For Flash Devs regarding $$ (venting)

Greetings,
I have spent the last 5-6 years studying Flash. I can build games, websites, numerous types of elements (slideshows, navigation, presentations, animations, etc...), apps using dynamic content, dabbled in PHP & MySQL, etc... I stay away from the timeline & do 99% of my files using AS.

I work all day & go home & study/experiment until the wee hours in hopes of earning more money...but it never happens. I have NEVER had this much dedication to a craft or a job, & have had many crappy customer service jobs where knowledge & dedication were not the least bit required - & when I was off work I had the rest of the night to do whatever I wanted - I didn't need to go home & study while ignoring my girlfriend to the point that she hates me. & they paid more.

So what has all my dedication to this job gotten me? -- The least amount of pay that I've gotten in the last 7 years of my life - I made more working at Blockbuster Video - but I don't want to have to go back to that which is why I spent the last 5-6 years creating a specialized skill set for myself.

So, here's my question :
Do any Flash Developers out there make less than $15 an hour?
Is it just this company?
Should I find another field if I want to earn more?
I'm extremely frustrated, & just want to know if this meager salary is the status quo.

Thank you kindly.

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Originally Posted by gotoAndCrash

So, here's my question :
Do any Flash Developers out there make less than $15 an hour?
Is it just this company?

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Probably. Sounds like you are at a schlock joint. Get out now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gotoAndCrash

Is it just this company?

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See above...short answer is yes. Your member profile says NYC...

check here: http://newyork.craigslist.org/search...y=actionscript

You really just need to find another job. $15/hr is ridiculous for this field.

A junior dev in my opinion, should be starting around $25/hr. By the sounds of it, you are far from a junior dev.

Typically someone around 5-6 years experience should be making around $50/hr, or a nice $50k-60k salary at least. But all that varies by area and your actual capabilities.

$15/hr is a joke. It's not the field. It's the company.

Or you really suck. :p

I make $3 dollars a day, that's why I also have a nightshift making shoes at Nike. I'm making so much money, this year I'll buy me a Jaguar.

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Originally Posted by MyFriendIsATaco

$15/hr is a joke. It's not the field. It's the company.

Or you really suck. :p

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I agree..and usually work fairly cheap/reasonable on freelance projects all together..


I was also thinking the same thing as the last part! LOL

link it up.. lets see of your razzle-dazzle ;)

have you been working at the company WHILE you've been learning?

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Originally Posted by MyFriendIsATaco

Or you really suck. :p

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:) heh heh, well, while I'm not Andre Michelle, or senocular, or one of those guys, I'm pretty sure I don't suck! I've been able to handle everything that's been thrown at me (& this company does a lot of throwing) - from integrating WebServices into a Question/Answer application that generates a report based on input, to creating dynamic Kiosk-based touch-screen applications rich in video & sounds. I mention those two because they're outside of my normal realm of websites, games (point-click & platform), & various slideshow/audio player type things that I could do if I had to type with my face!

( I'm pretty sure you were kidding! :P )

This is actually very refreshing to hear!!
I love Flash & would hate to have to give it up because it's not lucrative.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gotoAndCrash

integrating WebServices into a Question/Answer application that generates a report based on input, to creating dynamic Kiosk-based touch-screen applications rich in video & sounds. I mention those two because they're outside of my normal realm of websites, games (point-click & platform), & various slideshow/audio player type things

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the agency I work for would pay you £200/£250 a day for that if you came in freelance for a specific job from anywhere from 1 week to 2 months. I reckon that's twice as much in USdolla these days...

Hell, the least we pay freelancers is £180 a day ($360) for low level html/css work...

I'm in London, if you really are in NYC you gotta move to a different employer or go freelance bro. rapido.

I never had the intention of getting my payoff at the office. In fact, I've never once thought, "where's my money?". I simply pointed myself in one direction with the faith that it will pay off. The less I looked for it, the more it happened.
But you got into this to get paid to do what you love so that should always be your goal. The easiest way to get a good job is to already have one. You don't owe your employers any loyalties they wouldn't show you. Start looking and see if you can't get yourself a leg up. Keep in mind that there will be something about every job that you hate.

In the end, the real goal of any one who likes money should be to cut out middle men. In our field that ultimately means freelance or self incorporation. You should be seeking out lucrative relationships and making connections on the side as a means to that end. Contact your local IT service vendors and see if they have any clients who've been asking about getting their site done as well.