Salary website?

[Bambamski]

Anyone know a good website that gives comparable salaries in a industry?

I was made an offer tonight, still in the natural gas industry but kind of a different position that I've been doing in the past.

It's a U.S. company, they're offering a 401k? Refresh my memory. We have RRSP's here in Canada, whats the 401 again? I'm assuming just a registered savings plan or something?

You U.S. folks, what's standard for vacation for U.S. companies?

This has all happened pretty fast, I haven't really done as much research as I should have.

Also, are there any Canadians on here that are paid in U.S. dollars but live in Canada? I'm just wondering if it's better just to lock in the cdn dollar?

[ontrider]

Bambamski, I'm pretty sure monster.ca has salary charts and you can select field / position / city to get a more accurate estimate.

I really think you should come work in Ontario or Nova Scotia though.

[Bambamski]

Hey how have you been? Haven't seen you in a while.

I checked monster. It didn't have my job position. And I think I'll stay in Calgary for awhile. You know how much I love Ontario though

[ontrider]

I'm good thanks... I really don't think you should move after putting that couch downstairs though.

[8824]

Bambamski,

try www.salary.com


most of these sites are not correct. you value changes according to the door you walk in. if it's the same exact job your value is higher than if it is something related but not the same.

http://www.mercerhr.com/knowledgecenter/home.jhtml/dynamic/topicId/111000000/geographyId/-1
you will need to mess around there, but you should find what you are looking for.

[lcap]

Why not look up the company website?

Six weeks vacation for executive level is fairly common in the Seattle area. 4 weeks for middle management.

[x vegan x]

4-6 weeks!? I've never even managed to use up the two I theoretically get.

[8824]

I have seen a few recent grads get 4 weeks. Little bastards.

That is the exception. Mostly it is 2-4 with 3 being a big hit lately. Everyone has 2 but not everyone has 4. So they compromise on 3.

Vacation doesnt mean shi t unless you get to use like vegan said above.

[lcap]

muckmeister,

You don't use it, you take it. Time off from work is the best thing you can do for yourself and your family. And a happy and healthy employee is good for the company.

Christmas and New Years--Least amount of productivity in the U.S. Great time to bail.
Thanksgiving--Another Ideal choice to turn 4 days off into 9.
July 4th this year--Monday is off anyhow, so is Tuesday so why not take the rest of the week also.
Presidents Week in Feb is also a very slow time. Great time for a week long ski trip.

Summer is the best time to take the 2 week vacation.

On top of these any day the mailman doesn't deliver, I don't go in either.

[Nor*Cal]

In my industry all salaries are public and published twice a year. Creates a little animosity in the workplace. But also gives you a good bargaining tool.

[Wakebrad]

At my work if I don't use my vacation up every year I lose it. So I take all 3.5 weeks off every year. I do a lot of half days during the year to get out early and ride. It's one of the biggest reasons I took the job. Gotta have the vacation.

[ontrider]

Wakebrad, good job mate... It's the worst when they take days away that they give you after the year and then are dicks if you try and actually use them all up.

[Bambamski]

I get about 5 weeks right now. I know for the most part U.S. companies don't like to give more than a couple of weeks of paid vacation and you have to work for the same company for a while to build that up. Pretty much the bare minimum I'd take is 4 weeks though.

NorCal

The area I'm thinking about going into is pretty specialized so it really doesn't fit into any of the monster categories. The only way of finding out is what you hear on the street. Those numbers alway seem high though.

Ontrider

It was a really nice couch

The whole project has kind of stalled right now. I need to paint before I can frame the "hole" back up. I HATE painting...

[E.J.]

Government work.

I accrue vacation & sick @ the following rate.

12 hours of vacation monthly(227 currently).
8 hours of sick monthly(74).
13 holidays throughout the year.

Work pays in 3% of salary into a 401K....(I add another 8%).

Also am into the State Retirement system that will pay me out at 60% of my highest 3 salary years(average) from the time of retirement(30 years).

[89comp]

Bambamski, I think the US is one of the places with the lowest paid vacation times in the world.

I think Europe is something crazy like 6 weeks, but I keep reading all these research articles that says the Continent is headed for a huge pitfall if they don't start actually working.

[8824]

lcap,

I know and I agree. But you know all to well, when you get a ton of big assignments, you crank and crank and then after completion you let loose in a big way.

Usually my biz slows down in the summer due to people being on vacation. But now everyone is cranking and so am I. Kinda sucks but I have to make hay when the sun is shining.

And one foking domestic terrorist attack and I can be screwed.

[lcap]

muckmeister,

People can't stand me if I don't take my time off. I slowly go from the nicest guy in the world to pretty much a real prick. Only so much the brain can handle before it starts getting cranky.

But at least I'm smart enough now to recognize the symptoms before it goes to far and get out of town.