On 11/6/06, Maureen cusack <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Peter said: <don't forget the number of CRMs is very limited. It is a
> seller's market.>
>
> This is true. It is also true that absurdly low-paying jobs requiring
> Master's degrees continue to get advertised. Which must mean that some of
> them get filled. Which must mean that records managers have both 1)
> tragically low self-esteem, and 2) no concept of market forces.

actually what you are describing is the situation facing archivists.
Most archival positions require at least 2 yes 2 graduate level
degrees, a couple of years experience and generally offer salaries
that are less than 25k per year. these positions continually get
filled as there are way too many archivists out there chasing too few
jobs.

yes some of the positions are getting filled, but on the whole the
companies offering the positions rarely if ever know what records
management really involves. that is why we still see the "must be able
to lift 35 lbs" for director or manager level positions. I believe
that RMs have a higher level of self-esteem than do their archival
colleagues, and that they do understand the concept of market forces.
This is best illustrated by the general disdain put forth for the
Missouri position's salary range by subscribers to the list.
>
> Maybe we should give this syndrome a name, convene a working group, devise a
> 12-step program, create a website with a witty name, have New Yorker-style
> cartoon caption contests,  in order to get across the message that ......?
> martyrdom is not cool ? accepting low pay hurts the profession? library
> school isn't free? grad school debts need to be paid just like your mortgage
> does?
>

on the whole compensation levels for records management positions have
been on the rise over the past 5 if not 10 years. Don't know if Ray
Cunningham has ever done the comparison but he probably could
considering the level of information gathered in his survey.

I will say that there are more RMs today earning above 100K then there
were 5 years ago. A salary level unimaginable that far back.
-- 
Peter Kurilecz CRM CA
Richmond, Va

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