going rate for administrative assistant in Baltimore

amother

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 10:41 am

Hi all - I have 20 years of experience as an admin assistant, starting in NY and now in Baltimore. I am fully proficient in all the Microsoft programs, easily learn new softwares. I have excellent verbal/written skills and am comfortable with all customer service functions. I don't say any of this to toot my horn, just to say that after many years, I am skilled at what I do.

I suppose I have always sold myself short financially. I prefer to work at frum, non profits. But now I'm needing money, and I am still making $16/hr!. Though at my current job I also get health benefits, tuition reimbursement, life insurance, etc.

I've gone on interviews recently where I've been offered the job but told they can't match what I am making.

Does anyone know where/how to get paid a suitable salary in Baltimore? 20 years of experience must be worth more than $16/hour, shouldn't it?

Thanks for any ideas/insights!

Posting anonymously in case my current employer is on this site! Thanks.

finallyamommy

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 11:51 am

I don't know anything about the job market in America, but I do know that tuition reimbursement is darn near priceless from what I've heard. If you get a job somewhere else with a higher salary but have to pay full tuition, are you still going to come home with more money at the end of the day?

Leahh

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 1:59 pm

It seems like you're making pennies because you're only making $16/hr. BUT look at the benefits you get with the job!!!!
If you were making $50/hr and had to pay tuition, life and health insurance you would likely come out with less than $16/hr.
That is amazing benefits that definitely outweigh the low salary in my opinion. You may find a job for $20 or even $25/hr but less benefits so in the long run you'll lose out.

SRS

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 2:12 pm

Life insurance is negligible, but health insurance can be a very valuable benefit and a qualified tuition benefit is valuable if you are using it. The benefit is obviously most valuable to those using the tuition benefit and a lot less valuable to those who are done with that parsha. What do these non-taxable fringe benefits add up to per hour worked?

You might be making $50 an hour and not know it.

amother

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 7:29 pm

Hi all, OP here. Thanks for your responses. I agree that the health and tuition benefits add up. But I don't use the tuition (though I probably should, I just don't have the time), and I still feel that with so much experience, isn't $16/hr. very low? Where do I find better paying jobs in Baltimore? Any ideas? Thanks!!!

boysrus

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 9:20 pm

how does tuition reimbursement work? is that tuition for your kids? and does it mean that your employer is footing the bill for your kids tuition or just that your tuition are pre-tax dollars up to a max of 5000 a year? please clarify,,,

MagentaYenta

Mon, Dec 29 2014, 11:02 pm

First you need to calculate your total compensation, and add in the tuition even if you are not using it.

Public sector jobs can come close, but sometimes it takes years to achieve the salary and benefit levels that would equal your current total compensation.

Look into other job descriptions that may not be labeled 'administrative assistant' but may have similar duties and different functions. I retired from the public sector 6 years ago. My skill set was that of an experienced adm. assistant, but my scope of duties was beyond that (I.e. time and leave calculations on a department level, supervision of 4 positions, budgeting) my job title was 'legislative analyst' and that work was about 75% of my duties with the other areas mentioned filling in the balance. I was also a skilled grant writer and those duties were also assigned to me at times. My salary when I left was $69K a year, but with total compensation (vacation, sick, holiday leave, med ins., disability ins., pension etc) that figure was in excess of $80k a year.

I hope this helps.

amother

Tue, Dec 30 2014, 11:39 am

Hi all, OP here. The tuition reimbursement is for my continuing education, either for an advanced degree, cetificate or just enrichment. I haven't yet made use of it, but I know it could be valuable.

So thank you all, and I suppose you are right Magenta, that I should look into other jobs not called admin asst., and I know that if I total my benefits it adds at least $7,000 just for the health benefits.

I guess I was hoping some of the Baltimore people might know specifics on places that might be hiring that pay well.

Thanks!!!!

amother

Tue, Dec 30 2014, 2:24 pm

I do admin type work in Baltimore and get paid around $22 an hour (with about 15 years of experience). To make nice money, you have to look outside the frum community and look for titles that are called Executive Assistant, or similar. Contact recruiter/headhunter types - you might very well do better working through them than searching on your own. But in any case, I would go for accounting firms, financial/insurance firms - basically places that make money. Also, check out JobLink - http://joblinkemployment.org/ - they have lots of postings for admin jobs.

Good luck!

MagentaYenta

Tue, Dec 30 2014, 3:51 pm

Ima, look into a Project Managers certification if your employer is willing to pay for it. You can use it to enhance your skill set and improve your productivity. Many organizations are using qualified project managers as problem solvers and expediters. I'm thinking I went to class 2x a week for a almost a year, there were some papers and tests, but it was great. My public employer required a two year further commitment to my job to cover the cost of my PM cert. I also got a 6% increase in salary upon completion at a B or higher grade.

amother

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 10:07 am

Great ideas, thank you!! I have spoken with Marthe at Joblink, but I appreciate the link to their job board. And maybe I can use the tuition reimbursement to get the program manager certificate. Great ideas, thank you!!

amother

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 10:17 am

I work for a frum company and earn $24 an hour with no benefits. I have 6 years experience.

I know I am underpaid but the schedule is so flexible that with little kids its worth it right now to get less money and know that I can be around for them.

You are being grossly underpaid. $16 an hour for someone with 20 years of experience is ridiculous.

(I'm in Baltimore)

amother

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 10:58 am

Amother, thanks for your reply, I sent you a PM. I do feel so underpaid! Magenta, where did you go for your degree? That might be a good idea for me, though I'd need to go online for school. Maybe UMUC?

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 11:00 am

amother wrote:

I work in the IT field with a degree and over 10 years experience, and make only a few more dollars than you. No insurance or days off or anything like that (I am paid hourly). Baltimore frum company as well. Are you sure you are underpaid? That sounds amazing for an office job. My work involves me being on call after hours! I know I am underpaid, but I wouldn't be for a position that didn't use a degree.

amother

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 11:09 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

I have a degree and a nice chunk of experience. In the secular world, in a large company, I would get all the benefits that the company offers plus PTO and a raise every year or so based on performance. Plus I am qualified and do many things a standard office worker would not normally do.

I am not complaining. My job is excellent for my life stage right now and I wouldn't give it up. I can still recognize that I would be paid more somewhere else.

Perhaps its not a frum company thing but rather a small business thing.

An IT professional with over 10 years of experience and a degree? You should be earning over 150K a year. You know that right?

amother

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 11:10 am

amother wrote:

amothers cannot receive a pm so I wouldn't have gotten it.

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 11:14 am

amother wrote:

An IT professional with over 10 years of experience and a degree? You should be earning over 150K a year. You know that right?

I don't think that much in my niche but more like 80K in the Baltimore market, but as you said, the benefits of flexibility made me realize looking for another job is not in my family's best interests.
(But thanks for validating me Wink

)

amother

Wed, Dec 31 2014, 12:19 pm

Sorry, I didn't realize you couldn't receive the PM. So $24/hr is what I feel I should be making with over 20 years of experience and steady employment. Or at least $20. I feel like that's a salary threshold that I need to break through.Can you say how you found that job (and are there any more like it Very Happy

)? I like my job, but am lately feeling very taken advantage of, and it makes me feel resentful, and I of course don't like that feeling. I need a new job! Thanks for all the help.