at an ophthalmology practice? I am ABO certified with 15 yrs of experience including management, high-end sales & training. I have an interview and wanted opinions on the salary I should expect.
Any salary range ideas for an Optical Manager
at an ophthalmology practice? I am ABO certified with 15 yrs of experience including management, high-end sales & training. I have an interview and wanted opinions on the salary I should expect.
I have recently seen someone with more experience in management (and ownership) and time in the field offered $10 per hour. A King's Ransom of $14 an hour was finally brokered!
UGH!
Good luck.
Last edited by Fezz; 06-11-2007 at 11:27 AM.
Originally Posted by shelleygirl
I would not get my hopes up. As I have said many times on this board ( and no doc has refuted it) MD's and OD's don't pay well at all. Around my area in N.Y. outside N.Y. City generally the going rate is around 5 to 10 dollars less than you can get at a chain. Just my 2 cents ;)
If you can only make 14/hour then find another career or enter this business from a different level . You can't live on 14/hour so why do it ?
Usually depends on location. state/city since cost of living is different between each state.
lets see 15 years experience ~ management ~ 50 to 65k per year?
What do you feel you are worth?:)
In Dallas , Ft WORTH AREA FROM 15.00 TO 30.00 AN HOUR. But management 60k to 90k. Austin area 12.00 to 20.00 an hour. management 30k to 75k. San Antonio 7.00 to 12.00 an hour management not much better. Houston about the same as San Antonio but less. The bottom line their the chain control the state of TX
So GOOD LUCK AND DON'T SPELL YOUR CANDY.
Don Price abo-ncle
state registered optican
Private practice-ophthalmology-don't settle for less than $20 plus spiffs & benefits. Really, they CAN afford it.
And the chains will grudgingly pay 12-15 an hour.........
I'm currently working for a new private practice. I helped open the doors and get most things started and I left my previous job for a .50 raise because of the opportunity. I felt that maybe as we got busier I would be offered a raise. I recently passed 6 months and am only making $14/hr as the manager/optician. We are about to hire another person because of the increase in business. I'm wondering if this would be a good idea to ask for a raise now.. I keep seeing all the threads about how much managers are being paid and I feel like I'm being stiffed. Two months ago we started the bonus program, but since we are slower we are staying on a more steady bar so I've only received one bonus. Someone please help!! I'm not sure how to go about asking without upsetting the Dr. I do almost everything here now on my own and we are located near Chicago.
Now would be an excellent time to ask for a raise (i feel) just put together a little presentation of what you have done to help his practice grow and make a good margin as well as any ideas you have to keep this growth happening. don't give away all of the ideas, but a few wouldn't hurt. 6 months is a reasonable amount of time for a review and a raise, but they won't do it on their own you'll have to show initiative. having worked for some MD's myself haha. they do have a hard time letting go of their money. Especially if they're hiring another person, you're clearly doing something right here! Show them why you're worth it :)
"what i need is a strong drink and a peer group." ... Douglas Adams - Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy
looking from the drs. perspective, the practice is only 6 months old. Has he started taking money out of the practice, if not, he is probably going to be reluctant to give you a raise at this time. Remember, the practice is only 6 months old. If he gives you a raise, will that prevent him from be able to hire the needed addition to the practice. If he is not yet taking money out of the practice for himself, how is he going to explain to his family that he just have someone a raise. I understand your desire for more money but you did take the position because of the opportunity. Be patient, take "ownership" in the business in the form of truly wanting to see it grow and succeed. If the dr. sees this desire in you to really be a part of the practice, the additional income will come, but look at it from the standpoint of the business owner as well. BEST WISHES to you in your position, I'm sure you will do well and grow with the practice with the right attitude.
Not really! Where I'm at the chains pay 22-25 per hour. Most MD OD offices won't pay more than 18 per hour.
I'm in Ohio, considered "low rent" in terms of wages, and I don't know of too many independents that are paying less than $20 an hour. Yes, chains are paying 22-28 per hour.Not really! Where I'm at the chains pay 22-25 per hour. Most MD OD offices won't pay more than 18 per hour.
Now...show me a chain that is hiring full-time. I'm opening a new office in 2 weeks, and interviewed more than a dozen opticians, all working for chains, ALL working part time. Would you rather make $25 an hour for 19 hours, or 20 an hour for 40 hours.
BTW, I was hiring full-time for this particular position.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
I can't talk for your area but around here all chains have everyone on 40 hours now they won't or don't like over time but still I know of no one at p/t unless they want p/t.
I dont know where you live, but in NY and NJ you need a minimum of 1200 dollars just to pay rent , If you own a home your talking thousands a month for a morgage. I do not think anyone will be getting people experienced and trained for substandard wages in todays market. I have worked in the optical field and can tell you in NJ opticans are being paid $27 and up an hour plus benefits. It only makes sense cause otherwise people would opt for a different profession and even that wage is difficult to make a go of it here in The Garden State. Dont undersell yourself, most of you have spent time going to college learning your trade and spent considerable sacrafices to secure loans to better yourself in order to earn a living and work in this professional trade.
But he is in TX. Move to the Midwest or the Great Plains and make half the money and live twice as nice. Nice housing runs $50-75/sf. Optician wages run $10-14/hr. Management runs something around $20/hr. An "Optician" to most employers have no college experience.
Listen to what they have to offer and then come back and tell us. We will then be able to offer ideas more tailored to your situation and more likely to work. You could for example work out an arrangement where you are bonused on the net sales after the cost of goods but that will only happen if you have some control over buying, or if the office does not do any edging you could offer to edge the jobs for the same price the lab charges and pocket that as extra money. You would be offering the patient/customer faster service in some cases if, for example, you kept some stock lenses on hand, and you would be earning more money. You could do a similar thing with tinting, you would assume liability for breakage but the lab would likely help you with that.
Shelly Girl
I might suggest the department of labors web sight. There they post salaries for most jobs in the US.
In Maryland the average is about $46000.00 to $50000.00 plus performance bonuses. Do not sell your self short, the market is very tight for qualified Opticians , I have been looking for one for the past 6 months and have come up dry.
Rick
I have openign for NJ optician in Jersey City , if interesting drop me a line or send your resume.
look for $40k+ , achievable/realistic bonuses, retirement, spiffs, vacation... sleep on it &ask yourself if you can live with what they offer. I'm sure there's other things to consider, but i would see what they have to offer & lay it out on the table. Work weekends= more $$, nights= more $, travel?= more money..... who do you answer to? 1 boss? 2? more than 2? GOOD luck & keep having fun... i know i do!!
Lens Whisperer
Convince them of your value and you should easily be able to pull out 50-70K, however, that being said, if it's possible for you, perhaps you can do a contract where after six months they review your progress and pay you the rate you asked based on performance. Sometimes you have to be creative and show them the value up front before they will bite. Just a suggestion!
How about instead of a "bonus" ask for a profit sharing type arrangement. So keep the $14/hr, but get a percentage of net. This would give you an incentive to both drive sales, and keep costs low. The glitch for you on this is.. you may not be profitable yet. Most likely you are still paying for the paint drying on the walls.
You could negotiate single percentage of gross dispensary sales. Still based upon your sales. Just no incentive to reduce costs.
I have been successful in negotiating raises or bonuses based upon performance goals. For example, I had asked for a hourly rate that my doc didn't think he could afford. We negotiated some metrics to gauge my performance by and if I hit the goals in 90 days, I would have proven my value, and receive the rate. Which I did in just over 2 months.
What is the current bonus concept?
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
The time to negotiate is BEFORE you start work, keep that in mind. Negotiate the raises and performance expectations in first.
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