - wether I will stay or go - so they don't want to invest too much in to me. They also told me that I am now making close to what the foreman makes... and this is a direct quote (minus names) "He is the one that makes the money. He makes the parts and keeps the business running that way. You are overhead. Not a necessity, but great to have and we are certainly pleased with the work you have done so far." What am I supposed to think after that?? I can't pay the bills with "atta boys" or praise. I have a family to think of. So I guess this is pretty much the end of the road for me here. Wes' advice was just what I needed to hear... "Start your escape plan!" I am packing my parachute! :notme:

Well Sidney, you were spot on. Monday I asked for a few minutes of my bosses' time and they agreed to meet with me. I diplomatically laid out my acheivements and experience I have gained. We discussed what this new system has done and will do for their business. FYI, we are getting MORE business now than they have had in the last 10 years of business after sending out letters regarding our certification to all customers that we have served - we're now running 24/6. I asked for $2/hour, which in the grand scheme of things isn't that much. They came back after 2 days of deliberation and proposed the following...

-$1/hour more, but they are taking me off salary and putting me back on hourly. I was put on salary in January after falling ill for a week and a half with the flu. They don't offer sick time and they were worried about me having a paycheck for that pay period so they told me they would put me on salary. Even though if I missed hours I would have to make them up. And since I moved more than an hour away from where i work, I was showing up 1/2 an hour early to bank time incase of emergency... NO LONGER will I do this.

-I will no longer have health insurance (I opted out of it when we went to employEE paid from employER paid. With my circumstances the way they are, I couldn't afford the monthly premium. They wanted me to have it, so they opted to keep paying it for me. And it only covered me, not anyone else in my family.)

-They are giving me a life insurance policy that they are paying for. This was their idea of what my raise/bonus was and weren't going to do anything further for me until I asked for a raise. (And they also gave it to the shop foreman... so am I going to get a raise or perk everytime he does??? I thought it was supposed to be my reward for a job well done? Why does he get to share in the benes of my hard work?) Granted, I can draw on it any time I choose... but honestly, that's not something I would have expected.

Their justification is this: I now commute 60 miles to work one way. They aren't certain of my future - wether I will stay or go - so they don't want to invest too much in to me. They also told me that I am now making close to what the foreman makes... and this is a direct quote (minus names) "He is the one that makes the money. He makes the parts and keeps the business running that way. You are overhead. Not a necessity, but great to have and we are certainly pleased with the work you have done so far." What am I supposed to think after that?? I can't pay the bills with "atta boys" or praise. I have a family to think of. So I guess this is pretty much the end of the road for me here. Wes' advice was just what I needed to hear... "Start your escape plan!" I am packing my parachute! :notme:

Well that just sucks.

You did what you had to do and learned what you had to hear about their attitude. If I was in your shoes I'd get fully prepared to bail.
Good Luck - keep us updated.

Well that just sucks.

You did what you had to do and learned what you had to hear about their attitude. If I was in your shoes I'd get fully prepared to bail.
Good Luck - keep us updated.

Yeah, it does suck. I was very committed to this job. I even had an offer for a position at a federal facility as a secretary that paid awesome that I turned down because I was in the middle of this project. And I let them know that before we even had the discussion of a raise. It's also a blessing in disguise... I spend A LOT in gas to get down here. Even if I found a $12/hour job up there, I would be better off. :rolleyes:

I appreciate all of you guys and the honest opinions that you gave. I hope also that someone that may be in my position can learn from me. I should have seen the warning signs a long time ago... right Sidney? But you know what they always say... HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20!!! :2cents:

Hi Kyle,
You've had a lot of good replys to your inquiry.

I've been in the Quality System business for what seems seems like decades.
I'll add one idea. As a professional, you may want to create your own job description. As you grow in knowledge, continue to revise what you have accomplished. Keep it as a living document. Circulate this document from time to time amoung your peers outside of your organization. Don't be afraid to ask for their opinions. Most people I know in this profession will be honest and help you along the way.

The value (salary) of a QMS manager in any organization varies widely. Seems to me you'll find what you are looking for! :magic:

Yeah, it does suck. I was very committed to this job. I even had an offer for a position at a federal facility as a secretary that paid awesome that I turned down because I was in the middle of this project. And I let them know that before we even had the discussion of a raise. It's also a blessing in disguise... I spend A LOT in gas to get down here. Even if I found a $12/hour job up there, I would be better off. :rolleyes:

I appreciate all of you guys and the honest opinions that you gave. I hope also that someone that may be in my position can learn from me. I should have seen the warning signs a long time ago... But you know what they always say... HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20!!! :2cents:Perhaps what is worse is that many of us (especially I) DID see the clues and we weren't forceful enough in alerting you!

In our defense, we had no true insight into the day-to-day interactions at your workplace and we could not be certain our predictions were correct, nor did we have true insight into what it would take to motivate you to make a tough, but not hasty decision.

Many will say the best lessons are those we get from our own experience. I just wish there was some way to transfer the experience to someone else so that person doesn't have to go through the same pain in assimilating it.

My sympathies, Kyle. Unfortunately, some variation on your unfortunate experience is typical of those of us in the "Systems Support" side of things. No one else truly understands what it is we do, how much we know, and how much we take on, until they decide we're "non value-added" (because we don't produce parts, even though what we do produces CUSTOMERS) and we're gone (I have been laid off, and now am in a "top of your pay scale" situation because of this).

I hope you find something better, and closer to home!

Yeah, it does suck. I was very committed to this job. I even had an offer for a position at a federal facility as a secretary that paid awesome that I turned down because I was in the middle of this project. And I let them know that before we even had the discussion of a raise. It's also a blessing in disguise... I spend A LOT in gas to get down here. Even if I found a $12/hour job up there, I would be better off. :rolleyes:

I appreciate all of you guys and the honest opinions that you gave. I hope also that someone that may be in my position can learn from me. I should have seen the warning signs a long time ago... right Sidney? But you know what they always say... HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20!!! :2cents:

It's not worth much when you've just been smacked down, but there are few of us who've been around for any significant amount of time who haven't been similarly abused at one time or another. Most times it's completely unavoidable from one's personal perspective, notwithstanding sage advice from others. It's hard to describe what a rat smells like to someone who's never smelled (or been bitten by) one.

Too bad Kyle and it's too bad your employer is so stupid to realize that you and the process you helped put into place was an investment and not overhead. There was an expectation of return which is apparently being fulfilled.

Get your chute made, RIP as much as possible, stand up, hook up and shuffle to the door.....

Did you guys move up to the desert or something like around Hesperia or V'Ville? I've noticed your profile of Riverside/Corona.

I'll be in V'ville at the end of the month.

Did you guys move up to the desert or something like around Hesperia or V'Ville? I've noticed your profile of Riverside/Corona.


Randy,

I left my profile as Corona/Riverside because that's where my employer is. We're just off of the 91 freeway at the city limits. But, my family and I did move up to Apple Valley about 2 months ago. There are 5 of us... :mg: my MIL lives with us and watches my little girls while I work & my DH goes to trucking school... and the house we WERE in was only 1000 sqft. We couldn't get out of each others way! And rent was expensive there. So we decided to move up there... Bigger house, more land, cheaper rent, closer to family. :bonk: Plus, we lived in the South for 3 years and loved the slower pace. The high desert reminds us of that.

Randy,

I left my profile as Corona/Riverside because that's where my employer is. We're just off of the 91 freeway at the city limits. But, my family and I did move up to Apple Valley about 2 months ago. There are 5 of us... :mg: my MIL lives with us and watches my little girls while I work & my DH goes to trucking school... and the house we WERE in was only 1000 sqft. We couldn't get out of each others way! And rent was expensive there. So we decided to move up there... Bigger house, more land, cheaper rent, closer to family. :bonk: Plus, we lived in the South for 3 years and loved the slower pace. The high desert reminds us of that.

wow. Are there lots of mega commutes in So Cal or is it just people I know?
A college friend commutes from Temecula to Rancho Cucamonga and has been doing it for years.
A few years back I worked for a company with a plant in Redlands I'd have to visit a few times a year and I can't imagine the traffic has gotten any better!

wow. Are there lots of mega commutes in So Cal or is it just people I know?
A college friend commutes from Temecula to Rancho Cucamonga and has been doing it for years.
A few years back I worked for a company with a plant in Redlands I'd have to visit a few times a year and I can't imagine the traffic has gotten any better!

Me and one other employee here have "mega commutes"... He drives from Winchester/Temecula to here. But they help him with his gas... :mad:

My commute is about an hour. And it's about $60/week for gas :mg: There are so many people that do it here. Maybe it's because the cities are so close together?? Or maybe SOME people make what they should and can afford the commute? :lol:

We left Barstow 5 years ago. I remember, but not fondly, my commute from Barstow to Azusa :frust:

Kyle...I'm going to be in Victorville April 28 - May 1 doing audit in the area with a co-worker.

This whole thread makes me very sad/angry.

You are clearly competent and have a demonstrated success on your hands.

Sadly, your pay rate is much less that the lowest hourly rate at our plant.

Do you have any credentials to go with your skills? It shouldn't be necessary, but our culture seems to focus on degrees over skills.

Perhaps you can talk your current employer into paying for an ASQ CQE course?

How about night school? The next ten years are going to go by anyway, why not get an MBA one course a year?

Heck, why not start your own consulting firm?

Sorry for your troubles, a very unfair situation.

Hello Kyle,

I hope you would have confused much more than earlier. Let me do more to it :confused:... not realy.
The way which worked for me is to have an attitude of " crane waiting for big fish". I use to keep looking for opportunity, whether i am comfortable with the existing position or not. and keep on working to increase my talents. There are cases where i have waited for more than 3 yrs to get a good break...
On your case, just simply ask your employer " how do you find my pay package in relavant to work which i perform? " if answer is not very positive, look outside.

Wishes ,
Ram Vaidhya

We left Barstow 5 years ago. I remember, but not fondly, my commute from Barstow to Azusa :frust:

Kyle...I'm going to be in Victorville April 28 - May 1 doing audit in the area with a co-worker.

Randy,

You will be in my neck of the woods on my birthday!!! :cake:

I cannot believe you commuted from Barstow to AZUSA!!! Too bad they didn't have the 210 connected from the 15 then. That cuts a TON of time off. And it doesn't beat your car up! :rolleyes:

This whole thread makes me very sad/angry.

You are clearly competent and have a demonstrated success on your hands.

Sadly, your pay rate is much less that the lowest hourly rate at our plant.

Do you have any credentials to go with your skills? It shouldn't be necessary, but our culture seems to focus on degrees over skills.

No, I do not have credentials to go with my skills. When I signed on for the job, I had very little ISO experience. Everything was self taught or learned at the Cove.


Perhaps you can talk your current employer into paying for an ASQ CQE course?

My employer wouldn't even pay for me to take an internal auditing course... again, something I had to figure out for myself.

How about night school? The next ten years are going to go by anyway, why not get an MBA one course a year?

This is something I have considered. I know it can only make me more valuable. At this point, it's a must! Maybe when my little one is in school it would be feaseable? That's only 1 year.

Heck, why not start your own consulting firm?

Sorry for your troubles, a very unfair situation.

I'm not comfortable enough with my own knowledge to offer my services to others as a consultant. I feel comfortable here, at this job, because it's where I cut my teeth (so to speak). Maybe after a few more experiences with other companies??