Salary Quagmire - (long)

[Ves Paul]

Hello all.
I'm a Designer from Fort Worth TX. I work for a 9 employee PR firm. I'm the only artist here, and wear alot of hats for the business. Responsibilities include (but not limited to):

Advertising concepts designs and creation, file preparation. For all types of clients. Then production work on those ongoing ads.

Concepts and executions of websites of all sizes. I have done about 5 sites since I've been here (1 year). This includes full on creation and updating.

Concept and creation of Special Event items. i.e. Building Lobby display concept, creation & installation. Like with tools and sweat and all that.

Client liason, sit in on meetings, blah blah.

The list goes on. My title here is still just Graphic Artist, though I feel I have a hand in alot of what you might call Creative Director duties. It's not like anyone is answering to me, so there's no management responsibilities per se. However I do have to manage my self. Lots of times I am responsible for information gathering, something in the past was done for me.

At any rate, my one year review is coming up and I'm feeling really underpaid for the amount of quality work I produce. I'm having a hard time figuring what I am worth and was wondering if there is anyone else out in the field who has a similar situation.

Thanks for your time and advise.

-Ves

[D-Frag]

Been in that situation, and unfortunetly we can't offer financial advice here. I can tell you to maybe do some research on what other creative directors are being paid in your area and get a ballpark figure together for your review.

Also be wary of a company that does this to there employees, from my past expeirence they will hire people on the premise of design, then throw every other possible job at them and weigh them down both physically and mentally, then when you ask for more money the show you the door, or deny you, then look for the next sucker to fill your shoes.

[CamarotaDesign]

Is your company brining in clients and money solely because of your skills? Will it be hard for them to find someone that does as much work as you do for the same price they pay you? Is your work quality, and does it bring good results to the clients?

Ask yourself these questions, if you can confidently answer yes. You tell them the same thing I just told you.

also look around at other salaries in YOUR area from sites like www.salary.com

I do the exact same as you-- only designer at a direct mail marketing firm. I am directly responsible for a good amount of profit this company has made in the last year and during my last review I basically stated this: "For my level of skill and the work I do I need to be paid more, I can be making X amount of money here or X amount of money somewhere else, I'd like to be making it here, but that's up to you."

[Ves Paul]

Been in that situation, and unfortunetly we can't offer financial advice here. I can tell you to maybe do some research on what other creative directors are being paid in your area and get a ballpark figure together for your review.

Also be wary of a company that does this to there employees, from my past expeirence they will hire people on the premise of design, then throw every other possible job at them and weigh them down both physically and mentally, then when you ask for more money the show you the door, or deny you, then look for the next sucker to fill your shoes.

Thanks for the reply and warning. At first I was very greatful to have the opportunities to prove my skill sets, now I'm glad to give them the opportunity to PAY ME! It's a smaller company and seems to be an honest place, but it's still a corporation so you never really know what tactics are being emplored.

[Ves Paul]

Is your company brining in clients and money solely because of your skills? Will it be hard for them to find someone that does as much work as you do for the same price they pay you? Is your work quality, and does it bring good results to the clients?

Yes on all fronts to certain feasable degrees.

Ask yourself these questions, if you can confidently answer yes. You tell them the same thing I just told you.

also look around at other salaries in YOUR area from sites like www.salary.com (http://www.salary.com)

I do the exact same as you-- only designer at a direct mail marketing firm. I am directly responsible for a good amount of profit this company has made in the last year and during my last review I basically stated this: "For my level of skill and the work I do I need to be paid more, I can be making X amount of money here or X amount of money somewhere else, I'd like to be making it here, but that's up to you."

Thanks for the advise on the review. That's a great summary.
I will check out salary.com

[CamarotaDesign]

^I'm adding a disclaimer to my above post.

This is not legally binding advice. Use it at your own discretion, I'm not a finance lawyer, I only pretend to be one on GDF.

[Ves Paul]

OK, after perusing the Salary.com website, I can safely say I am grossly underpaid. I'm like the deal of the century. Hopefully alot of salary education and a little bit of tact will see me with a satisfactory salary come August.

[CamarotaDesign]

Good luck man. Pretty much the same story as me. Just remember, you need to have the skill, knowledge and talent to back up your request. If they aren't happy with your work, don't expect anything.

[PrintDriver]

Bear in mind that Salary.com has alway been skewed to the high side. The wages are averages, but it would be really helpful to know what the data was that produced it...

[Ves Paul]

Bear in mind that Salary.com has alway been skewed to the high side. The wages are averages, but it would be really helpful to know what the data was that produced it...

Thanks for the warning, Print Driver. I plan on doing some local research as well. Before the review.

[CamarotaDesign]

Bear in mind that Salary.com has alway been skewed to the high side. The wages are averages, but it would be really helpful to know what the data was that produced it...

His employer doesn't need to know that. And it seemed pretty spot on for my area.