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Author Topic: GM Salary and Benefits In the Mid West Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 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  |  IP: Logged Jeff Lacey Film Handler Posts: 54 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Jun 2005 posted 08-10-2007 12:56 AM                     Cody, I sent you a PM.  |  IP: Logged Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 08-10-2007 07:46 PM                     Hopefully the position includes a spell check program.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 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  |  IP: Logged Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 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  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 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 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.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Tony Ratcliff Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Madison, IN, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Phil Ranucci Expert Film Handler Posts: 236 From: Carpinteria,CA, United States Registered: May 2006 posted 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  |  IP: Logged Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged

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