Salary Requirements
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- furstdsgn
Just got a call back for a job in Philadelphia asking for salary requirements. What would you say a Senior Graphic Design Specialist would make?
Position: Senior Graphic Design Specialist
Location: Philadelphia
Hours: 9am-5pm Mon-Sat
- fyoucher10
Jim....
- Leigh0
Monday - Saturday???
- monkeyshine0
graphic design specialist? that makes me suspicious right away.
how many years experience?
- I have 2 years experience. suspicious?furstdsgn
- wow i wonder what that makes meerikjonsson
- version30
ytmnd
- marchelo0
45k plus benefits
- That was the suggestion from a friend that works at a college in MD.furstdsgn
- i hope at a Senior level position you will be gaining a larger salary than 45K.e-pill
- for Senior level position anything... $85K+ and the number goes on forever.e-pill
- demand more!!! its your career!!
shake it up, no one else will!!e-pill - Dude, make enough to pay your pills, have some on the side, and be happy to have a job. 85k? Yeah right, shut up.marchelo
- hahaha BILLS!marchelo
- For a senior position? I'd say at least 55k. Graphic design is different than fashion, Eddie.gramme
- Prolly no more than 70k though.gramme
- 60 is par for senior designers here in St. Louis, where the cost of living is lower than in Philly.gramme
- but graphic designers in fashion make that at senior level.e-pill
- ok i understand different markets earn different salaries.e-pill
- i am also looking at it from a nyc salary perspective where cost of living is high.e-pill
- Yeah. Take $20k off of that for almost anywhere else except for Boston, SF, and LA.gramme
- demand $60k. That's what I was making at Sr. level ... then came salary cuts :(Point5
- e-pill0
instead of giving a number and possibly hurting your chances release an answer of "open" or "competitive" salary. this way it doesn't give you the limitation of that price tag and nor does it hurt your chances of not getting the most.
- utopian0
Salary/Income: 190k/year and some company benefits.
- metal_leg_will0
Please be accurate/competitive about your salary requirements based on your experience and location. Fight the good fight or we all suffer!
The AIGA salary survey is a good tool for this:
- 5timuli0
Forget AIGA/Aquent salary surveys - they're bullshit. Being realistic, I'd say $55-65k for agency, but for a school or lower demand position it'd be more like $40-50k (maybe).
- I saw offers as low as $30k a couple of years back.5timuli
- Interestingly, the numbers you quote are exactly in line with the Philly specific salary survey. So, no bullshit this time.metal_leg_will
- Hmmm, they've gone honest in their old age. Well done to them. *goes to check Indy figures*5timuli
- capn_ron0
Are you ready for a senior level position with only 2 years experience? I would suggest you ask for a good amount for a senior position. around $75K. but with only two years experience, that may be difficult to back up. I'm guessing you have good work so go high $ and be happy. In reality a normal person with two years experience should be around $40-$45 K a year.
My 2 cents.
- gramme0
This "specialist" add-on probably means you'll be a lone wolf fighting amongst a ravenous marketing/sales army. Also, most likely a lot of boring production work.
I'm surprised someone is considering you for a senior position with only 2 years experience. Most places want at least 4 years, sometimes upwards of 5–8.
I was gonna say $45k given your level of experience, but then saw that they expect you to regularly work Saturdays. So make that $55k. That's not unreasonable, especially for Philly. Not a cheap place to live.
- What he says, with the exception that Philly is actually a really cheap place to live.fyoucher1
- just stay in the dorms. lol.akrokdesign
- i always look at Senior level meaning no less than 10 years industry experience.e-pill
- Is Philly cheap? Compared to what? I can't imagine it's on par with where I live (St. Louis).gramme
- Compared to just about any city. When I lived in Philly I was paying $400 a month for a one bedroom in the Art Museum area.fyoucher1
- ...Museum area. If that ain't cheap I don't know what is.fyoucher1
- monNom0
to put everything in context. Working Saturdays is 20% more days than a typical job. If you're not getting at least 20% over another offer, you're getting a rough deal. Personally, I'd forgo the extra 20% for the additional day off (good luck getting your errands done on a sunday).
- ukit0
45k for a Senior Designer is incredibly low...what does a Junior Designer make, 25k? Oh yeah, I forgot.... *quits design*
- ok_not_ok0
65K + Prius.
- max_prophet0
If you have 2 years experience, you're not a senior. Just like putting some poster pdf's on your website doesn't make you an 'activist'.
You're full of shit, so you'll probably do well.
- furstdsgn0
Thanks to everyone who gave feedback... I appreciate it.
- PonyBoy0
'specialist' ?