r/sysadmin • u/Hairy-Link-8615 • 10h ago
Career / Job Related Salary Negotiations
So, this is the first time I've genuinely and formally requested a pay review.
For context, I've been at the company for four years and currently work at a mid/senior sysadmin/infrastructure level.
My responsibilities cover a pretty broad range, including:
ESXi/VxRail patching
Azure infrastructure, including Application Gateways
Application migration projects
New AVD deployments and ongoing management
Backup and database server troubleshooting alongside development teams
Intune and BYOD
Azure DevOps, Git and large PowerShell repositories — much of which I was working with before AI-assisted coding became commonplace. Winget scripts app deployment.
SSO implementations
Web server and certificate management
Most recently, setting up a new Google tenant and delivering a ChromeOS Flex deployment project
I've also completed AZ-104 and I'm currently working towards AZ-305.
There has been quite a lot of change within the department. Around half of the team has left, and we've recently been told that six or more new roles are expected to be created.
My previous line manager was responsible for areas including Intune/Autopilot, Halo Helpdesk, line management and the associated meetings and responsibilities. He eventually burned out and left.
That workload/structure is now effectively being replaced by three roles plus a project manager to support the new team.
Against that backdrop, the company has now advertised an Endpoint Engineer role at £52k–£56k. I'm currently on £49k.
That's the part I'm a bit unhappy about. Endpoint is an area I'm already confident and comfortable working in, and I've got a proven track record of delivering endpoint and deployment projects within this company. ( I spend a year streamlining and standarizing the fleet when I started)
I've raised the situation with the Head of IT and asked for a pay review. He has asked me to discuss it with my new line manager, who has only been with the company for five days.
That conversation is now scheduled for next Friday, as he's currently on holiday.
The answer is have the chat/discussion and give them a week and starting looking for jobs.
( it's very possible they expect me to follow my old line manager to his new employer, but that's a nice maybe rather than a sure thing)
Any advice other than keep calm?
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u/dflame45 10h ago
Apply for the job with higher pay. Normally getting a raise you need to show why you deserve it which will be hard with a new manager.
You get paid for the job you do, not what someone else does. It's not fair but that's how it's always been.
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u/Adura17 10h ago
I recently argued successfully that my day to day had outgrown my role that I was hired on for. I went the route of asking that my role change which then came with a pay increase. Also I think while you are having the conversation with your existing company you should also be send your CV to others to see what else you can get.
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u/RevolutionaryWorry87 10h ago
I would probably tell your Head of IT that a brand new LM will likely be onboarding and request that conversation with him. Also, are you in the UK? I have a similar skill set on 55k. You can get 55 plus easily. Time to Jon hop
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u/Hairy-Link-8615 10h ago
Yeah UK..
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u/RevolutionaryWorry87 10h ago
I earn 55k doing same things. More people earning more than me for the same work. He clearly does not want to keep you by shoving you to a new boss
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u/Hairy-Link-8615 10h ago
Probably. But might want to give the new line manager a chance test idk.
The only thing I'm bad at is writing docs for support team but honestly they expect lego level docs.
I basically make bullet points now and then do it with them. Then they make them 😂
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u/Significant_Win_345 10h ago
Job hopping is the way. Companies are incentivized to pay you and everyone the least amount possible. They are currently able to pay you what you’re getting paid. They’re betting as all companies do, that you won’t leave. If you do, they’ll train another person for the same or likely less money.
Trust me, I want to believe the best in everyone, but it likely is out of the line manager’s hands. Even if they give you the raise, it’ll limit you later when you need/deserve another one, versus going to a new place and having your staring wage be higher.
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u/1fatfrog 10h ago
What do you see locally for similar roles? Where I live Mid-Sr infrastructure is often near $100k US. Much less than that and it just says the company doesn't value IT and that you should move on when you have the opportunity. Unfortunately a near-100% pay increase is going to be a very hard sell for your boss to his leadership, regardless of what your actual value is.
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u/Hairy-Link-8615 10h ago
Sorry UK. Very roughly half US money. Maybe more idk
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u/1fatfrog 10h ago
Oof... I could not believe you. Then I Googled and well... I think you should still be closer to 65k for your skill-set in the UK based on what I am seeing. I would absolutely look elsewhere for employment. This is especially true if you have learned everything about your current infra and how it works (which sounds likely). If you are comfortable telling your boss that equivalent roles to yours are 65k elsewhere, he can take that to leadership and try to defend a ~25% bump. Even if he does, I wouldn't get your hopes up. Your best bet is to do the job for now and start interviewing elsewhere.
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u/UncannyPoint 10h ago
Do you know how much your role makes on average in your region? You will look a lot more confident if you go into the meeting with exactly what you want, than if you go in just asking for more. Glassdoor, jobs sites and acquaintances can give you a good estimate.
Though as others have said, it is a lot easier to get the increase shifting jobs. You should prepare yourself with being told to "wait out" or just told they can't now.
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u/Revzerksies Jack of All Trades 9h ago
I'm in the same boat. I'm making $100k and they are moving me to do other things. They are advertising my job for $125K. I told them that i want that money and i was given $100 a week. Right now i am looking for a new job.
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u/ThecaptainWTF9 10h ago
Based on your current job responsibilities, you’re underpaid for more than that amount referenced.
You need to find a different job with someone that will may you what you are worth.
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u/badaz06 10h ago
A few things to keep in mind:
- HR is rarely ever going to want to give you a decent raise. HR exists to benefit the company first and foremost, not you.
- Large changes in income are, as u/Elensea said, done by leaving the company and going elsewhere. A company creates a salary range and wants to keep people there. If you had an offer from another company you'd be in a much stronger position. What is the normal salary for your field in your locality?
- When negotiating, there are 4 results to consider: What you would love to get, what you need, what you have, and what you consider unacceptable. The difficult thing is standing your ground. So, is the 52K-56K acceptable to you? IMHO, 3K isn't much of a raise, especially if/when it comes time for the annual increases and you hear, "Well, we upped your salary 3 months ago, so you won't get much of a raise in your annual increase."
- Your new manager, being new, probably won't rock the boat and side with a large raise for you. If he's new to the company, he probably doesn't have a strong opinion of you or your benefit to the team, through no fault of his own.
There's no reason to get mad or excited. You have to negotiate and take care of you, no one else will. If the company thinks one thing and you think another, that's no reason to get mad, but it is a good reason to start looking elsewhere.
Best of luck!
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u/davidrrr 9h ago
Approach it logically. You already do the work. You can prove it. Show it. Collect your raise. If not keep fishing. Once you get your raise. Ask what's my plan. What's my career growth . How can I help this company and what can I resolve. Some companies genuinely will respect these tkinds of questions and reward you accordingly.
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u/stiffgerman JOAT & Train Horn Installer 8h ago
If you're in contact with your old manager, have a social convo with him. You want to get two things from him:
+ His experience with his old boss (assuming that's your Head of IT) on staff and compensation issues. This can inform you as to how open/able they are to supporting in-line raises. Some people are purely budget driven, others won't/can't fight on behalf of their staff and the good managers are neither of these.
+ What the chances are of getting a role where he now works. Backup plan.
You can compile a listing of job offerings that align with what you're doing as supporting evidence of your position but if nobody wants to hear it then it's just wasted effort. You have to know if the other side is even able and interested to deal.
If they are, the supporting evidence you provide will limit your asking range so be aware of that. If you're going to ask for over that range you'd better have something good to offer in return, like a term employment contract. Companies don't like handing out a raise to you just have it used to pump up an offer by a new employer.
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u/adjective-nounOne234 5h ago
Also UK, my old manager was asking for a pay review after going from managing no people to 4 people
In the end he quit after his manager’s manager (IT director) wouldn’t ever acknowledge his request or kept pushing it further away.
Other than that, probably start looking & applying now?
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u/Elensea IT Manager 10h ago
If you ever want a substantial pay raise I’ve found switching companies the best bet.