Am I being paid fairly

**Mizikal** · 08-21-2010, 11:41 PM

I have worked as an optician for 5 years now. I work at a Wal-Mart vision center and I make 12.34 an hour. I never seem to get more then 34 hours so my hourly rate does not mean that much. I am looking for a new job and will be avoiding retail chains.Does any one know how much I can expect to get paid an hour? According to salary.com I am underpaid. I do not have my ABO since Wal-Mart does not pay any extra if you have it. I love what I do. I just think I should be paid a little better and I am tired of working nights and weekends. Another reason I want to work for a DR' office is a feel very limited with lens selection and what not. I really want to learn more but it seems the only thing they care about at Wal-Mart is the bottom line. So any ideas?

**Chris Ryser** · 08-22-2010, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Mizikal

........................I am looking for a new job and will be avoiding retail chains..............................I do not have my ABO since Wal-Mart does not pay any extra if you have it. .....................So any ideas?

Change you attitude to : I am worth more because I know more, instead of if you pay more I will learn more.

**k12311997** · 08-22-2010, 08:29 AM

get your resume out there and go on interviews find out what they're willing to pay. If money is the main concern you may find you'll stay in retail, if the not working nights and weekends has any 'value' consider that. I took a pay cut when I left retail for private practice, while I may consider another private practice if the offer was right I'll never go back to retail by choice.

**Speed** · 08-22-2010, 09:20 AM

Is Kansas a license state? I talked to a friend at Walmart Friday. She is a licensed optician. She told me that Walmart would hire someone low ball and see what they would do, or what they had. If they work hard they move them up. So many people today want the pay first. Sucessful companies do not work like that. Never have and never will. She also told me she was going for her ABO soon. Walmart has an online training for them. Also she said they pay .35 per hour hour more for that. I suggest that since you have been there 5 years and are not happy, you move along. It does not sound like they are very impressed with you, for whatever reason. In the mean time, get the ABO. Maybe if you had shown more interest there you'd be doing better. But get it for yourself. Not for Walmart. Who knows, if you get the ABO before you find something, things will look better there.

**Jacqui** · 08-22-2010, 09:20 AM

With what you said and what Chris pointed out, you are making what you are worth. If you would get your ABOC, at least, and show you are commited to the profession then you would be worth more.

Sorry to be blunt, but it's early Sunday morning.

**Mizikal** · 08-22-2010, 09:27 AM

That is kinda my attitude. I remember when I started my training and nobody seemed to know a lot about the lenses. For example they did not know what the index of refraction was on lenses. Like the 1.67 on high index or 1.49 on poly. I had to go online in my off time to learn. I feel I have to no almost everything about something or at least as much as possible.I am still the only person in my vision center that can tell you why a you need a pantoscopic tilt and how it works.They even told people the poly is more scratch resist then plastic. I know a lot and I want to no more. I cannot learn much more where I am seeing as how I am the most experienced optician in my area and no one seems to want to learn any more then they have to to sell glasses. I think that is very sad .

**CNG** · 08-22-2010, 09:49 AM

I dont want to put you down but frankly you have no credentials yet you call yourself an optician. The first thing you have to do is abandon your idea of working as an optician in your state and move to one that has a licensing requirement. Expand your horizon and maybe go to school to really learn the profession. There are 22 states that licensed opticians and their pay is much more than that. 13 dollars an hour is not enough to live on. You are wasting your best working years. Expand and think carefully where you are and move on. If you are tide down (wife, husband, house or debt) you need to move on or move on with them. or start thinking outside of th box and start your own business. Please tell me that you are going to look somewhere else that pays more than that or go to another field.

CNG

**rdcoach5** · 08-22-2010, 10:00 AM

Poly's index is 1.59, fyi

**Speed** · 08-22-2010, 10:05 AM

Credentials are worth a lot. It proves what you no.

**cocoisland58** · 08-22-2010, 10:05 AM

In an unlicensed state with five years of experience and that only at Walmart I would say you are right in the ballpark. If you had five years of experience, some of it in a lab, some of it in billing, a proven sales record, personality, intelligence and drive I would put you in the 14.00 range. As you gain broad experience you make more money. I agree with the others. Obtaining your ABO should be a personal goal and have nothing whatsoever to do with your employer.

**CNG** · 08-22-2010, 10:26 AM

Are you kidding...14 dollars an hour. Obaining your ABO is NOT a personal goal it is your obligation as it is the only credential available to opticians in your state.Walmart is not the only player.

CNG

**Diopterman** · 08-22-2010, 10:46 AM

You are not being paid fairly. I think that you are actually being overpaid, considering what I am seeing in my area.

You would be hard pressed to find a job in my area, let alone one that paid over $9 an hour.

**Diopterman** · 08-22-2010, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Mizikal

I had to go online in my off time to learn.

Is that a good or a bad thing?

**Johns** · 08-22-2010, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Mizikal

I cannot learn much more where I am seeing as how I am the most experienced optician in my area and no one seems to want to learn any more then they have to to sell glasses. I think that is very sad .

Hmm... educating yourself and furthering your experience is not based on a superior or someone you work with.What if an OD hires you and you are the only optician in the office? Is that as far as your knowledge base goes? It's entirely up to you to find out where/how to gain more knowledge and and seek the resources to better yourself.

Also, a rule of thumb that I use: If you were to quit your job tomorrow, and your employer could quickly replace you for the same amount, then your pay is about right. If they could replace you for less, you are overpaid. Again, just a rule of thumb, but something to think about.

Al

**ARplease** · 08-22-2010, 11:51 AM

Just because you are a licensed optician doesn't mean you know crap about dispensing and all the optics that are involved. I currently work in a licensed state and am getting paid less for my knowledge than what I can get paid in a non licensed state. I have my associates degree as an optical technician/optician and that really has gotten me far into this field. Now that's were you need to get your experience, from education. The CE classes that are required for a person to take to keep their license is a WASTE of time. They just tell you about the basic stuff the fluff stuff, such as freeform digitally surfaced PALs give wider viewing area all throughout the lens. Well no duh, but why does it do that and how does it really work vs the convential/standard PALS? Let's talk about the history of photochromic lenses......blah blah blah give me the nitty gritty of why the new technology is better (not the marketing stuff that the lab/lens reps give you). What I am saying is that you need to get a formal education about the optician/technician field and then you can say you are being underpaid. Just being ABO certified and licensed doesn't give you the FULL knowledge you need to understand optics and why an easy adjustment such as pantoscopic tilt really matters.

**Optician1960** · 08-22-2010, 12:40 PM

Miz,
I must agree with many of the previous posts. Passing the ABO should be a goal of yours in the near term. Tells people who you are interviewing with that "YOU" took the time and used your talent to earn the certification. To take it to the next level, certainly consider the ABO M and/or earning an Associates Degree in Ophthalmic Science. You can do this through distance education and this link can help you get started http://www.nfos.org/degrees.asp . Make sure you ask the right questions of the Exec Dir at the school since there are differences in the programs. Once you have your degree, you will have the opportunity to use your additional educational with your customers and potentially move to a licensed state and work to pass their exam and then get that bigger paycheck you are looking for.
Good luck...

**Mizikal** · 08-22-2010, 12:58 PM

Thank you all for your help. I am still going to put out resumes tomorrow, but from what I gathered from you all is that unless I get certified or a degree I should not get my hopes up.I have studied for the ABO test and will look into online classes for a degree.Thank you all.

**cocoisland58** · 08-22-2010, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by CNG

Are you kidding...14 dollars an hour. Obaining your ABO is NOT a personal goal it is your obligation as it is the only credential available to opticians in your state.Walmart is not the only player.CNG

Well that is what I pay good employees who are still learning the business. Is that too much? Not enough? I feel it's fair. Sorry but I prefer to think of education as a personal goal. You may call it an obligation if you wish. I don't see much difference as long as the end result is the same.

**Johns** · 08-22-2010, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by ARplease

Just because you are a licensed optician doesn't mean you know crap about dispensing and all the optics that are involved.

Not to mention that the state you live in requires nothing more than 2 years "apprenticeship" and passing the ABO.

**Johns** · 08-22-2010, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by cocoisland58

Well that is what I pay good employees who are still learning the business. Is that too much? Not enough? I feel it's fair. Sorry but I prefer to think of education as a personal goal. You may call it an obligation if you wish. I don't see much difference as long as the end result is the same.

I believe that you owe it to the customer to continue to educate yourself in the field you work in. I would hate to think that the surgeon that will operate on me has not kept up w/the latest procedures and techniques.

As an employer, if I hire someone at a certain rate, for a certain job, and they do not continue to expand their capabilities, then I feel no "obligation" to increase the rate of pay...and I don't.

**Wes** · 08-22-2010, 03:06 PM

The things you won't learn about opticianry from chains boggles the mind. They will not make you a good optician. In fact, the opposite is true. Whether you know it or not, if you wish to stay in this field, you are in dire need of an education. There are some good free resources out there, from this board, to the openoptix study guide hosted at laramyK, and written by several members of this board. Google it. If you wish to become something more than average, you will need to invest time and money. Good luck,
Wes

**Jacqui** · 08-22-2010, 03:43 PM

As well as the Open Optix site itself, you may want to check here http://forums.laramyk.com/viewforum.php?f=13 It's part of the L-K site that has other sources of information for you. Do a search on You Tube for "eyeglasses", lots of info.

**musicvirtuoso** · 08-22-2010, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mizikal

I have worked as an optician for 5 years now. I work at a Wal-Mart vision center and I make 12.34 an hour. I never seem to get more then 34 hours so my hourly rate does not mean that much. I am looking for a new job and will be avoiding retail chains.Does any one know how much I can expect to get paid an hour? According to salary.com I am underpaid. I do not have my ABO since Wal-Mart does not pay any extra if you have it. I love what I do. I just think I should be paid a little better and I am tired of working nights and weekends. Another reason I want to work for a DR' office is a feel very limited with lens selection and what not. I really want to learn more but it seems the only thing they care about at Wal-Mart is the bottom line. So any ideas?

I have to say, for Wal-Mart, you are actually making a fair amount (considering what they pay their hourly employees). I won't knock big retail chains as a way to get interested in optics, but if you want to really further your knowledge and base salary, you'll need to leave. However, your statement is not entirely true about Wal-Mart and the ABO. I would stay until after you get your certification. The will give you a 50 cent raise (pay grade 6 to pay grade 7) for becoming certified and they will reimburse you the registration fee if you pass. Not that this will be enough to stay there long term, but it is a reason to stay for the moment. By the way, I'm not pulling all of this out of my a**; this comes from experience. :-)

**harry888** · 08-22-2010, 06:27 PM

I'm an OD in private practice.

The chains are a great place I go trolling for new employees.

Biggest problem I have with the former chain employees is that they are scared of not making a sale even if they know it is someone who will come back to haunt us later.

Harry

**Mizikal** · 08-22-2010, 06:32 PM

That is how it used to be but now even a dual certified optician will not get a raise. In order to move to a level 7 paid grade you have to be a state licensed optician. Unless you know something I don't know. I am will try to take my ABO in November.