I have been working at IMC, Inc. for two years now and today I had me annual review.  I started out at IMC as an intern and moved into more of a permanent position, however I am still part time.  Over the two years at my job, I have tried to go above and beyond what is expected of me so that I could possibly secure a full time job for when I graduate and get a decent raise before then.  As it turns out, it has been two years and I have never had a raise.  Even when I switched from an intern to part time I received jack squat in terms of a raise.

Even though I have yet to receive a raise, there is a glimmer of hope for me.  This year they are sending me to the Microsoft TechEd event in Orlando, FL, all expenses paid.  Just to give an idea, it is two grand just for registration, not to mention travel, and a hotel room when I’m down there.  So that is a small benefit of my job.  Another is that my cell phone bill is paid monthly (up to a certain amount) which is a nice benefit.  But I still want my raise.  It is understandible that an intern who clicks on a button that says “Update Now” on the windows update site shouldn’t be paid all that much.  However, when that same person moves up and starts taking care of maintaining a company server, it is no longer an unskilled job and should be paid accordingly.

Back to my annual review.  While talking to my manager today, I have been assured that there is more money for me in the budget for next fiscal year (for us it starts July 1st).  I have also been assured that it isn’t more money simply so that I can work more hours at my current pay, but instead so that I can work more hours and a higher pay.  Although I have heard this from my manager’s mouth, and she claims she heard it from her manager’s mouth, I was told during my last annual review that I would be able to go to TechEd in 2008 and up until about 2 weeks ago, there was no money for me to do that.  IMC has been walking all over me as an employee and I really wish there was something that I could do about it.  If I were in a different position where I was out of school and could find a better job, I would definately do so, however I am still trying to finish up my last year of college.  Being the college student that I am, finding a job that is as casual and this, one that can work around my schedule, one that allows me to put hours in from home, or sends me to Microsoft events, or lets me play around with test servers in my free time, I just doubt I will find that anywhere else.

My rant about IMC should probably come to a close or it will sound as if I hate it there.  In all reality, I’d love to maintain this job after I graduate college.  I enjoy what I do at work.  Sure, some of the stuff is repetitious, but that is to be expected anywhere I think.  If anyone from IMC finds this blog, please don’t take this posting the wrong way, I am grateful for all the opportunities that IMC has opened to me.  I enjoy working at IMC.  I just want to be paid what I am worth.