I work in technical IT (VP) at one of the above here in Zurich. Salary around 135k plus possible 15% bonus if performance is very good.
Not overly satisfied in current position and can do more and promotion would be good. There is absolutely nil conversation about compensation here so I don't know how I am doing compared to peers. I have heard rumours that Swiss are paid more.
Anyone with insight to the above firms (or a better one) ? If you had your choice >>>> which would be the one to choose ?
Salary, professional work, Food (I heard one of the above really sucks), location, perks, internal opportunities for non-Swiss ?
I know that these are huge firms and one office can be different to the next so general comments.
First two look the best. Btw, VP with 135K, for sure you're compensation is low. At UBS even an AD gets more, same in at least other two of the above. I'd suggest to try and understand why you're underpaid.
A VP (if it means vice president) gets at the least the double of what you mentioned above, here in Switzerland... (in my short Swiss experience&knowledge of course...)
So or you didn't mean vice president, or maybe there will be something missing (I don't know, something like you don't speak German fluently, etc...) or they are paying you less just for fun
In my opinion you're not doing bad at all, 135K is quite a normal or even good salary for an experienced perm. Most perm jobs in IT are around 120K excl. bonus I would say.
I've never heard about Swiss getting more than others. That can either be because they never talk about such things, or because there aren't just many Swiss working in IT.
I think Salary is a very relative subject purely based on Job Title. Like someone mentioned it could really vary. VP Level Sales and VP level IT are very different even in top 2 banks you mentioned. The variation could be from 1 to even 3 times within the companies itself.
Another factor is your current base. So unless you are promoted or start doing something totally strategic and new, the chances of you getting more than 5% jumps are very less.
Having said that I think for VP IT thats is an average salary. I wouldn't call it underpaid.
i would be certain all these places are more or less the same in the end and you wouldn't be much happier in one place over another.
as an aside, i would assume you are well compensated. if i were CEO i would definitely not want to pay the computer guys that much, and would attempt to outsource IT tasks to a lower cost center to the greatest extent possible.
Outsourcing IT is a strategic point. It can cost much more to company than expected.
If you are talking simple or automated IT tasks yes but if you want business improvement and with company culture this can be a big failure to outsource.
^^ The OP isn't suggesting he's underpaid (unless I read it wrong) - he said he's not happy in his current position, and which of these 4 would we recommend as "best to work for". Don't want to sound schoolteacherish, but we're in danger of derailing the thread into another worthless "how much is enough" wage discussion.
Highly skilled, experienced IT people love CEOs like you, and wish you'd do more of this - after every debacle (sorry, strategic review) there follows the homecoming, and they then get paid even more than before to come in and clean up the mess.
Sorry, I don't really want to disappoint you... but VP is VP, otherwise somebody in the company is just playing around and making fun with roles&responsibities.
I understand that the same role can change by industries or departments, but in IT a VP is something quite well defined...
Otherwise, as I said before, something is missed/misunderstood.