Let's hear from the "Hacks"

jdoria said:
GM won't pay a design engineer 75k per year total comp?





Enlightening data there. Thanks for sharing
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Heck no.. Even as a lead designer my boss's boss might have been pulling in that kind of cash. I know in my very best year with lots of overtime I pulled in $54k And that was a LOT of 12 hour days for weeks on end.
 
Nope Dave.. I was right in Troy and Warren... According to your post this would've been my Dept. Considering I've been out of it for a few years now I can see this being a normal pay range now.



Position: CAD Designers

Salary: $55,000-$68,000 + overtime

Location: Metro Detroit

Position requirements: Experience in the Automotive industry is a plus. Experience with electro/mechanical products, experience with CATIA, UNIGRAPHICS, SDRC, IDEAS. 2-7 years experience , Associates degree or better a plus.
 
Don't you think wages have gone down(stayed the same) over the last few years with all the job losses and proposed bankruptcy? My friend (who's an Engineer at Ford) hasn't received a raise in over 3 years. The same thing with my Bro-N-Law too who just left Ford and took an Engineering job @ Siemens. He's got a Masters degree as well.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Wait...guys, when you're an employee it's a lot to make $40/hr., but if you're a mobile detailer, that $40 has to cover your travel time and expenses, and all your other overhead, so it's not the same as a salary of $40/hr.



Just like if you take your car to the dealer to get fixed and they charge $80/hour...that's not what the mechanic makes...
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Exactly right. I have to cover everything out of what I charge an hour. I don't get vacation or sick pay, I have to pay both sides of SS and Medicare, all my detailing supplies, transporation (vehicle and gas) internet and webhosting, cell phone, business, vehicle and health insurance, etc.
 
Jakerooni said:
mmm. Must be nice where just every joe schmoe can walk into any job out there and demand more than $40/hr. I have a college degree and used to be a design engieer for GM for years and I never made anywhere near $40/hr. Even as a lead designer. Where the heck do you people live where money flows so freely that you guys look down and snub $20-$30/hr??? Unless maybe you're a lawyer or Dr. I don't know of any other profession where one can just "Go do something else if I'm not making at least $20/hr" seriously let me and 99% of america in on this secret location where money just flows as easily as water.
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See my post above...
 
Jakerooni said:
mmm. Must be nice where just every joe schmoe can walk into any job out there and demand more than $40/hr. I have a college degree and used to be a design engieer for GM for years and I never made anywhere near $40/hr. Even as a lead designer. Where the heck do you people live where money flows so freely that you guys look down and snub $20-$30/hr??? Unless maybe you're a lawyer or Dr. I don't know of any other profession where one can just "Go do something else if I'm not making at least $20/hr" seriously let me and 99% of america in on this secret location where money just flows as easily as water.
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I don't live too far from you (across the border) and can honestly tell you that I HAVE to refuse work that pays that kind of money. Our minimum wage is now $9.50 (and goes to $10.25 next March). When you factor in vacation pay/holiday pay/EI/CPP/WSIB etc... that minimum wage employee is costing almost $13 an hour. The accepted formula with respect to wages is that wages should not exceed 30% of your prices to be profitable meaning that at least in my case I would need to charge a minimum of around $45 an hour to recover those costs plus operating expenses and turn a reasonable profit. Those are the realities of the job market - try finding a great employee at minimum wage (despite being $10/hr here).



I realize the economic realities faced by many right now but honestly what is the whole point of owning your own business? To gain freedom and profit from the fruits of your labour. I can't even tell you how many guys have worked for me that have owned failed detailing businesses because they just can't reconcile the cost vs price equation. I actually had a young guy brag to me about how he had to work 80 hours a week at his shop before it closed because they were so busy. I asked why he closed it then and he replied that he "couldn't make enough to pay the bills". He was also only able to pay himself $300 a week. :scared: That's less than minimum wage for the record.



In summation, I consider someone a "hack" that doesn't run a business properly and more importantly "profitably". If you don't have all the proper licensing, abide by the law (with respect to labour/environment/permits etc..), anf follow accepted practices to ensure quality work you're a "hack" in my opinion.



Flamesuit on!
 
Dsoto87 said:
The news made it sound like the line workers were makin more than that. Wasn't it somethin like $60 an hour with benefits and all?



Ofcourse, its not like the media is always telling the truth.
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The figures I have seen is the number was close to $73 an hour in TOTAL costs including pay, benefits and most importantly legacy costs (retiree costs for benefits/pension/healthcare etc...). I know the autoworkers here make $25-$30 an hour plus benefits.
 
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