Awesome day for a $9/hr worker.

[bbinacan]

The company I work for hired a temp to answer the phones and do some filing. They only planned to have her there for two months. After 6 weeks, they have bought out her contract from the temp agency and offered her a job directly. She will now be making $30-35/hour (at least, I'll know the exact amount tomorrow). She is a single mother and giddy with happiness. Way to go T, you are smart and worked hard.

edit to add:

Since there's confusion on DU (not surprised) her new job is more than answering phones and filing. Excel, Word, Legal Docs, Office Manager, basically the glue that holds an office together.

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Nice to hear.

This is how recovery starts: one job at a time.

[bbinacan]

4. And brought to you

by the natural gas industry. Marcellus Shale region to be exact.

[lunatica]

2. That's wonderful news. Kudos to your company

[LonePirate]

3. I may not know her but I am very happy for her and I hope we hear more of these good news updates.

[tkmorris]

5. $30-35 to answer phones and do some filing?

Huh. Even assuming her responsibilities would be increased that's a pretty respectable number.

[uppityperson]

6. Seriously. I'd be quite happy making that

even as a nurse.

[bbinacan]

10. She is very smart and

picked up on legal documents quickly. She began correcting mistakes made by managers. That is not easy to do.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LoZoccolo]

55. I responded to the wrong post; sorry! n/t

[Extend a Hand]

7. Always great to read news like that!

:toast:

[JANdad]

8. Sorry but not buyin' that number...

I find this salary for a receptionist hard to believe...

[bbinacan]

11. She didn't get hired as a receptionist

she was hired as a document specialist.

[Occulus]

14. So a FILING CLERK makes that much?

I'm a Federal employee of almost fifteen years and I don't make that.

I don't buy this OP one bit.

[bbinacan]

18. Review the edit of my OP. n/t

[Occulus]

19. I did, and I still don't buy it

Actually, I buy it even less now, because those are really, really basic office skills

[bbinacan]

22. I guess the difference is that you are

a mindless drone for the government and she just took a job in the natural gas industry. She will have little in the way of a retirement plan and minimal medical. You however discount the fact that some companies pay high salaries in lieu of high benefits. She will likely also make another $140/day per diem when she has to go on the road.

[Occulus]

26. Mindless drone?

I'm a postal worker.

I won't believe your story until I see a pay stub.

[bbinacan]

29. Postal worker?

I'm not even going to touch that one.:evilgrin:

[Dreamer Tatum]

82. Sounds like you are as jealous as balls.

You can always look for more high-paying work.

[JuniperLea]

34. Don't bother arguing...

With 'ignored' like that.

But I'm happy to see my decision is valid!

Kudos again to your colleague! Great story!

[bbinacan]

46. Thanks

she earned it!

[JuniperLea]

60. I can understand how some people...

Can't imagine making that much money an hour... which comes out to about $80k a year, right? Still, to be so ignorant but continue arguing a non-point is pretty telling of the reason why.

[jeff47]

67. 60-70k/year

There are 2000 working hours per year, if you work a 40 hour week with 2 weeks off.

[JuniperLea]

74. Ahh... thanks.

I get paid vacations, so I count a full 52 weeks... 2080 hours.

[elehhhhna]

40. We just paid 7 temps 35/hour to do data entry for a client.

High rate here in Houston, but the client wants stability and highly skilled data people with some understanding of SAP.

[Occulus]

41. I find that just as hard to believe as the OP

Sorry, but I do.

No temp I've ever heard of in any industry makes that kind of cash.

[elehhhhna]

49. lol I have a petrophysicist going to Algeria to look at some old wells

for 1800/USD per day plus free travel, transport, meals, and lodging. And reimbursement for his parking at hte airport AND 55 cents a mile when he drives there and back from his suburban home. He'll be on a 28 day on/28 off rotation. Oh, and half-pay (900/USD) for travel days.

[stevenleser]

52. Here in NYC, lots of temporary contractors make that money in various industries.

You probably live somewhere where wages are low so this seems like a lot to you.

[msanthrope]

54. I made 35 an hour for temp doc review during law school.

I wouldn't have done it for less.

[TBF]

64. I made more as a paralegal - but I did work in a major metropolitan area.

I started very low - about $12 an hour as a clerk. 10 years later I was a case manager making $60K base, over $100K with my OT (this was in the 90s - at that time the largest firms paid O/T, double time after a certain number of hours/week, and triple time on holidays). Those days are likely gone as far as the great O/T for trial work, but I know there are specialists (patent & trademark and other paralegel specialties) that still command well over $50K a year in the largest metropolitan areas.

[joeglow3]

89. Not seeing that here

We are a Fortune 500 company with SAP and these people make 35,000-40,000 (on the higher end). I have a Masters in Accounting, have my CPA, have 13 years experience and am a manager making $90,000. I am on the top end for equal people. In short, I would LOVE to take my skills there.

[MH1]

85. A good office manager is GOLD to an organization.

Lots of people may have the various technical skills mentioned. That doesn't mean they are good office managers. The person mentioned apparently impressed with their ability to manage the office, which requires those technical skills but something more, that is more elusive and valuable.

The same sort of story line lies behind unemployed programmers. Maybe someone theoretically knows java, but if they can't integrate into a company and learn to solve that company's software problems, they're worthless, regardless of their java 'skill'.

[blueamy66]

65. No freaking way.

Even in NC.

Don't believe that salary for one second.

[jeff47]

68. Yeah! How dare something good happen to someone!!!

Clearly, we must crap all over this story 'cause we know better than her employer how much she's worth!!!

[blueamy66]

71. Hey, I have a BS degree and do sales and marketing/cust svc

and don't make that much money.

$35 to file documents?

Sorry, I may be wrong, but it just sounds fishy to me.

If she's really making that kinda cash, more power to her.....just VERY hard to believe!

[jeff47]

77. So what you're saying is you need to look for a better employer

Good to know. What's the relevance for this story?

(And if you read the edit to the OP, you'll note she's basically the office manager, even though her title is several rungs below that)

[blueamy66]

78. the point is that $35 an hour is hard to believe for an office mgr

I do believe that I posted "more power to her".....did I not?

[jeff47]

81. $35/hour is low for an office manager, in my experience

You aren't the arbiter of what is 'appropriate' pay.

[bbinacan]

87. Yes way

in SW PA. no less.

[TBF]

62. Then you have never lived in a major metropolitan area. nt

[Luminous Animal]

9. Not even in San Francisco can a person make $30-$35 an hour for answering the phones

and filing.

[bbinacan]

12. Her permanent job is NOT that.

Her role will be much greater.

[Occulus]

17. BULL, she's a filing clerk

"document specialist" my rosy red ass!

What's her job, really?

Stop being coy.

[jeff47]

69. Wow are you bitter.

A good thing happened. Stop trying to tear it down over your obsession with job titles.

She's apparently worth $30-35/hour to her new employer. Really doesn't matter how much you think she's worth.

[PassingFair]

75. What's your problem?

You don't even KNOW these people.

Someone who has a grasp on the paperwork
of a company is worth what the company says
she's worth.

Someone who can input and adjust sales estimates,
and various other reports is worth a lot.

Sounds like this woman's duties would have been
classified as an "Office Managers" duties before
we became so interested in the race to the bottom
for all workers.

[LanternWaste]

83. I imagine we often want to disbelieve those things

I imagine we often want to disbelieve those things we we do not have full/relevant knowledge of. It certainly makes life easier, and validates our own belief-systems that much better... regardless of how effectively it advertises our own character/lack-of-character to those observing.

[JuniperLea]

35. I bet the person who will actually answer the phones and do the filing...

Will REPORT to this lady.

[MindandSoul]

13. Congratulation to that courageous lady! Good luck too!

[bbinacan]

16. I'm not sure I'd go so far to call her

courageous. She did one helluva a job and has seen the fruits of her work.

[JuniperLea]

36. I think it was courageous to take that low paying job...

Did she know it had the possibility to work into something much bigger?

[bbinacan]

48. No she didn't n/t

[yardwork]

15. I'm very happy to hear that. Congratulations to your coworker!

[bbinacan]

28. Thanks!

She looked like a woman that just won the lottery. I can't get over the coincidence after your $9/hr. post the other day. Her actual temp wage may not be exactly $9. I know we pay the temp agency $12/hr so I'm guessing that she is between $8-10/hr.

[mainer]

20. I just hired an assistant for $30 an hour. It's what I think she's worth.

She doesn't have any special training, but she's resourceful and a go-getter. These qualities aren't easy to find, but an excellent employee can make a difference in one's business. And that's worth paying for.

[bbinacan]

23. Exactly!

Good for you!

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. +1

[Lucinda]

24. Good to hear this. Win for the company - win for her!

:)

[catabryna]

25. Why do some of the responses remind me of the Union v. Non-Union posts?

Nevermind. Don't answer that.

I'm pleased for your new hire. Would that every employee was paid what they are worth.

[Occulus]

27. It's the smell.

It isn't right.

[catabryna]

33. I know how much I have made in the past...

and considering the caveats expressed in follow-up responses and the industry involved, I am not willing to call the OP a liar.

[JuniperLea]

37. Ah jeez!

Is ingored calling the OP a liar?

[catabryna]

42. I don't think you meant to respond to me...

I didn't respond to anyone named "Ingored". I responded to "Occulus"

eta: I'd be happy to discuss it further with Occulus.

eta2: Oh, I see... that person is on your ignore list. Little slow on the uptake. lol!

[JuniperLea]

63. LOL

Sorry for the confusion. Love how you spelled out your thought process... that is awesome and made me laugh.

[immoderate]

88. Am I still on your ignore?

You like that list.

--imm

[Enrique]

38. sounds like a morality story

"you can make it if you try", or its corollary, "if you don't make it, you're not trying".

I'm speaking as someone who recently had a substantial positive reversal of fortune, which I attribute solely to dumb luck. If I could give anyone advice in this economy, it would be, be lucky.

[Occulus]

39. It really does, doesn't it?

Exactly the sort of story the Romneys and Pauls and Bachmanns of the world just love to trot out to say the economy is doing just fine, thanks, because a temp can make such a meteoric rise in position and status based on her go-getter self-reliant 'tude!

Which, of course, is the #1 reason I don't buy any of it.

[Enrique]

43. by the way, I'm a former "mindless drone" postal worker

I was a T-6 in Madison, WI. Great job, great co-workers, great bosses, great organization.

I have also worked in the natural gas industry. Biggest crooks and assholes I have ever had the misfortune to know. But that's just my experience. :shrug:

[Occulus]

45. Puts the OP and his thread in a whole new light, doesn't it?

[PassingFair]

76. Stop attacking the poster. nt

[999998th word]

72. It's the stank of the marcellus shale industry,

you know the company that brings us fracking along w/all its wonderful environmental 'side effects'.

[LanternWaste]

84. People often say that about new aromas they are not familiar with...

People often say that about new aromas they are not familiar with...

[jeff47]

58. Because some people are very sad people

In their mind, nothing really good can ever happen. Life is all just painful drudgery until the end. If something really good does happen 'out of the blue', there must be something illicit going on.

[Liberal_in_LA]

30. "Since there's confusion on DU (not surprised)" hee! Happy she got the job

[JuniperLea]

32. Way to impress the boss!

Kudos to your new "me!" It's a tough job. Kudos to her again for taking the low paying temp position and taking a chance. The glue to hold things together, and the grease to keep everything running smoothly.

[HappyMe]

44. Sweet! Good for her! nt

[tammywammy]

47. That's great to hear

It's great to that her skills were seen even when she was in a temp job leading to a great full-time position.

[bainz]

50. move a decimal or something?

My wife is the glue that holds her office together. 16.50/hr, no benefits. We don't complain because she gets the overtime when asked. Now this is in Texas. Maybe 60-70K per year is standard fare where you are for an admin asst, but I can promise you that I know people that will do it twice as good for less. Hell, as a civil servant, I am only pulling in about that much myself.

my .02

[jeff47]

66. So...it's terrible unless we're all as bad off?

Duly noted. We'll all start working for the appropriate federally-set wage using the official tables of job title to salary. Sure, she might be doing the work of an administrative assistant IV, but she's only classified as an administrative assistant II.

Alternatively, you can be happy for someone who had a good thing happen to her. Apparently she's worth $35/hour to her new employer. Why crap on that?

[yankeeswin]

91. Maybe she needs to find a job where she's paid more

instead of you trying to bring everyone else down to her (salary) level.

[AzNick]

51. You're sure she's not a software engineer?

Seriously, I make just $35 an hour, could be making more if I looked aggressively but am happy where I am right now.

So, seriously? $35 for an assistant?!?

[Enrique]

53. i think it's your attitude

just kidding! :-)

[AzNick]

79. LOL, no, making a good living (but I live in AZ)

In California, I would be making $45 an hour. AZ is a cheap State... still...

[haele]

86. Executive Assistants or Office Managers make that much.

And ten years ago, they made more.
Apparently, this woman knew what needed to be done on a high level. And impressed the right person.
She did, in effect, win the lottery; most "document specialists" (tech writer/file clerk types) would still be making $12 or so an hour on a permanent job - even as a high level assistant, unless they impressed a higher-up enough to be put in an executive position.

Haele

[Shagbark Hickory]

56. 1 down, 30 million to go.

[LoZoccolo]

57. Cool story, bro. n/t

[Ikonoklast]

73. Bootstraps, and all that bullshit.

Ain't buyin' it. OP is confused, he thinks everyone on DU is gullible, like other sites.

[bullwinkle428]

59. $30/hour is wages only, or wages & benefits?

[bbinacan]

92. Good question

she will get medical, dental, and a 401k. They're not all that great but there.

[Initech]

61. Oh man I wish I could get a break like that.

[mainer]

70. I don't understand the disbelief. Our housecleaner gets $22 an hour

Granted, she's an independent contractor and only spends four hours a week cleaning our house, but she has a full schedule of other clients. It's hard for me to believe how little some people are paid. And how employers can justify it. I don't live in a big city, just a small town in Maine.

[Zenlitened]

80. Here, let me fix that subject line for you: "Awesome day for a $30-to-$35/hr worker."

You're welcome.

[yankeeswin]

90. Congratulations to her!

Amazed and disappointed that people come out of the woodwork to doubt your story. Instead of calling you a liar because your colleague is making $30-35 an hour, they need to be wondering why every AA and EA doesn't make that kind of money.

I know Administrative Assistants and Executive Assistants that make upwards of $100-125k per year. They are at the top of their profession in New York City and their 1%er bosses couldn't function at a high level without them.