Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: GM Salary and Benefits In the Mid West

This is topic GM Salary and Benefits In the Mid West in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=001912

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 08-09-2007, 07:22 PM:

Hello guys,

Saw a few posts about this, but none to specific yet. I've been talking to my theatres owner about a general manager position that has been open for some time now. I've been asked to come up with a salary for the position. I would love to get some input from other independent theatre gm's or chain gm's on what kind of benefits and/or money you are payed yearly. If you are not comfortable posting that info, private messagesw would be gladly accepted.

The theatre is an 8 screen and the position would include everything from regular booth maintenance, scheduling, cash control, building maintenance, ordering supplies, and finding new way to maximize profit.

As always, thank you all for your help
Cody

Posted by Jeff Lacey (Member # 3217) on 08-10-2007, 12:56 AM:

Cody, I sent you a PM.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 08-10-2007, 07:46 PM:

Hopefully the position includes a spell check program. [Big Grin]

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 08-12-2007, 01:07 AM:

Cody... not to downplay anything you bring to the table, but:
Is there some reason why your employer doesn't already have a good idea what to offer?

Just me, maybe, but I always thought an offer should come first from the employer. If you like it, take it. If not, ask for whatever adjustments you'd like to see. You always see employees that have an overinflated view of their worth, but more often than not, they get cold feet at the last minute and really lowball their salary request. That works for the employer, but doesn't necessarily make you happy.

Find out what the last manager was paid. Compare that to the job requirements. Make a judgment whether that seems fair and use it as a baseline to negotiate for what would make it a good package for you.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-12-2007, 08:57 AM:

Jack,

Although it is kinda stupid I've known other employers to offer a job with that question in mind. They just want to know what the employee thinks he's worth. That says something to some people although I never judge a person by the shoes he's wearing!!

Mark

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 08-12-2007, 09:17 PM:

Thank you all for your replies. They have been most helpful while doing this.

To answer the big question of why I'm bringing an offer...I think it's to see what I think would be fair for the amount of work I'll be doing or taking over.

The hardest part of this is trying to justify why I feel the salary(about a 40% increase over a year) I'm requesting is fair and trying to show how the company can afford the pay. Obviously I'll be taking over a big chunk of hourly duties(i.e. management shifts, film handling, building maintenance, projection problems, and lost show incidents). Do you owners/managers have any other costs that were cut down by putting someone on salary rather than as an hourly employee? I plan on also mentioning some of the ideas I would like to implement that can help increase revenues(loyalty card program, dark time rentals, etc).

Also, the position will not include any benefits other than the free movie perk. This isn't a huge deal at the current point as I'm still a college student living with parents, but within the next 2 years it will be. I figure that part of the wage increase will be used for that so I plan on also mentioning that in my request.

Thank you all again for your help. When I started my projector rebuild I never dreamed of this oppurtunity coming up. You all truly inspire us to work harder and keep moving forward!!!

Cody

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 08-13-2007, 10:25 PM:

Good luck Cody. Be very careful of a true salary pay rate. Be sure you get what's expected of you in writing. Many times salary=getting screwed royally.

Lots of companies like the salary pay type, simply because they know they are going to take advantage of you.
I repeat, get it in writing.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 08-13-2007, 10:43 PM:

quote: Cody Martin
Also, the position will not include any benefits other than the free movie perk. This isn't a huge deal at the current point as I'm still a college student living with parents, but within the next 2 years it will be. I figure that part of the wage increase will be used for that so I plan on also mentioning that in my request.

I could see them saying that they shouldn't pay you differently from someone else doing the same job just because you don't have health insurance and the other does.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 08-14-2007, 01:22 AM:

Be sure that you and the theatre owners have a clear understanding of what "building maintenance" is. Will you be expected to replace a worn flush diaphram on a stool or urinal? I had a rather heated discussion about that last subject with my former and last DM at Regal. She felt that since I had the knowledge of how to do it that it fell within the scope of being a manager and tried pulling that "be a company man" crap. I told her that was a pile of [bs]

I was being paid to be a manager NOT a plumber. I was being paid to make sure it got taken care of, ie. call a plumber out to fix it.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 08-14-2007, 05:22 AM:

If they are not offering any health benefits you should add a reasonable amount to your salary request to compensate. You should also consider building your retirement account now so that down the road you will be financially able to retire. Ask about a matching 401k.

Posted by Tony Ratcliff (Member # 1196) on 08-14-2007, 04:02 PM:

If I was in your shoes, I'd worry about why this position has been open for so long.
It seems like a GM position is pretty important to leave open for any length of time.

Sounds like maybe the owners are wanting too much from this position and offering too little for it.

On the salary thing, I have been asked that question in interviews for corporate positions.
I also have found it was an annoying, trick question.
If you say more than the number they are thinking, you're seen as full of yourself; if you say less than what they are thinking, then they think you're possibly underqualified, OR worse yet, they think AHA I can hire you and save XX dollars.
Either way, you loose.

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 08-15-2007, 12:03 AM:

Hello again guys!

Thanks again for your help. There have been some really good ideas in here that I will be taking to my meeting with the Operation Manager. I think I have a salary that is fair for the position and to me. I have accounted for health insurance in the amount I will be requesting also. I'm also going to bring up the retirement plan as I feel that that is a great idea(and I really do need to start ASAP).

Also, to clarify on the open job situation. We have had 4 assistant managers and the owner for around a year now. There was a GM before that, but according to the employees the company decided to get rid of that position due to a lack of initiative in the person. Lately our owner has noticed we have needed someone to take charge again and get everything to a high excellence level and the position became available again. Hope that makes sense.

Thank you again for your help. I'll keep you updated on the situation.

Posted by Phil Ranucci (Member # 3820) on 09-04-2007, 01:13 AM:

Not to rain on your parade, but how will this affect your studies? I see lots of people think that they can work full-time and go to school. In the end they realize that they don't really have any days off and are essentially always on call. It doesn't work and they leave to stick with school.Don't lose sight of the bigger picture.
Phil

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 11-06-2007, 06:03 AM:

Hello all,

Just wanted to send an update. I've been the GM now for 1 1/2 month. It's been a ton of hard work, but it's all been worth it.

To let everyone know on the salary situation. For certain non-busy periods during the year(about 12) I'm payed hourly, plus a stipend. During the other periods I make a straight salary.

Thank again for all of your support, it's been most helpful!
Cody

See you at the TOI dinner if you'll be there tonight.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-07-2007, 08:22 AM:

For certain non-busy periods during the year(about 12) I'm payed hourly, plus a stipend. During the other periods I make a straight salary.

Eh? This, at least as written, sounds like you are getting screwed. As I read it, you are salaried when times are busy, so you don't get paid (even straight time) for extra work, but when times are slow you are being paid hourly. We have a word for that here in New Jersey, and it starts with "F" and ends with "ucked". The purpose of being salaried is so your employer gains when you are busy and you gain when times are slow.

Posted by Mike Williams (Member # 1140) on 11-07-2007, 09:32 AM:

Not only is what his employer is doing to him unethical (by shifting back and forth between hourly and salary) it might even be illegal. It is obvious that the owners are doing this to prevent him from getting a full wage during slow periods and from paying overtime when it is busy.

Cody, you should check out this website: US Dept of Labor - FLSA

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 11-07-2007, 09:44 AM:

Well you have to take in mind...

If Cody is still a college student he probably isn't available all hours a normal GM of a theater would be available, plus the job title alone is giving him a nice title to put on his resume. If he's happy with the job as is, it might be working good both ways.

Just my opinion.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-07-2007, 10:03 AM:

It is indeed illegal to shift an employee back and forth from salary to hourly status.

A salary worker has a significantly higher federally mandated minimum wage. I forget what the exact current level is, but I'm pretty sure it is around $450 per week. The downside to "salary" status is the technical name for this status: "exempt." Salary workers are exempt from receiving overtime pay.

It seems obvious to me that anyone shifting a worker from salary to hourly status is likely failing to pay the minimum wage for an "exempt" employee and avoiding paying any overtime as well. Very hinky.

In bargaining for a new position, one should definitely factor in the rising cost of health insurance as well as other costs when taking the job. If the company carries no health insurance policy or has one where the employee must foot some or all of the bill, then you have no choice but to demand a better salary to offset that cost.

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 11-07-2007, 04:27 PM:

Hello guys,

Thanks for all of your input. I should have put a few other details in. The duties are different between the two differnt types of work. The slow periods line up pretty well with school, so it does work out nice for me as I'm not required to put in the 40+ hour week to get the salaried amount. I do agree with the fact it'll look good on a resume, which is always good for a college student..or anyone for that matter. I'm making enough either type of week to pay for school so I can't complain honestly. I am getting a few additional benefits also that were not originally bargained for.

Hope this helps a little more,
Cody