Hello everyone! I'm currently working as a Senior Systems Engineer earning $115K. My main duties include networking and managing Microsoft services like Intune, Exchange, Defender, and Sentinel. I also handle our cloud setup, which includes Azure and AWS, albeit it's not too complex. I've built a lot of this from scratch: virtual appliances, site-to-site VPN tunnels, and a remote access VPN using our own equipment.
I design, build, and maintain all of our IT infrastructure, and I don't deal with programming, DevOps, or end-user support. The workload at my company isn't demanding; I rarely work long hours and average about 25-30 hours a week, which I enjoy, especially since I'm fully remote. However, I live in a high-cost area and I'm looking to break into the $150-200K salary range. What steps can I take to achieve this? I'm confident in my learning abilities, but I'm not sure what's currently in demand.
5 Answers
If you're open to changing environments, moving to a consultancy role can be lucrative. You could charge clients $100-$250 an hour for short-term contracts without the usual corporate hassles.
Consider applying to a bigger company. It’s likely to come with a bit more stress and possibly on-call duties, but there might be greater compensation available. Alternatively, diving into security could be a great move too since you'll have a lot of valuable experience for such roles.
Consider shifting towards a security role. I did this transition four years ago, and it helped me advance my salary from 140K to 155K as a Security Architect. With your technical background, you'll likely find you have an edge over many security professionals.
With your existing skill set, you could potentially snag a salary of 150K in your current role without changing jobs. It all depends on the company and location, though. You might want to send out some resumes to see what you get offered.
True, the keyword is "could". Every situation varies, so best to explore your options and check out what companies are offering.
You might want to look for a company that pays better. Even junior-level remote sysadmins are making more than your current salary, so there's definitely higher-paying opportunities out there.
Just a quick note: I had about 8 years of experience in desktop support and sysadmin roles before I made the leap, so your journey might differ.