Pay for entry position as theatre repair technician

[randiculous]

Hey guys, so I've been working for a respectable theatre supply company in various capacities over the past ~10 months. I started out as overhire in the warehouse humping around cable and lights, doing minor repairs on broken gear, etc. Then I got trained in shipping and receiving for a few months as our online business was growing bigger than one shipping hand could keep up with (still as overhire on an as-needed basis), they were prepping me to take over that position working fulltime in shipping, when suddenly there was an opening in the technical services department. They knew I was interested, interviewed me for the position, and the next thing I know I'm an entry level repair technician. But, I'm still at my original pay rate I started at, $11/hr. During this time they increased warehouse pay to $13/hr, but kept me at the $11/hr saying that since I'm now considered full time and about to get health insurance it would even out. However, I'm approaching the end of my first 90 days as a repair tech, and I was told we could start talking raises at this point. I know I'm only a year out of school, and just getting started learning repairs, (kind of like an apprentice tech or junior tech I guess) but I was wondering what hourly rate you all thought I should be at?

I know it won't be a huge pay, I need experience first, but I feel like I should be making at least as much as the warehouse guys, I have a lot of added responsibilities since I first started here. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job, I'm just not able to make ends meet at my current rate - and it's not like I haven't cut my expenses... I've cut them down as far as surviveably possible (and have no money left over for fun or emergencies).

A little about my specific job, I feel like it may be slightly different from other repair tech type positions:

This job is partially administrative in nature as well - I log and track all hours worked by my senior tech, keep our customers informed of their repair statuses, and gather billing information from them, coordinate RMAs (repairs by manufacturer), order parts, etc.

I've learned troubleshooting techniques and repaired the following gear under the guidance of my senior tech in my first 90 days:
MAC 550s
Rosco Foggers (various models)
Telex headsets and beltpacks (or determine if they need RMA)
re-soldering mic cord connectors and XLR connectors on a variety of mic and cable types (Sennheiser, Shure, 3-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin - even made a 6-pin to two 3-pin adapter set so now we can test 6pin cable on our existing equipment!)
replace sockets and reflectors in ellipsoidals
convert NSI dimmers from microplex to DMX
troubleshoot and repair mic beltpacks (or determine if they need RMA)
I've also made a handful of customer repairs by myself with no guidance at all and I'm really proud of my work so far

I've also been asked to learn sewing machine repair (all self-taught) and am now held responsible for maintaining the two industrial machines in our drape shop. One machine has been out of service for a few months, but now I have parts arriving today to get it back up and running by next Monday.

I've received no formal training and have been doing a lot of hands-on learning in the shop, reading/researching on slow days, and doing a lot of reading on electrical components outside of work at home. I'm hopeful that this fall they will send me out for some manufacturer repair training sessions.

It also might be of note that the repairs department is making more profit since I've started, we're meeting our projections now - previously the department had not been keeping up on billing very well.

Any input from the community is helpful, thanks guys!

 

[soundman]

What are your benefits like? If its some really good health, dental, and vision with matching 401K contributions the $13-$15 range could even out. If the benefits aren't that great I would expect pay closer to $18 an hour. How do they handle OT or show pay if applicable?

 

[randiculous]

overtime is time and a half and I don't do any on-site, show, or on-call work just yet. I just got the forms for my health/dental insurance today, and am hoping to find some time in my day to talk to my boss about the coverage (I don't know much of anything about it) and haven't heard anything about 401k.

 

[StNic54]

The tough part about it is being young, single, and 'green' more or less. Your benefits are very important, but you may never use them regularly if you stay healthy and aren't making babies. It may seem tough to receive benefits you potentially won't use, but it is worth it in the long run, even if the warehouse guys have a better rate. If you have a 401k option, use it now, especially taking advantage of what your employer puts into it. If your benefits don't seem that great, just remember it's a tough economy and everyone will try to lowball you as much as they can to keep their business afloat. Keep learning what you can, and if they won't budge on pay, then begin overqualifying yourself and get your name out there. The more companies you can meet, the better your network will support you in the coming years. Take classes when you can from manufacturers, and learn every aspect of what you want to do. Where do you see yourself in five years?

 

[randiculous]

In five years I'd like to see myself as a successful and competent repair tech, where the locals know me by name and trust me to come in, troubleshoot, and fix the issue. I also would like to see myself getting much more involved in lighting programming and the software behind the technology. Right now it seems I'm focused on hardware because that's what the guy I'm working under knows really well, but I'd like to branch out and expand our departments' capabilities into the software/control side. There's so much networking and data now, digital theatre is going in some really cool directions and I want to be on the cutting edge. Not to mention I've always wanted to build my own console in my spare time.

 

[ruinexplorer]

Partly, your pay will depend on the market. A qualified and trained (manufacturer training especially) will garner you a higher wage of around $18/hr. As a beginning tech, $11 is reasonable, but if they are paying the rest of they guys $13, I'd say you have a case.

 

[Footer]

Around here, a shop tech makes 12 bucks an hour. A shop tech that can make board level repair can pull a lot more. Sounds like you are shipping a lot of things out for repair... is there a reason you guys are not fixing stuff locally? Also, your playing with pretty low end gear so that can effect what you are paid. I don't know what your living expenses are like, but if your just scraping by then you could have an issue. However, with what you are doing it does not take a rocket scientist to do. If the company could replace you easier then pay you more then they will. If you start learning more, shipping less out to get repaired, and making the company more money then you really have a case for a raise. Anyone can test a piece of gear, find out its broken, and then put a shipping label on it. Next time that beltpack comes in broken tear it apart and see if you can figure out why its broken. Go take some electronics classes, that should cover just about everything you need to know to do the repairs you can do with a soldering iron. Start working towards your ETCP cert. Go to motor school so you can be a certified CM tech. Go to VL and martin school. Learn GrandMA, Hog, and Chamsys. Go take a cisco class. In the current economy, time served does not equal more pay. You have to give a reason you deserve more pay... and usually have a way for the company to make more money because you are there. Finally, if they are not offering more pay try to work out a deal where they allow you to be flexible and pull gigs on the side.

 

[randiculous]

As for increased profits... they won't give me numbers but rumor has it I'm kicking butt and taking names and we're making quite a bit more money than we used to. I've been receiving a lot of compliments from co-workers on how well a job I've been doing.

We don't send out a lot of our repairs, I'd say maybe only 1 in 20 repairs is an RMA, and that's pretty exclusively ETC, Telex (although I recently made some telex adapters so we now have the correct gear to test them in house), and Sennheiser products. All soldering repairs are done in house, and we make most of our own cable. Today I'm working on a few Mac TW1s by myself, with just a touch of guidance here and there. After those I get to try my hand on a few Robe movers next.

Any recommendations on higher level gear to work on if I get the chance?

I'd love to take classes but unfortunately can't afford them without company support or some sort of money miracle.

 

[DuckJordan]

You are making less than our first day stage hands (pushing box type guys) make. Were also located in South Dakota which has a very low cost of living. Its also not hard to find the labor to do so. Granted you get benefits which could potentially cost close to $2 to $3 an hour (which would put you right where our hands are). Honestly I'd ask for a dollar raise. Yeah its not quite what the warehouse guys make but you are also in a more comfy position and get benefits that they may not receive. All this is based upon what you've told us so take with a grain of salt. A competent repair tech (not a solder monkey) should make about $16/hr without benefits in my area(with benefits take $2 off/hr).

 

[randiculous]

Thanks for your help everyone, I'm going ask for a few minute to speak with my boss today about my progress, etc since today's my 90-day mark. I've got a mental list of all the things I've learned since taking this job, and I'm thinking if I go in hoping for $13 I'll be able to leave with $12 (and I'd still be low-balling what looks like a good rate for my area and duties ~14/hr). I really love this job and I'm confident that I can keep improving how our repairs department functions, especially if I keep learning new repairs at the rate I have been so far. I just hope I'm able to articulate my points well enough, negotiation has never been my strong suit. Wish me luck!