Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Hey everyone,
I’m a 26-year-old male who just moved in with my partner, and I’m looking to start saving for a house.
I’ve been with my first company since graduating college, where I’ve spent the last 3.5 years. I work in full-desk IT staffing, primarily focusing on the .NET stack. This means I can only take on roles for .NET developers or SQL positions; if I find openings for Java, QA, or other technologies, I have to pass on those and not divert them to other teams.
Last year, I earned $92k W2 with $500k billed through my efforts. That billing figure represents the total fees, without accounting for what my firm retains. My company is one of the larger national firms, with over 10 offices, and my local office has around 30 employees.
So far this year, I’ve billed $382k through permanent placements, contracting, and consulting fees. I’ve picked up 28 new roles and made 10 successful placements.
Currently, I’m on a $70k draw divided over 13 pay periods, allowing me about 4 weeks to collect my earnings. I receive 13% of the fees for roles I fill, and I earn an additional 3% if a teammate closes a deal.
As a team, we’ve billed $913,176 this year. I’ve received $70k gross pay thus far and just collected my first commission checks — $6k for each of the last two pay periods, which I received this past month.
I genuinely enjoy working with my colleagues, although we often go through entry-level staff, which can be challenging at times — we occasionally have people getting overwhelmed at their desks.
I have a few questions:
- Am I being compensated fairly for my work?
- Should I consider moving to a different firm where I can work off the draw?
- Is it worth giving up the passed-over jobs I receive?
- Would it be better to find a role that allows me to explore all technologies, rather than just .NET?
- Any other career advice you might have?
Thanks!
RCadmin
Hey there!
It sounds like you’re at an interesting crossroads in your career. Here are some thoughts on your questions:
Based on your current billing and commission structure, it seems like you have the potential to earn significantly more than your current $70k draw if you continue to increase your placements. However, considering your billing vs. what you’re taking home, you may want to assess how your compensation compares to industry standards. If recruiters with similar experience levels and billing are making significantly more, it might be time to discuss opportunities for a raise or consider other options.
Is it time to move to another firm which I can come off draw?
If you feel confident in your ability to place candidates and if your firm doesn’t offer a clear path to increase your income without being on the draw, it might be worth considering other firms. A commission-based structure without a draw can provide greater earning potential, especially if you’re hitting your targets.
I do get fed some passover jobs; is that worth giving up?
Consider how valuable those passover jobs are compared to the opportunities you might find in a more open-tech environment. If those roles frequently result in placements, it might be worth continuing to work them. However, if you believe you can leverage your skills to find roles in a broader tech stack at another company, it might open more lucrative opportunities.
Is it better to go somewhere where I can hunt all technologies and not just .NET?
Ultimately, this depends on your interests and goals. If you’re open to working with different technologies and believe it could enhance your skillset and earning potential, it could be a great move. Broader tech knowledge can make you more marketable and give you access to a larger pool of clients and candidates.
Any just career advice?
In summary, take a look at your current compensation in the context of industry standards, evaluate your earning potential, and think carefully about your long-term career path. It seems like you’re doing well, but don’t hesitate to explore options that might align better with your goals. Good luck!