I wish to thank you for the article about salaries in the September issue (see "How does your salary measure up?" Sept. 1999, page 59).
I am a BICSI trainer and also handle human resources for a large cabling contractor. For the past several years, I have quizzed people about their companies` pay scales. That subject leads to some interesting conversations, to say the least. Here in Ohio, supply and demand (or whichever way the wind is blow- ing) seem to rule the day regarding this issue. That`s why I am ecstatic to see that someone has finally taken the initiative to investigate this most unstructured element of our industry.
When hiring cabling professionals, we often suffer from the "first date syndrome" and cannot effectively evaluate competency in a timely manner. The results can be disastrous, with some individuals not making what they deserve and others making too much. This situation ultimately leads to a breakdown in morale, which creates a plethora of additional problems that, if not dealt with, can lead to the demise of a contractor. That is why I believe a salary survey was long overdue, and I applaud your effort.
Although it is discouraging to hear of the low response rate to the survey, it has certainly sparked what I believe can become a huge bonfire. For example, the chief executive of our company is rarely heard from, but this morning I witnessed him traveling from the Operations offices into Accounting waving your article in the air! (That`s a good thing.)
I appreciate the technical articles in Cabling Installation & Maintenance, but addressing other issues such as this would truly benefit our industry. Since the divestiture of AT&T in 1984, the tradesperson has suffered. We have standardized on the infrastructure; it is time that we consider professional and interpersonal issues as well.
John Baitz
MCT/C-Tel Corp.
Columbus, OH
