Name: Rick Lanning
Job Title: Ghostwriter and Photographer
Where: Missouri – United States
Employer: Self-employed. I just finished writing a book for a retired investment banker who lives in the Caribbean. He was born in London and managed an investment fund of over $22 billion daily trading in currencies.
Years of Experience: 25 years
Relevant Experience: I had my own radio show and have written for some 50 magazines since 1970.
Education: High school graduate, two years of college and a graduate of a creative writing school in Hollywood, CA.
Annual Salary: See PayScale’s Reseach Center for the median Author Salary in the U.S.
Looking for a career that offers challenge, excitement, and creativity? How about a career that includes traveling to exotic locations and bumping elbows with the rich and famous? This may sound too good to be true, but, if you have a knack for the written word, can build rapport with diverse people, and love to tell a great story, you might be the perfect candidate for a career as a ghostwriter.
For Ghostwriter Rick Lanning, a typical work day could include meeting Willy Nelson or jetting off to the Caribbean to work with his next big client. In this Salary Story, Rick reflects on the interesting people, places, and stories he has worked with during his 25 years as a ghostwriter.
Job Description of a Ghostwriter
Rick: I approach successful people to help them write their life's story in book form. These may include professional golfers, actors, musicians, business owners, race car drivers, rodeo bronco or bull riders, gamblers, adventurers, sports fishermen, models, hunters, artists, architects, and many more. Once we come to an agreement, I begin writing the book either from a diary or material they provide me or from personal interviews with them, family members, friends and peers. I also include the photography that would be used to illustrate the book. We can either work at the principal writer's home or office, or we can do the job via the Internet.
PayScale: How did you become an author or ghostwriter?
Rick: I ghostwrote my first book in the late 1960s when I was a reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. I wrote it for a person who had a winning system for the card game blackjack. My second book was a spiritual book on how to survive a loved one's death, written through the eyes of a female pastor. My third book was about a professional golfer named Eddie Rack and the forward was written by Arnold Palmer. In each case, I persuaded the individual to let me help him or her get their message across in book form.
PayScale: What do you love about being a ghostwriter?
Rick: The freedom to travel. I also have the freedom to choose projects that interest me. I meet some of the world's most interesting people because of my work. In my feeling, each person is a walking, talking book. It is my job to tell the story in their language, not mine, and to hit all the points that make their story salable. I always try to get the individual's family and friends involved and often ask them to write an excerpt that I will later edit and crop so it can be included as part of the book.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a ghostwriter?
Rick: Finding the right person who wants to tell his or her story and who is willing to pay my fee to do the work. And sometimes it is hard to find the right publisher after the book is finished. Some individuals don't want to pay me and try to persuade me to write their story under a plan where we would share the remuneration. I generally turn down such requests. Writing someone's autobiography is a tough business that wrings you dry. It's like being married to the principal author. If the marriage "takes," a good book results and my client is happy.
Right now, I am looking for a publishing company to publish a book about the world economy written through the eyes of a retired investment banker. Gerald Staines spent many years of his life trading currencies for his clients 120 Central Banks around the world and five heads of government. His book, Exorbitant Privilege, explains why the world economy collapsed and how to fix it so it never happens again. If there are any publishers out there who want to have a huge international best-seller, contact me on my email, lawrenzi@hotmail.com.
PayScale: What's the most amazing thing you've done as a ghostwriter?
Rick: I lived in Nevis in a guest house on the property of a $5 million mansion about two miles from the Caribbean Sea. At night I slept in a four-poster bed and awoke to see a sparkling blue sea and dozens of green monkeys chattering and leaping around the property. I even fed them bananas. And I have met such celebrities as Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Hank Williams Jr. and many more during my travels and as part of my work schedule. While working as a reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, I covered the murder trial of the Charles Manson family and interviewed Manson in the courtroom where Vince Bugliosi prosecuted him.
Being a ghostwriter opens the doors to many treasures, mostly consisting of some of the world's most interesting people. At Taliesen West, the Frank Lloyd Wright architectural school in Scottsdale, AZ, I attended cocktail parties and workshops and met such people as Arthur and Kathryn Murray, Josef Stalin's daughter Svetlana, Chief Architect Wesley Peters, and Mr. Wright's widow, Olgivana.
Name: Josh Cutler
Job Title: Branch Director/Social Worker
Where: Bellevue, Washington
Employer: Alpha Supported Living Services (Non-profit Organization)
Years of Experience: 4.5
Other Relevant Experience: Direct Support Staff, Program Coordinator, Business Manager, etc.
Education: B.A. in Human Services
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find a Director of Non-Profit Salary and an Assisted Living Director Salary.
There are two factors that guide most career decisions: salary and personal satisfaction. At the end of the day, you have to bring home a paycheck big enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. But most people also want a work environment that satisfies them on a personal level. For some people, that kind of job satisfaction comes from collaborating with like-minded coworkers, or creating a quality product.
For Josh Cutler, a non-profit director at Alpha Supported Living Services in Seattle, job satisfaction means going home knowing his work has helped improve someone else's quality of life. Starting out within an entry-level caregiver job and working his way up the non-profit career ladder, Josh is also a perfect example of the non-profit career opportunities available to those with a strong work ethic and a passion for social work.
Job Description:
Josh: My job is to oversee the eastside branch of ASLS. This includes the branch office, eight supported living programs, and two group homes. I am responsible for leading a management team of three, an administration/supervisory staff of 20, and an additional 75 direct support staff that serve the clients of the eastside branch programs. The 24-hour support services I oversee are responsible for the intensive residential care of 36 adults with developmental disabilities. I am also a member of the senior management team and work closely with the board and CEO to establish and achieve strategic goals for the organization.
PayScale: How did you begin your career in social work?
Josh: I started as an entry-level direct support staff (caregiver), and worked my way up from there. My first experience was as a camp counselor, where I was inspired by some positive experiences with developmentally disabled kids. After college I applied for a job based on this experience, but did not expect it to turn into a career. My company has had two mergers in the last few years, and I was promoted several times to fill key positions that opened up because of the expansion.
PayScale: What do you love about your career in social work?
Josh: I love knowing that the time and energy I expend all day makes a difference in the lives of my clients and their families. I also love working with a team of people who are deeply committed to providing high quality support services that enhance the quality of our client's lives.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face with a career in social work?
Josh: It is a challenge to continue providing quality support when funding is rapidly falling behind the cost of living and other costs of providing services. We are currently on the verge of a staffing crisis, especially on the eastside of Seattle. It has become very difficult to attract and maintain a quality workforce to staff our programs, because of the low wages (currently $11.40/hr plus benefits) we offer for such demanding work.
The bureaucracy of a government funded program can be a bit stifling at times. Paperwork, paperwork, and paperwork never seems to go away. It often feels meaningless, but keeping it at bay allows us to maintain the bottom line: providing quality support to our clients.
PayScale: What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in social work?
Josh: Start at the bottom and give it your all. If you are smart, work hard and honestly care, you will rise to the top very quickly. This is a young field, and there are lots of opportunities for advancement for the right individuals.
PayScale: What is the most amazing or interesting part of having a career in social work?
Josh: The most interesting thing is that I get to interact upon all levels of the organization. I report directly to the CEO, attend all board meetings, work closely with staff at all levels, interact with guardians and family members, and regularly visit with clients. I really enjoy having both a micro and macro perspective on our work.
The most amazing part is that I have the opportunity to make a profound and lasting difference in the lives of each one of my clients and staff.
Name: Melissa Kopecko Meyer
Job Title: Hispanic Advertising Manager; Hispanic Marketing Manager; Bilingual Marketing Manager; Bilingual Advertising Manager
Where: Seattle, WA - USA
Employer: WaMu (Washington Mutual) & JPMorgan Chase
Years of Experience: 5
Other Relevant Experience: Six Sigma Green Belt training and an internship at the Spanish Council for Demographic Research in Madrid, Spain
Education: University of Phoenix MBA - Global Management, Summa Cum Laude; University of Wisconsin Madison - Bachelor of Science Spanish/Sociology/Business, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa; Universidad Complutense de Madrid - Various coursework completed all in Spanish, also worked at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas in Madrid
Annual Salary: Median Marketing Manager Salaries range from $40,000 to $76,000. Use PayScale’s Research Center to compare Marketing Manager Salaries by City.
Whether you’re planning to work abroad or keeping your career stateside, there are countless career opportunities for bilingual job candidates. With the rising development of a world economy, bilingual fluency opens the door to greater career possibilities within various industries. And, as the Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. continues to grow, there is an increasing demand for employees who are bilingual.
In this Salary Story, Melissa Kopecko Meyer describes her career path as a Hispanic marketing manager. When asked how she got started as a bilingual marketing manager, Melissa says she simply followed her strengths and interests. If you’ve ever asked, “What job can I get with a Spanish degree?” here’s just one example of the many Spanish-speaking jobs awaiting you, along with some sound advice from a career insider.
Job Description of a Hispanic Marketing Manager:
Melissa: As a bilingual advertising and Hispanic marketing manager, I support development, execution and measurement of national Spanish advertising campaigns, overseeing a $15MM+ annual production and media budget.
I act as the primary contact for the Hispanic advertising agency and am responsible for building the corporate brand and driving profitable growth through fully integrated communications platforms that include TV, Radio, Print, Out-of-Home. I also interact with the agency to determine optimal creative rotations and evaluate media plans and opportunities. Additionally, I serve as a liaison with other customer-facing communications teams within the company to ensure messaging and creative alignment across all consumer touch-points (PR, Retail, Brand, E-commerce, etc.).
Some of my key duties include: routing creative executions through internal legal, compliance, trademark and product team approvals; providing strategy recommendations for in-store Spanish materials and manage agency through translation of Spanish merchandising components; executing national Spanish advertising strategy and act as a lead contact with our agency partners; partnering with the internal research team to gather and analyze appropriate research to provide sound, strategic consumer-insights; overseeing of each phase of advertising development and execution to ensure on-time delivery; lead or participate in cross-functional teams to develop fully integrated communications campaigns; budget oversight – forecast, track estimates to forecasts, approve invoices and reconcile spend to forecast.
PayScale: How did you become interested in Hispanic marketing?
Melissa: Although it sounds cliché, I landed in this career by simply following my interests and pursuing my strengths. Ever since a young age, I’ve had a creative flair and ability to manage projects well, yet I was also interested in various cultures and the Spanish language. In high school and college I traveled to Mexico and Cuba and lived in Spain, but didn’t know “what I wanted to be.” I just knew that people were fascinating, Spanish was fun, and business classes would probably be useful!
I've always been a creative person yet didn't fully explore that side academically. After college, my interest in business and my passion for various cultures led me to ethnic marketing, from which point I let the creative juices flow and landed in Hispanic marketing! Beyond ethnic marketing, marketing management in general allows me to stimulate my creativity while utilizing program management skills.
PayScale: What do you love about being a Hispanic marketing manager?
Melissa: I love the intensity, dynamics and sense of accomplishment during a new campaign launch. From initial creative concepts, through consumer testing, production and final launch, I enjoy supporting each step of advertising and marketing campaigns.
For the past two multi-million dollar campaign launches, I have traveled to Latin America to produce television spots. I distinctly remember the shoot location last year in Buenos Aires at a soccer store that we converted into a bank. There was a helicopter flying overhead and fake protesters chaining themselves to the store. Watching the production and providing creative feedback is so exciting, especially communicating with the local directors and talent in Spanish. One of my most amusing memories was of the woman who came to buy soccer shoes. She was so confused, yet fascinated by the helicopter and a bank that "just came out of nowhere." Her face was priceless.
This year the campaign production in Mexico went so well that we had extra time to explore local activities and great restaurants while still doing our jobs. I remember translating in a fine silver store for my boss, haggling so she could get a good deal on a silver necklace. I just thought to myself – this is great – this is what I’m being paid to do! Go to foreign countries, speak Spanish, explore the local culture and provide creative feedback to produce campaigns that will air across the United States. There are long hours associated with productions but they’re definitely worth it.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face in Hispanic marketing?
Melissa: One of the greatest challenges in Hispanic advertising and ethnic marketing in general is demonstrating the value of the segment to influential leaders and co-workers. Ethnic segments are often an afterthought, so individuals entering this field need to be aware of this constant challenge and be prepared to continuously demonstrate the value of the segment they support. It takes time for management to adopt an understanding of the Hispanic consumer’s purchasing power and how it relates to their business model, ultimately driving ROI. Even from a creative standpoint, explaining to non-Spanish speakers why something “just works” in Spanish but doesn’t work well in English can be challenging because there are many language and cultural nuances.
Another challenge is more process orientated and requires the ability to execute projects in substantially expedited timelines. If the ethnic marketing strategy aligns with the overall general market strategy, the ethnic marketing campaign launch is therefore contingent on development and execution of general market concepts. Yet the business often wants to launch integrated campaigns simultaneously. So as the ethnic marketing manager, you will need to move quickly and expedite project timelines to deliver integrated campaigns on time and within budget.
PayScale: What advice would you have for someone interested in becoming a bilingual marketing manager?
Melissa: If you’re trying to break into this field, the first thing to do is just start somewhere - get rid of your inertia and potential excuses. Take classes, network by joining marketing associations and talk to people everywhere, letting them know your area of interest. Pursue informational interviews and maintain relationships with these people as you progress through your career, even if you aren’t immediately landing your “dream job.”
Having a vision of where you want to be and what you want to do will also subconsciously drive decisions that can ultimately lead to your desired career. For example, if you are passionate about the Hispanic culture and marketing, join local cultural exchange groups, look into ethnic marketing councils, join the local American Marketing Association chapter, and search the internet for blogs or local activities that align with your vision.
Lastly, there is certainly something to be said for taking jobs that will act as building blocks to lead you towards the desired career. After all, most people have humble beginnings and need to work for what they achieve.
PayScale: What is one of your most amazing experiences as a Hispanic marketing manager?
Melissa: One of the most amazing things I’ve experienced as a bilingual Hispanic marketing manager is completing a two month assignment in Barcelona, Spain. The company put me in a corporate apartment in the heart of downtown Barcelona, gave me a great per diem stipend and allowed me the freedom to experience the city. My responsibility in Barcelona was to support the launch of an international trade show, but I had sufficient free time to attend midnight concerts at art museums, weekends on the beach and great gastric delights!
Another one of the craziest and most amazing experiences was to attend the Latin Grammy awards in New York City and several Latin Grammy community festivals that led up to the awards ceremony. I met several famous Latin musicians, attended the Latin Grammy after-party and even walked the “green” carpet (Heineken is a sponsor) in the VIP section right past Ricky Martin!
Name: Ann Burgess
Job Title: Web Marketing Manager/Web Content Manager (Editorial, Promotions & Co-Branding)
Where: Calgary, Alberta – Canada
Employer: Shoptoit.ca
Years of Experience: 1.5 years in this position, and 6 Years of marketing in the oil and gas industry
Other Relevant Experience: Recreational shopping and fashion design
Education: International Academy of Design and Merchandising, Toronto, Ontario
Annual Salary: What is the average salary for marketing managers? Use PayScale’s Research Center to find Marketing Manager Salaries, Marketing Director Salaries, and Web Content Manager Salaries.
Over the past ten years, the Internet has noticeably altered traditional methods of shopping, thus launching a boom of companies setting up business through online store fronts. And with the rising cost of fuel, many shoppers are inclined to look online for their purchases rather than driving to the mall. But just like any successful retail store, online stores require teams of qualified professionals to keep them operating at their full potential.
For this Salary Story, we hear from Ann Burgess, an essential part of the team at Shoptoit.ca, a Canada based e-commerce website. Starting her journey in a fashion design career, Burgess eventually moved on to a brief stint as a receptionist before finding her way into her current position in online web marketing and content management. Read on to find some helpful pointers for launching your own online marketing career.
Web Marketing Manager Job Description:
I am the editorial, promotions and co-brand manager of Shoptoit.ca. We are an online shopping search engine catering to Canadians. Shoptoit.ca was formed in 2005 by three brilliant entrepreneurial minds that were sick to death of shopping on US sites and experiencing the setbacks of border duties, ineffective cross-border warranties, shipping costs and all the other things that come along with it. Within no time, Shoptoit.ca had struck deals with big hitters like Yahoo.ca, and AOL.ca to power their shopping engines. And, because we offer bilingual services, our number of Quebec co-brand partners grew quickly as well.
I was brought on board in January 2007 as the editorial, promotions and co-brand manager. Before then, Shoptoit.ca (and our co-brand partners) had no editorial support to promote the major shopping events of the year. My role was to create relevant content that would promote our merchants and their products, while providing a useful research tool to online shoppers. Our editorial library encompasses buying guides like "How to Buy a BBQ" and gift suggestions like "Mother's Day Gifts for New Moms." I was also responsible for working with our sales and design departments to create compelling promotional packages for shopping events and seasons like Valentine's Day, Summer, and Halloween, to name a few.
The goal of bringing me on board was to increase traffic and conversions on our site, and our co-brand sites. So the third main responsibility I hold is to interact with our co-brand partners to get as much exposure on their front pages, and shopping relevant channels, like Lifestyles etc., as possible. This results in increased traffic, increased revenue, and increased awareness of their shopping channel.
PayScale: How did you begin your career in web marketing?
My education is in fashion design, which I worked feverishly at for many years with a partner, then on my own, but never without a supporting job. I learned quickly that unless you have the business skills and marketing savvy to properly promote yourself, fashion designing under your own label is an uphill battle.
I fell into marketing from reception work. I have always had an eye for design and found myself creating invitations and ad campaign mock-ups to keep myself busy at my first reception job. They quickly promoted me into marketing where I worked in promotion, events, and sales. After six years of that at two different oil and gas software service providers, I felt starved for creative subject matter. I longed for something I really connected with and enjoyed. I was referred to Shoptoit.ca by the husband of my last boss and ever since, I haven’t looked back!
PayScale: What do you love about being a web marketing manager?
I love the atmosphere of working with entrepreneurs. There is no ego, and it is openly accepted that we are all just learning this beast!
I really enjoy the ability to try anything, learn from our mistakes, and build on our successes. And our team is young, vibrant and extraordinarily talented. Most are in their mid-twenties and I marvel at their creativity and ability to make things happen at the drop of a hat. The salary is not what it was for me in the oil and gas industry, but the perks certainly make up for it. Our leaders never babysit on specific projects or “bed-check” on Friday afternoons. They are always trusting and supportive.
I have the ability to work from home whenever I like, which is a total bonus on miserable winter days. Dress is casual, and jeans are totally acceptable any day of the week. I have been thrown into the deep end with respect to online marketing, but once again, my bosses are there for me if I need them, but never hovering around, worrying that I might be doing some damage, or needing to control meetings with the higher-ups from our co-brand partners (which does wonders for personal and professional growth!)
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a web marketing manager?
Deadlines and reaction time for changes! Because we are online and servicing news portals like Yahoo.ca, AOL.ca, TheStar.com, Canoe.ca and many others, our stories, promotions and merchants have to be as current as the next breaking news story.
We live our lives by a promotions calendar, which makes the year scream by. I can honestly say that I have never sped through two years like I have the last, which could be because I am enjoying myself so much. But it’s mostly because we’re always behind the eight ball in publishing. Changes have to be instant, and can mean long hours as you catch up on the day's work that gets lost in the shuffle.
Short staffing is also an issue for us being a small start-up. We have a total of seven people on the payroll - the development team from our parent company is not paid by Shoptoit.ca, nor are the designers, and we are billed internally for their work. Short staffing however seems to be an issue that many of the big hitters face, whether they be Yahoo.ca, or Mytelus.com - I have just come to surmise that this is how online marketing is!
PayScale: What advice would you give to someone trying to break into a web marketing career?
I can't really give much advice because this happened so obscurely for me! You definitely need to be open-minded about roles and responsibilities. Mine were very well defined in the oil and gas industry, but here they just grow and grow as we realize something has to be done and there are limited people to do it! Reading and keeping current on news, trends, and blogs is vital to the success of promotions and the general success of day to day shopping submissions to our co brand partners, and front page exposure. It can be tough to nail exactly what it is they are looking for, and there never seems to be one true formula other than staying current.
PayScale: What do you find the most amazing about working in web marketing?
For last year's Christmas promotion, we did online reviews. Our merchants bought daily sponsor placements for a great deal that were only featured for one day. My French editor and I had to test the products, write scripts, and then shoot film reviews for each one in French and English. It was insane! I was amazed at how difficult it was!
My first day of filming was a disaster. I was completely exhausted when we were done and came home and just cried on the couch. It was a nightmare! They slowly got better as I learned to relax into them, but writing 20 scripts and filming 20 spots added about ten pounds of stress to my body. The worst of it all was that Home Depot, one of our participating sponsors, wanted their videos available to post to their site. So, I am now a firm fixture on YouTube. Since then I have made a few appearances on our local breakfast television show. It was much easier than reading from a teleprompter because you are actually interacting with someone. Dare I say it was fun?
Right now, as Christmas looms, I am putting together a "top gifts for the season" proposal for four to six weekly appearances on the same show. Although, that doesn’t mean I am elated to not have to do video reviews again this year!
Check out these related web marketing careers:
Search Engine Marketing Consultant - Salary Story
Search Engine Marketing Specialist
Name: Michele
Job Title:Registered Nurse / Nursing Coordinator
Where: Ellisville, MO - USA
Years of Experience: 5 years as Nursing Coordinator, 20 years as Registered Nurse
Other Relevant Experience: Various CNA, Rehabilitation, and RN positions, including Hospital, Rehab, Home Health Aide, Hospice and Home Care, Charge Nurse, Evening Supervisor, Staff Development Coordinator, and Nurse Assessor for LTC Policies.
Annual Salary: The median nursing salary starts out just above $21.00 per hour and increases to almost $30.00 per hour after 20 years of experience.
Nursing careers are appealing for many reasons. One positive aspect of nursing careers is the opportunity to serve others through medical treatment and rehabilitation. Nursing careers also boast a glowing job outlook that has consistently risen along with increasing demand for registered nurses. Plus, nursing careers offer a wide range of employment options within various sectors of the health care field. When you become a registered nurse, you open the door to a variety of nursing career paths, including forensic nursing careers, traveling nurse careers, and nurse coordinator careers.
For the following Salary Story, we take a brief look at the career path of Michele, a registered nurse with 20 years of experience in the health care field. Interested in medicine and health care from a young age, Michele originally built up her knowledge and expertise as a registered nurse before moving to her current position as a nursing coordinator. She now teaches classes and provides management to nursing staff. Learn what an upper-level nursing career is like, and use PayScale’s research center to explore registered nurse salaries and get information on becoming a nurse.
Job Description - Nurse Coordinator
I research and prepare in-service materials, and teach in-services and CNA classes to nursing staff. I audit performance skills for nursing staff, and teach orientation classes, and also serve on CQI, safety, infection control and department manager committees.
PayScale: What made you interested in a nursing career?
At 13 years old, I had my tonsils removed. I was told in college that I should be an English teacher, but I always had a love for medical topics. I think both taking care of my mother when she developed peritonitis and my father passing away from cancer really influenced me to become a registered nurse.
PayScale: What do you love about being a nurse coordinator?
I love being told by young registered nurses that I inspire them to continue their nursing careers.
PayScale: What advice would you give to someone trying to break into a nursing career?
When you are attending nursing school, be sure to enhance your training by reading more than you are assigned, practicing more than is necessary or required, and always keep your ears and eyes open!
Also, learn to laugh at yourself and with your patients. Humor is good when used with dignity and respect.
PayScale: What do you find the most amazing about your work?
When I teach CNAs and their minds grasp a thought, idea, or skill, and they are able to "blossom" right before my eyes.
Links:
Top Nursing Colleges by Popularity
Traveling Nurse Salary Story
Registered Nurse Careers
Name: Chris
Job Title: Junior Database Administrator
Where: Chicago, IL - USA
Years of Experience: 1
Other Relevant Experience: Worked at same company for five years, in other department.
Education: I'm finishing up my Bachelor's in Computer Science, which my company has helped me pay for. And I have a Liberal Arts BA.
Annual Salary: Curious about IT salaries? Use PayScale's Research Center to find a database administrator salary by employer and database administrator salary by experience.
After the bursting of the "IT bubble" in the late nineties, people were asking, "how stable is an IT career?" But current data suggests that an escalating number of IT jobs are available for the picking. In fact, many of the best compensated IT jobs are with companies that have emerged from the dot-com crash as industry leaders. Just take a look at the company salary data for Yahoo and employee compensation data for Google.
In this Salary Story, we'll take a look at one of the hottest IT jobs available: database administrator. Database administrator careers are forecasted to be one of the fastest growing careers in the next decade. In the following interview, Chris, a junior database administrator, shares how he landed an entry-level IT job and offers advice on how to break into the field.
IT Job Description - Define the role of a database administrator:
I write a lot of SQL code, mostly for reporting purposes. I also do some more administrative tasks like backing up and setting up new databases. I attend a lot of meetings, which are mostly requirement gathering sessions. Since I work in a small shop, I wear a lot of hats. I'm part analyst, part programmer, part database administrator, part applications support. I like doing different things so that I don't get bored and am not stuck at my desk coding all day.
PayScale: What led you to pursue a database administrator career?
I worked for five years in the data processing department at my current company. My first year there, the department was in the process of being automated, and I played a role in installing and testing the new computer systems. A few years into the job, I was working closely with the IT department on a lot of issues and started to feel like I could be an IT guy. I had a few supporters and mentors in the IT department who encouraged me to go to school for computer science. I made sure to keep them apprised of my progress in school. Two years later, after some false alarms, I was hired by our database administrator as his only employee. He had helped me with homework for a database class, and was impressed by my SQL coding.
PayScale: What do you love about being a database administrator?
I just completed a week-long crash course on the new Microsoft database software, paid for entirely by my company. Before I got my current job I used to see classes like this online, but was discouraged because I could not afford them. Now that I have an IT job, my company pays for these classes, and actually requires us to do something like this every year. When you do something not everybody can do, you tend to get a lot of praise. It's such a contrast to my old position, which was entry-level and had little clout. I definitely feel more appreciated now. My input is more valued and people look to me for technical advice.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a database administrator?
Ironically, dealing with people. You'd think, since I'm in an IT career, I would say something about the technology. I mentioned before that I get praised a lot more. The flipside is that I get cursed a lot more too. People hold you accountable for their applications not working, for the report you wrote (or didn't) not showing the results they expected to see, and the moon not being aligned with Pluto. Sometimes you're the savior, and sometimes you're the scapegoat. You have to grow some thick skin, and take the good with the bad.
PayScale: What advice would you give to those interested in a database administrator career?
Go to school. You pretty much need a four-year degree to get an IT job, especially if you want to be a Developer or a DBA. As an IT administrator you might get away with a two-year degree and some certifications, but I'd still recommend a four-year degree. It's a lot of work and time, but all of my classmates who've graduated have good jobs in their field that they enjoy. I know people who've been farting around with IT certifications for years, and still haven’t broken into the field.
PayScale: What's the funniest or weirdest thing that's happened to you as a database administrator?
Telling my former boss that I couldn't complete some project work she asked me to do last minute before I left for vacation, and that she'd just have to wait until I got back. And that's exactly what happened. I guess I relish the simple pleasures.