From: Gregory Gombas (ggombas@gmail.com)
Date: Thu Apr 26 2007 - 14:29:14 ART
"Didn't loose my cool too badly when my leg was broken in a fight once once,
in fact I didn't even show my attackers the slightest once of care
when they wedged my leg on the concrete and broke it a second time"
Sounds like you have worked for a financial firm before!
I've heard of a broker hitting an IT guy with a bat when his PC went
down but nothing that bad. Seriously thats some crazy sh*t you've been
through...
But back to the subject of salary's - some people think they can just
pass the CCIE and sit back and wait for the checks to roll in.
The reality is to make 6 figures in the NYC region you most likely
would have to work for a financial in which case evening and weekend
work is a must.
A lot of people that come from other environments have a hard time
coping with the daily pressures.
On 4/26/07, Darby Weaver <darbyweaver@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Gregory,
>
> No offense but people yelling at me would not stress
> me out.
>
> Stress for me was something like watching a person (a
> friend no less) getting a heart massage and dying then
> and there on the spot while I had a front row seat.
>
> Stress is responding to a situation and finding a man
> caught in between the jaws of a steel string door by
> the head and watching the nerves of the body writhe in
> pain. Removing the man was no easy feat either. His
> head resembled a flattend pancake. He took three days
> to die as I recall.
>
> Stress is responding to an emergency and dutifully
> going into a stairwell while hearing explosions and
> noticing on the wall in front of you - "DANGER -
> Munitions - Salt-Water Activated". While you have a
> hose and the man behind you is has a sprinkler to
> shower you with.
>
> So tell me Gregory, having a bunch of people yell at
> you really bother you that badly...
>
> Wouldn't bother me...
>
> Not today, not tomorrow, and not any time next week...
>
> And if the net should go down... Let them watch.
>
> The last time I was in a similar situation, and every
> VP and Board Member was running around looking useless
> and concerned and tempers were flairing over some
> 30,000 people standing in the July heat of Florida
> during a network outage on the 4th of July...
>
> Tempers were flaring...
>
> My response was simple. It did not concern me one
> bit. The fact is no amount of "additional stress" was
> gonna get the problem done any sooner.
>
> So I told my Director quite frankly "I do not care if
> God were here, this problem would not get resolved any
> faster" after he tried to explain the situation in
> terms of people waiting, revenue potentially lost, and
> execs running around on his coat tails.
>
> And you know I meant it.
>
> There was that time when I suffered a steam burn from
> below my pecs to just below my lips and everything in
> between was melted and looked like wax. Painful
> indeed, but was I stressed, no not really.
>
> Neither the time that I had to watch as my wrist was
> slowly slit. Didn't stress me a bit. Didn't hurt as
> bad either for that matter. I bled heavily, but I did
> survive.
>
> Another one Gregory, I did not get stressed the time I
> got stabbed with a coke bottle. Didn't loose my cool
> too badly when my leg was broken in a fight once once,
> in fact I didn't even show my attackers the slightest
> once of care when they wedged my leg on the concrete
> and broke it a second time, and you know what when I
> got to the hopsital and they pricked my leg below the
> knee after using local anethesia, and took a hand
> drill and started drilling, I do not recall being too
> visibly stressed either. In fact one of the males
> nurses, was watching me closely ans asked if I wanted
> something to chew on and I declined. The next thing
> he asked me was "How can you watch?" and I told him "I
> do this kinda thing all the time."
>
> And Gregory, I've never flinched even when at gunpoint
> in point blank range. Never.
>
> So tell me exactly, how bad is the stress they make
> you feel...
>
> They could not stress me that badly, I was trained
> very well for the worse of it. Not in this life or
> the next.
>
> Tell me another about stress.
>
>
> --- Gregory Gombas <ggombas@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hey Darby and gang,
> >
> > No offense, but I don't think you know what stress
> > is...
> >
> > Have you ever worked for a financial company?
> >
> > I love it when a herd of managers comes rumbling
> > down the hall
> > whenever a site goes down and then they would stand
> > behind you (not
> > helping one bit) screaming until you get it back up.
> > Then they look
> > for someone's head because they lost millions of
> > dollars for the site
> > being down for 6 minutes.
> >
> > And oh yeah you can't even blink at a network device
> > until the weekend
> > (often wee into the midnight hours).
> >
> > Unfortunately if you want to make decent money in
> > this town financial
> > is the only option.
> >
> > Maybe I should move down south...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 4/25/07, Darby Weaver <darbyweaver@yahoo.com>
> > wrote:
> > > I'm working my weekends, evenings, wee hours
> > beyond
> > > midnight sometimes, and did I forget to mention
> > > holidays...
> > >
> > > And I travel a bit as required.
> > >
> > > What would I be losing exactly?
> > >
> > > Got the CC*P and a little experience - not as much
> > as
> > > some here...
> > >
> > > The biggest network I worked on only had like
> > twenty
> > > something Cat6009-6513's... and a couple thousand
> > > Cisco devices.
> > >
> > > Most networks I serve now probably have ~100 or so
> > > switches, routers, and other devices combined...
> > >
> > > Hmmm....
> > >
> > > So...
> > >
> > > The good thing is I bought my house before the
> > prices
> > > in Orlando skyrocketed. So it is worth about 2.5
> > times
> > > what I paid for it and my salary is relatively
> > good
> > > for the economy in which I live.
> > >
> > > I do own nicer vehicles (I'm not driving a lambo
> > or
> > > ferrarri).
> > >
> > > My benefits, if I actually ever start using all
> > them,
> > > are great too... actually competitive.
> > >
> > > Work will always be... well work.
> > >
> > > However, I live by the saying "If you love what
> > you do
> > > you'll never work a day in your life..."
> > >
> > > So for me my hobby is also my job.
> > >
> > > AS far as stress level, I work hard to enusure I
> > am
> > > not stressed that much. I do get tired due to a
> > lack
> > > of sleep at times but that's it.
> > >
> > > But I will concede salary surveys never seem to
> > take
> > > that into consideration at all.
> > >
> > > How many CCIE's truly get the luxury of a 9-5 job
> > > anyway? And have a job that is not a little
> > stressful?
> > >
> > > Even our beloved and notable vendors are up
> > burning
> > > midnight oil mostly every single night. I know
> > since
> > > we either chat a bit or toss emails.
> > >
> > > But hey, do not think I'm mad or upset about this
> > type
> > > of work - I rather enjoy it. It is what I chose
> > to do
> > > and I like to think I had a few pretty decent
> > choices
> > > to choose from.
> > >
> > > So...
> > >
> > > Ooops - off the soap box - gotta go home and dive
> > into
> > > my racks - well actually I'll probably just dive
> > in
> > > from the office.
> > >
> > > Did I mention I only work 3.1 miles from home
> > these
> > > days and I have virtually no traffic... and since
> > I
> > > can see the I-4 Parking Lot from my leisurely
> > drive -
> > > I actually get a daily reminder of what my drive
> > was
> > > like for the past 5 years or so before...
> > >
> > > So... till something better comes along...
> > >
> > > Later guys
> > >
> > > Again sorry to bother with another chapter...
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --- "Larry Letterman (lletterm)"
> > <lletterm@cisco.com>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > I'll stay in Texas and have my weekends...:)
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Gregory Gombas [mailto:ggombas@gmail.com]
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 3:05 PM
> > > > To: Larry Letterman (lletterm)
> > > > Cc: CCIE 19999; Scott Thornton; Leigh Harrison;
> > Tony
> > > > Schaffran;
> > > > jslauer@hotmail.com; Darby Weaver; Michael Zuo;
> > > > ccielab@groupstudy.com
> > > > Subject: Re: OT: CCIE salary surveys
> > > >
> > > > You guys are missing two critical elements from
> > your
> > > > calculations:
> > > > 1. Stress level
> > > > 2. Weekends/Evening work
> > > >
> > > > Here in the NYC area even with a CCIE if you
> > plan on
> > > > making 120k you can
> > > > kiss your weekends goodbye.
> > > > And don't expect to work 9-5 either....
> > > >
> > > > On 4/25/07, Larry Letterman (lletterm)
> > > > <lletterm@cisco.com> wrote:
> > > > > An ale or a beer...they have it in the USA
> > > > also..without the high cost
> > > >
> > > > > of London..
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: nobody@groupstudy.com
> > > > [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf
> > > > > Of CCIE 19999
> > > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:54 PM
> > > > > To: 'Scott Thornton'; 'Leigh Harrison'
> > > > > Cc: 'Tony Schaffran'; jslauer@hotmail.com;
> > 'Darby
> > > > Weaver'; 'Michael
> > > > > Zuo'; ccielab@groupstudy.com
> > > > > Subject: RE: OT: CCIE salary surveys
> > > > >
> > > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boddingtons
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: nobody@groupstudy.com
> > > > [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf
> > > > > Of Scott Thornton
> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:38 PM
> > > > > To: Leigh Harrison
> > > > > Cc: Tony Schaffran; jslauer@hotmail.com; Darby
> > > > Weaver; Michael Zuo;
> > > > > ccielab@groupstudy.com
> > > > > Subject: Re: OT: CCIE salary surveys
> > > > >
> > > > > Boddington? Not familiar with that one...
> > > > >
> > > > > On 4/24/07, Leigh Harrison
> > <ccileigh@gmail.com>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > You guys are getting done!!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Come and work in London $150k+ all the bits
> > and
> > > > bobs:-
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.cwjobs.co.uk/JobSearch/JobDetails.aspx?JobId=29392149&Keywo
> > > > > rd
> > > > > s=cc
> > > > > ie
> > > > > >
> > > > > > AND!! There's all the fish and chips you can
> > eat
> > > > and all the
> > > > > > Boddingtons you can drink!!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > LH
> > > > > > #15331
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Tony Schaffran wrote:
> > > > > > > Yes. Not a very high demand for CCIE's in
> > the
> > > > North Dakota area.
> > > > > > > You
> > > > > > would
> > > > > > > be lucky to fetch $60K
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Tony Schaffran
> > > > > > > Network Analyst
> > > > > > > CCIE #11071
> > > > > > > CCNP, CCNA, CCDA,
> > > > > > > NNCDS, NNCSS, CNE, MCSE
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > www.cconlinelabs.com
> > > > > > > Your #1 choice for online Cisco rack
> > rentals.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > From: nobody@groupstudy.com
> > > > [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On
> > > > > > > Behalf
> > > > >
> > > > > > > Of jslauer@hotmail.com
> > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 3:13 AM
> > > > > > > To: Darby Weaver; Michael Zuo;
> > > > ccielab@groupstudy.com
> > > > > > > Subject: Re: OT: CCIE salary surveys
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > your hypothesis is correct in the D.C.
> > area,
> > > > but that's if you
> > > > > > > have a high-level security clearance and
> > are
> > > > willing to work for a
> > > > > contractor.
> > > > > > If
> > > > > > > you want something stable, then you wont
> > make
> > > > as much.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Remember, the places where the salaries
> > are
> > > > high like this have a
> > > > > > > very
> > > > > > high
> > > > > > > cost of living.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Josh
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > > From: "Darby Weaver"
> > <darbyweaver@yahoo.com>
> > > > > > > To: "Michael Zuo" <mzuo@ixiacom.com>;
> > > > <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
> > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 1:13 AM
> > > > > > > Subject: Re: OT: CCIE salary surveys
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >> Salary's vary.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I've had friends in the Cali area making
> > in
> > > > the 60k+ for the CCNA
> > > >
> > > > > > >> to CCNP level.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I've had class-mates claiming up to 110k
> > > > incomes at the CCNP
> > > > > > >> level
> > > > > > >> - of course they were earning their CCIE
> > and
> > > > were fast-tracking.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> So 120-130k is not unnatural, but I would
> > > > venture that seasoned
> > > > > > >> CCIE's are doing better in California.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> However, I had several counterparts at
> > NBC
> > > > and GE and I do not
> > > > > > >> recall them saying (or the job postings)
> > > > looking like they paid a
> > > >
> > > > > > >> lot more than my Southeastern wages for
> > the
> > > > same or similar job
> > > > > > >> description.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Same for my counterparts at 30 Rock in
> > New
> > > > York - it seems that
> > > > > > >> around 90k or so was the base starting
> > point,
> > > > followed with nice
> > > > > > >> raises and bonuses.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Now maybe for the highest level positions
> > but
> > > > who is counting.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I'm in Orlando and if one does not mind
> > the
> > > > travel the ranges I
> > > > > > >> am routinely offered are in the 80-120k
> > range
> > > > > > >> +/- some form of bonus paackage for the
> > CCNP
> > > > level
> > > > > > >> with experience. For the record, I have
> > been
> > > > asked to consider
> > > > > > >> greater than 120k - so this is not out of
> > the
> > > > question either
> > > > > > >> even for a CCNP - I'm sure the position
> > would
> > > > have easily
> > > > > > >> preferred a CCIE.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> The travel and near-CCIE level positions
> > are
> > > > in the 110-120k +
> > > > > > >> bonus range here in my neck of the woods,
> > but
> > > > for all I know the
> > > > > > >> rates can get better for full CCIE's. - I
> > > > would expect it, some
> > > > > > >> of my current peers speak of 135k+ rates,
> > but
> > > > I have not seen
> > > > > > >> this yet
> > > > >
> > > > > > >> myself - but I am not yet a CCIE either.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I've heard people in the Washington and
> > New
> > > > York areas are well
> > > > > > >> paid for their services.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I've heard that 200k+ in the Washington
> > > > D.C./Virgina area are not
> > > >
> > > > > > >> uncommon.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I guess it comes down to one's ability to
> > > > bargain and how one
> > > > > > >> present's oneself.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> And recall, some positions simply only
> > pay
> > > > whatever it is the
> > > > > > >> company pays for the job role.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I've also heard that pre-sales engineers
> > can
> > > > do quite well
> > > > > > >> especially in education and government
> > > > accounts.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Expect that salary survey are very
> > general in
> > > > nature.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I recall when they used to say I was
> > > > underpaid and now it seems
> > > > > > >> according to them I am overpaid.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> It's strange and it is a statistic.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Best thing to do, is to figure out what
> > it
> > > > costs you to live,
> > > > > > >> throw
> > > > >
> > > > > > >> in whatever else you need like benefits,
> > > > vacation, retirement,
> > > > > > >> training, etc. and go for that number +/-
> > > > however much you will
> > > > > > >> need to be where you need to be
> > financially.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Good luck!
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Sorry for the long and boring email.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> --- Michael Zuo <mzuo@ixiacom.com> wrote:
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >>> Hi Group,
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>> I have did a little research online: it
> > > > looks like the average
> > > > > > >>> salary for CCIE's in California with a
> > few
> > > > years of experience
> > > > > > >>> is around 120 to 130K range according to
> > > > various surveys such as
> > > >
> > > > > > >>> Cert
> > > > >
> > > > > > >>> Mag. Does anyone know how accurate are
> > the
> > > > survey numbers from
> > > > > > >>> personal experience?
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>> I apologize for being off topic, this
> > group
> > > > seems to be the best
> > > >
> > > > > > >>> place to ask this question :-)
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>> Michael Zuo
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>> CCIE #17800
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>
> > > >
> > >
> >
> _________________________________________________________________
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> > > > > > >>
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> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>
> > > >
> > >
> >
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> > > > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
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> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Scott C Thornton
> > > > >
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