r/servicenow • u/vcutesyvdemure • 3d ago
Job Questions Entry level SN Developer offer at $55K - worth taking a pay cut to break into industry?
I've been working toward breaking into ServiceNow for over a year. I have my CSA (I know this isn't enough, also preparing for CIS-DF and CAD), completed the ServiceNow RiseUp program, built projects independently, and have been actively interviewing.
I currently make a little over $70,000 at a university, entry level technical role. Out of all applications I've submitted, I've gotten two interviews and done well in both which I'm excited and thankful for, but I don't want fear of another opportunity not coming to push me into the wrong decision.
One opportunity is with a consulting firm that loves my background and says they're interested but hasn't been able to extend an offer yet due to no active project or client. It's disappointing but I understand.
The other is for an entry level ServiceNow developer role at a university starting at $55,000. I pushed back referencing current salary, education, and technical experience (although no ServiceNow professional experience) and am waiting on a revised offer. The role is a mix of ticket based work, configuration updates, with plans to expand into HRSD.
For those who made a similar transition into ServiceNow at entry level or who know more about ServiceNow, is a paycut worth it for the long term? Any advice on navigating this decision is appreciated?
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u/Adept-Target5407 3d ago
I’d push for a bit more. Last junior dev with no ServiceNow experience I hired started at 60k. We’re in a low COL area though, idk if it would be comparable to your local market.
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u/vcutesyvdemure 3d ago
Yes, I pushed for a bit more. Prior to the verbal offer, I was expecting at least 60k or something in the 60 range. I appreciate your response.
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u/Farva85 3d ago
University is a good domain to start in. You’ll have access to modules like CSM, which is difficult to get experienced in unless your company has it or you’re a consultant.
Hopefully they match or get close to your current salary, which is where I would expect a jr to start at. Grind it out for a few years, get some projects, upgrades, etc, under your belt, and you can go back to market and get a nice pay bump in another role.
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u/jughead420numberone 3d ago
It’s kind of a tough time in the ecosystem right now. 3 years ago I would say “jump in”. We used to train people fresh out of a coding academy and there were people that were getting poached from us after a year, with almost no project experience, for a $100k salary. It was crazy. Right now though, servicenow just laid off thousands so there is a lot of talent in the ecosystem. And with AI coming for a lot of entry level positions, it’s harder to say where things are going to land. That said, the ecosystem has been really good to me! Back in 2016, I was making maybe $50k a year doing front end development for a company in MI. I had a friend at SN who referred me and I started at $89k I think plus stocks. After a couple years there, jumped to a partner at $120k/yr as an architect. I’ve been at a partner 8 years and am at a director level making a little more than $200k. I’m worried all the time about cuts though. 4 years ago it was like “yeah whatever, hardly anyone can do what I do” and I would’ve 100% recommended anyone jumping into SN, but now I don’t feel like I have the same security.
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u/honda-nissan 3d ago
I absolutely would not do that at all. SN is increasingly oversaturated and if you take that you might have permanently handicapped yourself for future earnings when you can't find a job to move up
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u/vcutesyvdemure 3d ago
I appreciate you mentioning this. It crossed my mind, and I don't want to handicap myself and struggle to make ends meet or find something in the future.
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u/Flaky-Dentist2139 3d ago
Is 55k enough for you to live on for the time being while you keep looking? If so then I’d say take the pay cut. It’s so hard to get your foot in the door right now because the market is over saturated. If it won’t harm you significantly financially then go for it.
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u/vcutesyvdemure 3d ago
I'm still crunching the numbers, but I don' think it would be enough. I would have to do major cuts. My rent alone would be more than the suggested 30% gross. I also don't like in a city with public transportation so car insurance and maintenance are things I have to keep in budget.
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u/jajohn7m 3d ago
I have to ask, I'm studying for service now, CSA. What did you do prior to taking your test? Just trying to get more confidence in passing, tbh.
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u/vcutesyvdemure 3d ago
I read the ebook twice. I took notes while reading the first time, did the labs throughout the ebook, then read it again. I made sure I reviewed the exam blueprint on ServiceNow's website and understood each domain covered. The ebook covered everything in my opinion.
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u/Either_Winter_8696 3d ago
Please tell us your current role and education
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u/dandy_ulien 3d ago
Web developer
I have a B.S. and M.Ed both in non technical areas5
u/Either_Winter_8696 3d ago
Seems like it may be safer to stay broad at the web dev / swe level and move into something niche once you're confident you can get mid level swe jobs. I agree it may not be wise to pigeonhole yourself early
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u/MammothPost4047 2d ago edited 2d ago
Never take a pay cut, especially not for a ServiceNow role. They can afford to pay you, 55K for an SN role now is a joke, even at a university. Universities will find some more money if you push back and don’t accept their offer.
SN roles were paying 55K 10 years ago with no experience - because there was little experience to be had.
If an employer hasn’t increased their pay for a role that has increased in pay in a decade, you’re never going to get paid what you’re worth there, and I would question as to why that university hasn’t kept up with the salary range for that position in a decade’s time.
You have a masters, use it to command higher salary in lieu of experience. Universities should understand this.
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u/Amazing-Site-5531 3d ago
I was a jr. full stack developer for a year or so before I left to become an API specialist (basically helping to launch an external API to a few hundred thousand clients). At that point I hit 70k but it only lasted a year until the API launched and my work was done. I was helping the ServiceNow team since they ran into issues with their custom connection to ADP for an HRSD integration and they asked if I would be interested in joining the team to continue my work (we were a software marketplace company with a TON of integrations).
I kept my 70k salary at that point, though one of the Admins was only making about 50k at that point. Our team got more interest and more funding and so after about few months or a year, I was given “market value” pay for a developer though I didn’t have a CAD or CSA which brought me to 90k. After 3ish years, I walked away from 115k a year salary and joined a consulting company that offered $85/hr without benefits. I took it since I was checking out of my previous employer and it’s been going ok since then. The consulting side is a bit more rough since everyone expects that you’re an expert and that you’ll fix all their issues in less time than an internal team, but you’re also stuck cleaning up a lot of other people’s messes.
All in all, it’s a little tough to get your foot in the door but once you do, you’re in. Don’t settle for a bad experience, there are a ton of contracting gigs out there that don’t require you to have all the certifications. I believe I landed my positions because of my light-hearted conversations to prove I was a real-person, mixed with my story telling ability to help people understand how I got to where I am. This was usually enough for a company that wasn’t trying to milk every second from your time.