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Enquiry US expense


cssony
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Of course it depends on your capabilities, but I would think in a city like Dallas and the cost of living there, $50,000 would be the minimum amount. Drafters straight out of high school could get $30,000. Senior drafters make $40,000 easy.

 

Architecture graduates from a 4 year program might make $30,000 - $35,000. Someone straight out of highschool as a drafter would be around $22,000. Ten years ago when I graduated with a 4 year degree in architecture, the starting salaray average was $24,000. The average architect makes between $50,000 - $65,000.

 

I know we're talking about 3d work, but I'm just making some comparisons to the drafter salaries.

 

Bottom line, you need to accept a salary that reflects what you're worth and not what people tell you on the boards. Another thing for you to do that would help is to research the cost of living in Dallas as much as you can. It's all a negotiation.

 

edit: I just searched for your images here. Imo, I would think you would be in the $40,000 - $50,000 range. Is this at green grass studios? They asked me if I would consider moving to Dallas - too hot for a Chicagoan like me.

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I don't know much about Dallas, but Chicago is finally coming around for contemporary architecture. I'm not sure if it's because we recently got a Rem Koolhaas and a Gehry building, but something as sparked a refreshing change. Ten years ago when I moved to Chicago to start working I was amazed at how conservative architecture was here. That seems to be changing.

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You are the only one who can answer your question.

Look at http://www.rent.com or http://www.realtor.com to look for housing costs in the area. That is usually a good indicator of affordability. While Texas has no state income tax, you do need to consider other taxes so check with the employer to help determine your monthly net income. Your housing cost should only account for about 1/3 of your total monthly expense so if you can find a nice apartment for around $900/month, you should be just fine financially. If not, then maybe one of the people who says it is too low will offer you a fulltime job w/matching benefits for what they say you are worth and have the same quality of work to keep you challenged.

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they offer me 30-40K per year is it ok?

 

i think it's exactly as you said.... it's "OK"..... it's nothing great, but it's an entry start.... push em as close to 40 if you can if that's their max of course. I would also try to see if you can get any relocation compansation.

 

Dallas is a pretty cool city, I've only had one short memorable trip there but I would definately go back in an instant given the chance.

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lol, I'm 32. my son makes me feel like I'm 9 again. it's great. I forgot about legos. :rolleyes:

 

I know the feeling but having two girls, I'm learning all about Barbie from scratch. As hard as I try, they just won't get interested in Meccano!

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I know the feeling but having two girls, I'm learning all about Barbie from scratch.

 

Two boys here, so its all Legos, all the time.

 

Dallas has buildings, Chicago has architecture.

 

 

Back on-topic, I have to ask you, Sony, if you are aware of the tight US work rules? You could be an American for all I know, but your info says you would be coming from Dubai. If you are not American be sure you can legally take the job in the US. The laws are not always friendly.

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The laws are not always friendly.

 

Neither are the customs. A friend of mine was taken into a room while waiting for a connecting flight to Las Vegas last month and accused of being a drug dealer, a trouble maker and a homosexual. Why? Because he has long hair.

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Neither are the customs. A friend of mine was taken into a room while waiting for a connecting flight to Las Vegas last month and accused of being a drug dealer, a trouble maker and a homosexual. Why? Because he has long hair.

 

Did anyone explain how being a homosexual would affect passenger safety? Has he filed a complaint? If not, he should, its the only way to discourage that sort of crap in the future. Bureaucrats count those up to figure how things are going.

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Did anyone explain how being a homosexual would affect passenger safety?

 

He could of course make everyone gay. He could be carrying a gay bio weapon and by the end of the flight everyone including the captain would be gay. You cannot land a plane with limp wrists. A more devestating thing could not be imagined.

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Did anyone explain how being a homosexual would affect passenger safety? Has he filed a complaint? If not, he should, its the only way to discourage that sort of crap in the future. Bureaucrats count those up to figure how things are going.

 

His private email account was accessed in front of him too. When they finally established he did what he said he did for a living and was married with kids they happily let him go but told him to smarten himself up before coming back!

 

He did complain but was told caution (against gay men?) was necessary.

Anyway sorry to take this thread OT again.

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He could of course make everyone gay. He could be carrying a gay bio weapon and by the end of the flight everyone including the captain would be gay. You cannot land a plane with limp wrists. A more devestating thing could not be imagined.

 

And if the plane did land, just imagine the devastation a gay could do once he had infiltrated normal society!

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And if the plane did land, just imagine the devastation a gay could do once he had infiltrated normal society!

 

Oh my god! I never thought about that. Gay people in the streets? Like they were real people.

 

Back on topic.

 

 

Ernest has a point about making sure you know your legal status. I have known 2 people who came in from abroad to work here in the US. Both ended rather poorly. 1 was a student here who got a job and they tried to work out his legal status after being hired and he was sent back to the Philippenes after working for about 3 months. He was in a tricky spot because they had a lawyer for him but where they were there was so much immigration from Mexico the immagration lawyers were totally swamped and everyone felt he got kind of poorly represented.

 

The other guy was from India and he was legal but his wife did not have a legal work visa. After a while she got too bored not working. They went to Canada and both had work visas within 24 hours.

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His private email account was accessed in front of him too.

 

He did complain but was told caution (against gay men?) was necessary.

 

How would the TSA (US air safety agency) get into his email, and for what purpose? The whole story is disturbing. And by complain, I mean in writing, to TSA headquarters in Washington, DC.

 

We recently saw a married with kids, national-level preacher who advised the US President turn out to be a gay, drug-buying troublemaker. So you can't be too careful.

 

Sorry--this needed following up on. Most of us fly, Sony would probably fly to the US if he took the job. He might be a troublemaker.

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some of the people i work with are here on work visa's, slowly working their way to becoming US citizens. they may have had problems with customs, they have never really given any specifics.

 

one got sent back to Hong Kong for a year, but it was just as much his fault as anything, he forgot to send his paperwork in on time. yes, bureaucracy, but he knew he had to send it in.

 

anyway, the reason i am posting.....

 

the one thing they have all said is that it is better to work for a bigger company with a good HR department. the HR dept. will need to help you work through everything with the government.

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6 years ago I was hired as an architectural intern (with 1-1/2 yrs prior experience) in San Antonio,TX for around 30k. The cost of living there was moderately lower than Dallas but the offering salaries were close when I checked. Given the rise in the cost of living over the years, I would try to push them as close to 40k as you can. Remember just because they initially offer you x amount of dollars that it doesn't mean that it has to stay that way. Make sure that you have provision in your contract for pay increases that could be reviewed on an annual basis. If you have done an outstanding job for them by the time of your evaluation, they will be more inclined to negotiate salary increases with you because they won't want to loose you.

 

Also, if you do decide to take the job, I would recommend finding someplace to live just "outside of Dallas" in order to save $$$$.

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Hai all

 

Any body from US?

 

i got a job offer from USA (dallas) as a 3d visulizeryear. they offer me 30-40K per year is it ok? or can any body tell me how is the expence their

 

thanks in advance

 

regards

sony

 

I worked in the US for over 4 years. My first salary was 35,600/year which is the minimun the INS would give you an H1B for. Less than that and you will not get approved. and when I left it was $65,000. in 4 years I had to change jobs 3 times only because my US employers refused to get me greencards simply because they saw I was so ambitious they worried about me opening my own business and competing with them. ALso you have to take into account that you will need to wait 5-6 years to get a greencard, another 7-8 years to become a citizen, so almost 13 years of your life will pass by before you can have any rights in the US simply because you weren't born there. Agreen card can be revoked for the simplest reasons. Your talent and smarts and the amount of tax they take from you means nothing to INS people. THe government is losing a ton of money because I left the US. Think before going and moving your family. you might not like it. Or you might love it like I did, and when you move back to DUbai your heart will be broken, they have amazing parks, trees, ducks and squirrels, cleaner air than Beirut (or DUbai?), they treat you fairly most of the time... unlike Lebanese employers and architects.

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Another thing to keep in mind is that very few companies know what they should pay you at when they interview you. Usually you are up for review after 3 months and if you deserve more you will get more. Personally I feel stronger going in at a lower rate and negotiating for more after I have proven myself. Thats me and its a personal preference. One place I worked at as a drafter the architect who had worked there for 20 years wasn't getting paid enough but I couldn't negotiate too well until he got a salary adjustment because he was the salary cap.

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