Salary Job?

[Ahmad]

I just got hired as a field service engineer for a tech company who makes tools that intel buys. My first day is this Tuesday at 8am, but as for what time I will be done for the day/what my scheduled work days will be; I have no idea yet.

This will be my first ever salary job and a HUGE step in furthering my career. I got an Electrical Engineering Technology Associates degree over a year ago and got a job as a Test Tech at Lam for over a year up until I found this new position. Funny enough, all us temps got laid off couple days ago and they gave me the option to go to Night shift or get 2 weeks severance. Since I start my new job in a couple days I'll let you guess which I picked lol.

That was hourly though, and this is a SALARY. I don't make OT either so I am worried they might try and work me to death. Old job was 12 hour shifts 3/4 days a week so I'm not worried about 12 hr shifts. More worried that I'll consistently go over 40 hours a week 4-5 days a week.

What is your experience being/knowing someone who is/was on salary and how does it compare to hourly?

[[MPGH]Lily]

I just got hired as a field service engineer for a tech company who makes tools that intel buys. My first day is this Tuesday at 8am, but as for what time I will be done for the day/what my scheduled work days will be; I have no idea yet.

This will be my first ever salary job and a HUGE step in furthering my career. I got an Electrical Engineering Technology Associates degree over a year ago and got a job as a Test Tech at Lam for over a year up until I found this new position. Funny enough, all us temps got laid off couple days ago and they gave me the option to go to Night shift or get 2 weeks severance. Since I start my new job in a couple days I'll let you guess which I picked lol.

That was hourly though, and this is a SALARY. I don't make OT either so I am worried they might try and work me to death. Old job was 12 hour shifts 3/4 days a week so I'm not worried about 12 hr shifts. More worried that I'll consistently go over 40 hours a week 4-5 days a week.

What is your experience being/knowing someone who is/was on salary and how does it compare to hourly?

That was hourly though, and this is a SALARY. I don't make OT either so I am worried they might try and work me to death.
That is usually the case when you are a salaried employee. They can make you work over your scheduled hours at any moments notice. When I switched over from salary to hourly I had more control of my hours and the pay is usually a bit better since overtime is allowed as salaried employees are exempt from it. It also depends on your company and how they work their schedules. They might have better work-life balance as compared to others. Also, you should try and get a BA for your engineering degree.

[Ahmad]

That was hourly though, and this is a SALARY. I don't make OT either so I am worried they might try and work me to death.
That is usually the case when you are a salaried employee. They can make you work over your scheduled hours at any moments notice. When I switched over from salary to hourly I had more control of my hours and the pay is usually a bit better since overtime is allowed as salaried employees are exempt from it. It also depends on your company and how they work their schedules. They might have better work-life balance as compared to others. Also, you should try and get a BA for your engineering degree.

I don't think I will be able to get the BA. My GPA was low 2s. I think Most BA schools require a 3 or something.

[Gaydow]

I just got hired as a field service engineer for a tech company who makes tools that intel buys. My first day is this Tuesday at 8am, but as for what time I will be done for the day/what my scheduled work days will be; I have no idea yet.

This will be my first ever salary job and a HUGE step in furthering my career. I got an Electrical Engineering Technology Associates degree over a year ago and got a job as a Test Tech at Lam for over a year up until I found this new position. Funny enough, all us temps got laid off couple days ago and they gave me the option to go to Night shift or get 2 weeks severance. Since I start my new job in a couple days I'll let you guess which I picked lol.

That was hourly though, and this is a SALARY. I don't make OT either so I am worried they might try and work me to death. Old job was 12 hour shifts 3/4 days a week so I'm not worried about 12 hr shifts. More worried that I'll consistently go over 40 hours a week 4-5 days a week.

What is your experience being/knowing someone who is/was on salary and how does it compare to hourly?

Being salaried should still be at most 8 hours a day.

Figure out before hand if it's 8 hours per day. Don't work for a company that is salaried that doesn't define the hours you're working, they'll be taking advantage of you.

[[MPGH]Austin]

What is your experience being/knowing someone who is/was on salary and how does it compare to hourly?

long story short: hourly makes you want to milk the clock and salary makes you want to get the job done faster


In my experience if you're working between 40-50 hrs/per week and you've negotiated for yourself aptly you should be bringing home just as much monthly if it were an hourly position. If you're working more than 50 hr/per week then just view it as a grind since it's your first big boy job in the field you desired. Expect at least 40 hour work weeks because why tf would anyone pay someone a (full time I assume) salary for part time hours when first starting out. I know a few of union workers in masonry/engineering/construction that work 30 hr weeks and get 80+k salaries, but you have to build yourself to it.


I'd rather be salaried than hourly because it's guaranteed income.

[plutopicks]

I woke 30 hours a week and make 65K

[Bernard]

I'm salaried but use to be an hourly contractor. And here are the main perks/differences at my company:

Salaried: Any time worked over 40 hours is converted to extra vacation time. Unlimited sick time. This sounds good but I'm usually so busy that I can rarely take vacation time and if I'm sick too often (like I had covid this past week), work just piles up and I fall behind.

Hourly: Overtime

[[MPGH]Lily]

I don't think I will be able to get the BA. My GPA was low 2s. I think Most BA schools require a 3 or something.

You could apply as a incoming transfer student or look at online universities. My classmate did not have the grades to continue at our university so he transfered out to a different institution then reapplied back in the following semester. I am not sure what your GPA requirements for your engineering program, but I am sure you can still find some that will accept you.