I'm looking for some advice regarding my career. I currently work as a software tester in PA and I'm really not sure if my salary is on par. I'm working a 6 month contract providing services to an electronics company in the area. Before taking the job I did a lot of research but a lot seems to depend on the area you live in and obviously experience. I'm currently finishing my Associates degree in the evening while working 8-5 during the day. I do not regularly interact with the contract agency just where I actually provide services. They provide my work day to day.
I make $32,000 a year right now. I am hourly however. Many employees at this company work through the same contract agency as I do it seems to be like a 70 | 30 ratio from people I have run into ranging from Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers to other Software QA personnel. The technical college where I am finishing up in a term or so is an IT program but I have a background in CSC; I was going to University for a while but decided I did not want to enter programming as a career and it is still true.
I do love my job but the stability is confusing to me and I am not sure if my pay is appropriate. This is my first "real" job but I wonder if in a year or two ( supposing my contract gets renewed ) it would be beneficial to change companies. The technical college graduates I attend school with tend to end up in IT Helpdesk positions and the school estimates many of them will make $28-$32k a year out of school.
My questions are first does $32k sound low to anyone for software testing or is that appropriate given my level of education? I did research around before taking the position obviously plus jobs are hard to come by.
Second, many of the people I work with seem to have been on the 6 month contract there for years. Some 2 years others more. This sounds to me like what people would call a permatemp. If they decide not to renew my contract in April ( been working since October ) will they make me aware I need to begin the hunt again? What specifically concerns me is that I am working on a lot of testing that was previously done by my superior ( test lead ) who now is often away for weeks at a time in another state on another project. Supposedly he will be done in May so I'm concerned that when he is done there they will tell me to hit the road. It's a possibility but I am wondering if anyone can provide some insight on situations like this if they have had a scenario like this before.
On a final note I have been pleasantly surprised with how much I like software testing and intend to continue it as my career long term. I didn't want to develop for a living so I very much like my job and feel like what I do is important and I like the people I work with. Thanks for any help in advance.
I make $32,000 a year right now. I am hourly however. Many employees at this company work through the same contract agency as I do it seems to be like a 70 | 30 ratio from people I have run into ranging from Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers to other Software QA personnel. The technical college where I am finishing up in a term or so is an IT program but I have a background in CSC; I was going to University for a while but decided I did not want to enter programming as a career and it is still true.
I do love my job but the stability is confusing to me and I am not sure if my pay is appropriate. This is my first "real" job but I wonder if in a year or two ( supposing my contract gets renewed ) it would be beneficial to change companies. The technical college graduates I attend school with tend to end up in IT Helpdesk positions and the school estimates many of them will make $28-$32k a year out of school.
My questions are first does $32k sound low to anyone for software testing or is that appropriate given my level of education? I did research around before taking the position obviously plus jobs are hard to come by.
Second, many of the people I work with seem to have been on the 6 month contract there for years. Some 2 years others more. This sounds to me like what people would call a permatemp. If they decide not to renew my contract in April ( been working since October ) will they make me aware I need to begin the hunt again? What specifically concerns me is that I am working on a lot of testing that was previously done by my superior ( test lead ) who now is often away for weeks at a time in another state on another project. Supposedly he will be done in May so I'm concerned that when he is done there they will tell me to hit the road. It's a possibility but I am wondering if anyone can provide some insight on situations like this if they have had a scenario like this before.
On a final note I have been pleasantly surprised with how much I like software testing and intend to continue it as my career long term. I didn't want to develop for a living so I very much like my job and feel like what I do is important and I like the people I work with. Thanks for any help in advance.
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