I work in New Jersey and I just got a new boss and he told me that an access programmer is only worth $20 an hour? is this true? I currently write programs in Access and Excel and make $24.50 an hour. He told me that I am overpaid. Am I getting below what I should be getting, equal, or above?
Pay for a Access Programmer
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boblarson
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Depends on where you work and who you work for. Most consultant Access developers would likely be on a $25 to $100 an hour (depending on your qualifications and the actual need of the organization who is hiring). The problem with most Access developer positions are that they are contract work. So, once you're done you have to find the next one. It can be lucrative, but it also can be sparse and you might need to move around a lot and go where the jobs are.
As for a permanent position, it is likely that $15 - $35 an hour is probably going to be the range (there are exceptions of course) but that doesn't take into account benefits that you might have where the contract worker doesn't get those.
As for a permanent position, it is likely that $15 - $35 an hour is probably going to be the range (there are exceptions of course) but that doesn't take into account benefits that you might have where the contract worker doesn't get those.
One thing you and your boss both will have (separately, that is) is back up the assertion by comparing the market rate in your local area for similar job with similar circumstances. As Bob Larson pointed, out one can't compare contract pay to employment pay as you have to pay for taxes and benefits yourself with former but not so with latter.
I'm sure if you went to a local job training agency, they should maintain a inventory of all various positions and wages published by the state government. That's a good starting point as well as any wanted ads running and in recent past to see where you stand.
I'm sure if you went to a local job training agency, they should maintain a inventory of all various positions and wages published by the state government. That's a good starting point as well as any wanted ads running and in recent past to see where you stand.
Thank you bob for the reply. I know it would depend on where that is shy I said New Jersey. Here is a better list of my duties:
1) Write Access applications for company use and I update them with new features, bug fixes
2) Write Excel applications for company use and I update them with new features, bug fixes
3) Train people on these programs that I have created and on Microsoft office
4) Create Outlook Templates for company use
5) Create Adobe forms
6) Create Reports that are too difficult to create for anyone else in the company
7) Act as a liaison between the IT and the rest of the company looking for inefficiencies
7) Figure out inefficiencies in how our data is kept
Few other points. The employees in my company know very little about computers (minus a few) And I have been here for about 4 years. Finally, I started here as an intern and I basically created my position.
1) Write Access applications for company use and I update them with new features, bug fixes
2) Write Excel applications for company use and I update them with new features, bug fixes
3) Train people on these programs that I have created and on Microsoft office
4) Create Outlook Templates for company use
5) Create Adobe forms
6) Create Reports that are too difficult to create for anyone else in the company
7) Act as a liaison between the IT and the rest of the company looking for inefficiencies
7) Figure out inefficiencies in how our data is kept
Few other points. The employees in my company know very little about computers (minus a few) And I have been here for about 4 years. Finally, I started here as an intern and I basically created my position.
KenHigg
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Here's the kicker - Once you 'leave' and they try to get somebody else to come in and work on the stuff you've built, there's probably going to be a steep learning curve for the next programmer. So much so that they'd be better off to pay you a premium to come in...
Ken makes a good point. This kind of work isn't as easy to replace. Fire one bricklayer, and hire another, and he'll be at full speed tomorrow. Fire one programmer, hire another, and you lose months in the programmer reading and understanding the work to the date.
Ken, that is one of the reasons I believe that they should pay me more and also because before I started doing what I am doing a lot of the things that my programs replaced took hours to days to complete the same job.
My two largest projects are:
I created a sales reporting tool in Excel using Pivot Tables and other features. It creates sales reports in a few minutes when it took people hours to days to complete it before hand without all the bells and whistles that my program adds.
I created an Access Database program for scheduling appointments in our warehouse. Before that they used to scribble it on paper. They had no way to track appointments for problems.
I continuously update these two programs with new features. The Excel program I am up currently writing version 5 and it has been used for a few years. The Access Program I just created over the last two months and I am up to version 1.11.
My two largest projects are:
I created a sales reporting tool in Excel using Pivot Tables and other features. It creates sales reports in a few minutes when it took people hours to days to complete it before hand without all the bells and whistles that my program adds.
I created an Access Database program for scheduling appointments in our warehouse. Before that they used to scribble it on paper. They had no way to track appointments for problems.
I continuously update these two programs with new features. The Excel program I am up currently writing version 5 and it has been used for a few years. The Access Program I just created over the last two months and I am up to version 1.11.
KenHigg
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a. I wouldn't rock the boat, the last thing you want is to be considered overpaid and have an attitude.
b. The end users are your best bet when it comes to selling your work's value to the org. Sounds like the bean counter has never used your stuff...
b. The end users are your best bet when it comes to selling your work's value to the org. Sounds like the bean counter has never used your stuff...
Thank you all for the discussion.
Ken - Thank you I don't plan on rocking the boat because my company never looks at the long term investment they only look at the initial pay out of pocket.
Also, I was wondering if anyone can advise me toward or against this:
I want to take the Microsoft Office Specialist exams over the next year for a few of the programs. Do they add any value to my resume?
Ken - Thank you I don't plan on rocking the boat because my company never looks at the long term investment they only look at the initial pay out of pocket.
Also, I was wondering if anyone can advise me toward or against this:
I want to take the Microsoft Office Specialist exams over the next year for a few of the programs. Do they add any value to my resume?
MSAccessRookie
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I work in Central NJ, and get paid more than that. As others have pointed out, however, I am a contractor, and I am not a beginner (anymore). There are a lot of opportunities out there if you look for them.
)MSAccessRookie or anyone else - 3 questions:
1) I don't think I am a beginner anymore in access anymore after the last few weeks I learned a lot but I want to and have to learn a lot more. Do you have any book, course or any suggestions on how to learn Access?
2) Are Microsoft Office Specialist exams worth their price?
3) If I wanted to become a Contractor, How do I go about doing it?
1) I don't think I am a beginner anymore in access anymore after the last few weeks I learned a lot but I want to and have to learn a lot more. Do you have any book, course or any suggestions on how to learn Access?
2) Are Microsoft Office Specialist exams worth their price?
3) If I wanted to become a Contractor, How do I go about doing it?
boblarson
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Yes, that is good. I suggest you keep working at it for a few years and get it under your belt good. I can send you a test that we used to weed out those not ready for development with those who could survive as developers. That should tell a fair amount about how ready you are.
Believe it, or not, I kept thinking I was ready to do it myself and then most of the stuff finally got through after 8 years of working at it. I took a test at a potential employer's office once (in 2001) that proved to me that I was not ready yet.
a. It's one thing to rock the boat. It's another thing, in the event that your pay gets sliced simply because your new boss "thinks" that you're overpaid, not to say anything and let yourself be walked all over. This is a perfect opportunity to spend time with your boss to show the work you've done and are doing, to give your boss a better appreciation of a valuable employee.
b. Absolutely. To date, I have had the good fortune not to have to sell my work to my bosses; my work sells itself through User feedback, and my bosses to date have been most appreciative.
KenHigg
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Sounds like time to implement some vacation / pink slip code
It would be, if Djblois doesn't feel that the job is a good fit. There are bosses who appreciate this sort of proactive input from their employees, and there are bosses who simply think their employees should just do as they are told and simply take it.
As a contractor, I would make between $25 and $65 an hour. It would depend on the company and the length of the contract. The richer the company, the higher the rate. The longer the contract, the lower the rate. I did this for more than 20 years.
Now I am a permanent employee in a hospital. $35 an hour plus 4 weeks of holidays and comprehensive benefits package. I got the position just before the bottom dropped out of the economy.
The hospital is getting a good deal by employing me. If they got a person with same skills and experience from IBM, it would cost them $200 an hour. I get some stability and over a long period of time, I will make more money. And I love my job. Doctors and nurses are fun to work with.
Now I am a permanent employee in a hospital. $35 an hour plus 4 weeks of holidays and comprehensive benefits package. I got the position just before the bottom dropped out of the economy.
The hospital is getting a good deal by employing me. If they got a person with same skills and experience from IBM, it would cost them $200 an hour. I get some stability and over a long period of time, I will make more money. And I love my job. Doctors and nurses are fun to work with.
MSAccessRookie
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1) I don't think I am a beginner anymore in access anymore after the last few weeks I learned a lot but I want to and have to learn a lot more. Do you have any book, course or any suggestions on how to learn Access?
Beginner is a relative term. No one is an Expert after only a few weeks, but you sure can get a whole lot of experience in a few weeks of a very high pressure project.
One thing that prospective employers usually want is a variety of different skills beyond the ability to program in Access/Excel. Your list of current job responsibilities suggests that you are on your way.
Another thing that they want is EXPERIENCE. If you are in the business for only one year (or even 5 years), you should not expect as much as a person who has been in the business for 25 years. Your time will come.
2) Are Microsoft Office Specialist exams worth their price?One thing that prospective employers usually want is a variety of different skills beyond the ability to program in Access/Excel. Your list of current job responsibilities suggests that you are on your way.
Another thing that they want is EXPERIENCE. If you are in the business for only one year (or even 5 years), you should not expect as much as a person who has been in the business for 25 years. Your time will come.
I have never taken one, but I will say that I see a lot of ads where such certifications are viewed as "A Plus"
3) If I wanted to become a Contractor, How do I go about doing it?
In New Jersey, all you need to do is apply for the job and be willing to accept being paid via a 10-99. You also, can (and perhaps should) set up your own corporation (costs a few hundred $, but you can always do it after your first contract is under way if you do not have the money up front. It also might depend on the part of NJ that you are willing/able to work in, as Northern ANJ/NYC COmpanies are more prone to want aCorp/Corp as opposed to 10-99. I wish you luck, and feel free to ask more questions.
Lil' Rascal
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Interesting topic. I was thinking of this very thing for the past few weeks. I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but do to my 'newness' on these boards thought my questions might be appropriate here.
I, having been a pupil of a programmer fluent in just about every language imaginable have had the distinct privilege of following in the footsteps of the Gods. Even so, I know that I'm not ready to stretch out my wings and fly for fear of becoming a veritable Icarus, I do however need to find out how close to access I'm able to 'fly' without melting if you will.
My question is this (And yes it is a lazy I haven't searched yet only because I haven't ever considered to possibility type of question):
Are tests of which you speak very common on the net? And short of getting an M$ or other certification that 'proves' your knowledge, what can one do to illustrate the knowledge gleaned from warring in the trenches day in and day out (Short of, 'Here's my last project...') that warrant the higher end of the pay scale?
Side question:
How do you manage to revert back to proper English after a long day (Or night as the case may be) coding?
I, having been a pupil of a programmer fluent in just about every language imaginable have had the distinct privilege of following in the footsteps of the Gods. Even so, I know that I'm not ready to stretch out my wings and fly for fear of becoming a veritable Icarus, I do however need to find out how close to access I'm able to 'fly' without melting if you will.
My question is this (And yes it is a lazy I haven't searched yet only because I haven't ever considered to possibility type of question):
Are tests of which you speak very common on the net? And short of getting an M$ or other certification that 'proves' your knowledge, what can one do to illustrate the knowledge gleaned from warring in the trenches day in and day out (Short of, 'Here's my last project...') that warrant the higher end of the pay scale?
Side question:
How do you manage to revert back to proper English after a long day (Or night as the case may be) coding?
