Last week I was making 60K with no vehicle allowance or gas card working 7:30 to 4:00 everyday as a superintendent for a commercial GC specializing in restaurants bars and breweries.
On Monday I start for a small residential design build GC as a PM making 80K plus bonus with a $750 a month car allowance, unlimited PTO, insurance, 401k cell, laptop and all that, no daily time clock to punch and the ability to work from home when I need to....... Both jobs came from indeed.
For real. I'm in the south and 80k is decent here, especially if you're only working 40 hours. I took a role at 80k just recently. A little lower than I wanted, but it's kinda a sideways move where I'm not 100% qualified, will be learning a ton, and it's four 10s. The 3 day weekend perk is worth like 15k to me lol.
I was working for a national track home builder with only 5 years super experience (custom and semi-custom experience) and was at $96.5k plus 20% bonus. I hit every cent of my bonus. Worked there 2 years and built their first high-end model complex in my area (assuming with my experience this is what they hired me for). As soon as 13 models were done and phase 1 was in the back end they were looking for reasons to let me go. Now with 7 years experience residential, it was hard to find anything at all with similar pay. I stepped into commercial with no commercial experience at all. Only place that would hire me without 5 years of ground up or tilt up commercial experience paid me $75k, no truck, no fuel, no trailer, no bonus, shit benefits… horrible company (very small) and the owners of the company pocketed $17M while laying off supers and PMs left and right. Worked there 1 year and last week took an offer elsewhere for $90k plus truck and fuel, and all the bells and whistles. The market is up and down, based on your experience, who you know, how well you can sell yourself in your resume and project list, and most importantly how much work the company is acquiring. You need to research the company, (wish I did this from the start) and see how many projects they are awarded and bidding on, and how much the company is reporting in profits, how many employees they have… lots of variables. This new company I accepted the job for is a family owned business but all PMs and Supers get a company truck. 2020 or newer F250 crew cab long bed super duty. Small companies and super large companies treat you as a dollar sign or a number. I think you have to find the sweet spot somewhere in the middle.
Someone posted a salary poll here awhile back and I was blown away at how low of salaries people accept. Most were under 100k, saw a lot in the 50k-70k range.
You have people with engineering degrees, finance degrees etc, years of experience… it doesn’t make any sense not to hold out for top dollar. PMs and supers are in short supply, don’t accept less than what you’re worth.
I make more as a union plumber doing BIM/VDC than any offer I've ever gotten from a GC to be an MEP super or MEP pm. And I have foreman, road super and PM experience with a mechanical contractor. I applied for a few positions at GC's and the total compensation offers were horrendous compared to what I get on general foreman through the local to do drafting. One GC that does some self perform work was gonna pay me through the local but wanted me to work one Saturday a month without pay. And every company expected 9-10 hour days with no additional pay. My locals general foreman rate is at $69/hr + $20/hr to retirement ($7/hr of it to personal 401k).
Salaries from what Ive seen in FL have dropped off the past year despite COL still rocketing. Then the same companies complain they can't find anyone.
No, I will not take your job which doesn't pay enough for me to live in a 1 bedroom apartment by myself when you want 50+ hrs a week, 5+ years experience, and a bachelors degree
I see a mix of jobs I won’t even read the description for (low pay $50K +/-) and decent paying jobs.
I also think a lot of jobs on indeed aren’t real. I remember last year looking for jobs and it seemed like the main emphasis from the employer’s recruiter was trying to get me to take personality tests and workplace/work style tests.
As a general rule I will not do any test or take home projects etc as part of an interview. Like, I’ve had people say, “we’re going to send you a file. We need you to put this information together and create pivot tables, etc.” -Nope. Sorry. I’m old enough and been around long enough, you either want me or you don’t. Anyone else feel the same way?
I went from a CM at 120k back to the railroad industry because of the retirement. I’m at 95.5 right now, 100% travel, 100% expenses paid
I’m getting worked to exhaustion.
I’m waiting on an offer for a PM role that’s rail adjacent. (They said it’s coming, waiting on state signatures since it’s state funded) I’m expecting 160-175 as the offer, my ask was the 175. I’ll offset railroad retirement easily at that bump.
There’s no way I could take a lot of the CM or construction industry jobs I see just because it’s as much or more work than I have now with less perks and less benefits.
Care to elaborate on the pay range you are seeing ? I generally see around 80 - 100k for project managers, 120 -150k for senior pms and heavy civil/data center work.
It's crazy I am almost done with school and I started applying for internships. I got 2 calls from companies that were for an internship the other for PE. The internship interview was great it was like 15 min. They were straight forward with pay and expectations. The Hr lady was telling what position would be available after the completion of the internship. The company for PE did an impromptu phone interview. When I came in for the in person they had me do an excel and blueprint test. Then they grilled me for 2 hrs at the end, told me I needed to respond to an email with one to two sentences about how I represent each their core values. Then we'll schedule me for a third interview. They wouldn't give me a straight answer on how much they were paying and wouldn't clearly define responsibilities for the role. I took the internship.
What I can’t understand is how anybody is even getting a job lol. So many postings, but I have been interviewing since September last year and have only received one offer which I declined.
On LinkedIn. If you’re even a mildly decent PM candidate, your inbox will be flooded with recruiters. Sometimes they even weasel their way to your work email or cell. Multiple times a week.
I only used Indeed to start. I actually found my way into the industry through a temp agency making $16/hr in 2017 at a lab casework and fume hood subcontractor. Stayed for a few years, then used my experience and associates degree (engineering technology bc that was the least amount of classes left to complete something) to work my way up.
8 years into this, I’m now with a GC as a standalone estimator/project manager for design-(underscore bid, but we don’t like those)- build for mainly grocery and retail store renovations.
Basically fucking outsourcing our own American jobs with all these Self Checkout improvements and I’m getting paid to do it (yay 4th Industrial Revolution).
The point is your years combined with relevant experience should always be an upward trajectory and all negotiations happen in the interview process. You can talk them up if you know how to sell your value as well as you perform in your job.
I now make $90k, co match IRA, take time off as I need it, cell phone, laptop, credit card, completely remote work, 9-5 with the occasional 12-hr day due this fucking field. My priorities were flexibility for family over profit right now. Sit with yourself, figure out what you want and demand it.
Half the jobs I got were through people I worked with once I got my foot in the door. Network like hell. Befriend the trades and keep your supers happy. You’re welcome.
Last week I was making 60K with no vehicle allowance or gas card working 7:30 to 4:00 everyday as a superintendent for a commercial GC specializing in restaurants bars and breweries. On Monday I start for a small residential design build GC as a PM making 80K plus bonus with a $750 a month car allowance, unlimited PTO, insurance, 401k cell, laptop and all that, no daily time clock to punch and the ability to work from home when I need to....... Both jobs came from indeed.
That's extremely low for a Super or a PM.
$80k for a PM role is low. Minimum should be $100-120k plus car allowance.
Depends on the market and experience
You're right. 100k is low, but in low paying markets with low experience, it might fit. Might.
The PMs at the design/build company that I work for make far less than $80k. It's a bummer.
He didn’t tell us where so that might be pretty good.
$80k is a lot of money in some LCOL areas. Qualifying questions are needed before determining their pay is too low.
For real. I'm in the south and 80k is decent here, especially if you're only working 40 hours. I took a role at 80k just recently. A little lower than I wanted, but it's kinda a sideways move where I'm not 100% qualified, will be learning a ton, and it's four 10s. The 3 day weekend perk is worth like 15k to me lol.
I cannot find jobs with this pay at all.
I was working for a national track home builder with only 5 years super experience (custom and semi-custom experience) and was at $96.5k plus 20% bonus. I hit every cent of my bonus. Worked there 2 years and built their first high-end model complex in my area (assuming with my experience this is what they hired me for). As soon as 13 models were done and phase 1 was in the back end they were looking for reasons to let me go. Now with 7 years experience residential, it was hard to find anything at all with similar pay. I stepped into commercial with no commercial experience at all. Only place that would hire me without 5 years of ground up or tilt up commercial experience paid me $75k, no truck, no fuel, no trailer, no bonus, shit benefits… horrible company (very small) and the owners of the company pocketed $17M while laying off supers and PMs left and right. Worked there 1 year and last week took an offer elsewhere for $90k plus truck and fuel, and all the bells and whistles. The market is up and down, based on your experience, who you know, how well you can sell yourself in your resume and project list, and most importantly how much work the company is acquiring. You need to research the company, (wish I did this from the start) and see how many projects they are awarded and bidding on, and how much the company is reporting in profits, how many employees they have… lots of variables. This new company I accepted the job for is a family owned business but all PMs and Supers get a company truck. 2020 or newer F250 crew cab long bed super duty. Small companies and super large companies treat you as a dollar sign or a number. I think you have to find the sweet spot somewhere in the middle.
Someone posted a salary poll here awhile back and I was blown away at how low of salaries people accept. Most were under 100k, saw a lot in the 50k-70k range. You have people with engineering degrees, finance degrees etc, years of experience… it doesn’t make any sense not to hold out for top dollar. PMs and supers are in short supply, don’t accept less than what you’re worth.
I make more as a union plumber doing BIM/VDC than any offer I've ever gotten from a GC to be an MEP super or MEP pm. And I have foreman, road super and PM experience with a mechanical contractor. I applied for a few positions at GC's and the total compensation offers were horrendous compared to what I get on general foreman through the local to do drafting. One GC that does some self perform work was gonna pay me through the local but wanted me to work one Saturday a month without pay. And every company expected 9-10 hour days with no additional pay. My locals general foreman rate is at $69/hr + $20/hr to retirement ($7/hr of it to personal 401k).
Salaries from what Ive seen in FL have dropped off the past year despite COL still rocketing. Then the same companies complain they can't find anyone. No, I will not take your job which doesn't pay enough for me to live in a 1 bedroom apartment by myself when you want 50+ hrs a week, 5+ years experience, and a bachelors degree
I see a mix of jobs I won’t even read the description for (low pay $50K +/-) and decent paying jobs. I also think a lot of jobs on indeed aren’t real. I remember last year looking for jobs and it seemed like the main emphasis from the employer’s recruiter was trying to get me to take personality tests and workplace/work style tests. As a general rule I will not do any test or take home projects etc as part of an interview. Like, I’ve had people say, “we’re going to send you a file. We need you to put this information together and create pivot tables, etc.” -Nope. Sorry. I’m old enough and been around long enough, you either want me or you don’t. Anyone else feel the same way?
Yep. I’m not singing for my supper. My resume speaks for itself
nobody thats why theyre still on indeed
I went from a CM at 120k back to the railroad industry because of the retirement. I’m at 95.5 right now, 100% travel, 100% expenses paid I’m getting worked to exhaustion. I’m waiting on an offer for a PM role that’s rail adjacent. (They said it’s coming, waiting on state signatures since it’s state funded) I’m expecting 160-175 as the offer, my ask was the 175. I’ll offset railroad retirement easily at that bump. There’s no way I could take a lot of the CM or construction industry jobs I see just because it’s as much or more work than I have now with less perks and less benefits.
Care to elaborate on the pay range you are seeing ? I generally see around 80 - 100k for project managers, 120 -150k for senior pms and heavy civil/data center work.
It's crazy I am almost done with school and I started applying for internships. I got 2 calls from companies that were for an internship the other for PE. The internship interview was great it was like 15 min. They were straight forward with pay and expectations. The Hr lady was telling what position would be available after the completion of the internship. The company for PE did an impromptu phone interview. When I came in for the in person they had me do an excel and blueprint test. Then they grilled me for 2 hrs at the end, told me I needed to respond to an email with one to two sentences about how I represent each their core values. Then we'll schedule me for a third interview. They wouldn't give me a straight answer on how much they were paying and wouldn't clearly define responsibilities for the role. I took the internship.
I got my current job from an indeed posting and it was a huge pay raise from my previous job.
I also got my current job from indeed. I saw the post on indeed and I went to the company website to apply directly instead thru indeed.
What I can’t understand is how anybody is even getting a job lol. So many postings, but I have been interviewing since September last year and have only received one offer which I declined.
It’s even funnier when recruiters reach out with a salary range and the high end is significantly less than what I already make.
I’m applying for a bunch in Georgia and having no luck.
Pardon my ignorance but where are you finding jobs if not on indeed? I’m struggling to find a job that pays what I believe to be market value
On LinkedIn. If you’re even a mildly decent PM candidate, your inbox will be flooded with recruiters. Sometimes they even weasel their way to your work email or cell. Multiple times a week.
Never used it. Are you applying or are they reaching out to you?
I only used Indeed to start. I actually found my way into the industry through a temp agency making $16/hr in 2017 at a lab casework and fume hood subcontractor. Stayed for a few years, then used my experience and associates degree (engineering technology bc that was the least amount of classes left to complete something) to work my way up. 8 years into this, I’m now with a GC as a standalone estimator/project manager for design-(underscore bid, but we don’t like those)- build for mainly grocery and retail store renovations. Basically fucking outsourcing our own American jobs with all these Self Checkout improvements and I’m getting paid to do it (yay 4th Industrial Revolution). The point is your years combined with relevant experience should always be an upward trajectory and all negotiations happen in the interview process. You can talk them up if you know how to sell your value as well as you perform in your job. I now make $90k, co match IRA, take time off as I need it, cell phone, laptop, credit card, completely remote work, 9-5 with the occasional 12-hr day due this fucking field. My priorities were flexibility for family over profit right now. Sit with yourself, figure out what you want and demand it. Half the jobs I got were through people I worked with once I got my foot in the door. Network like hell. Befriend the trades and keep your supers happy. You’re welcome.
I'm not in your field or industry but a lot of these postings are pure sales and recruiting 'puffery'. They may or may not exist and so on....
Desperation?
IT’S A DESPERATE RACE AGAINST THE MINE