orthogonal's Journal: "senior level web programmer" and SQL DBA, $10 per hour?

On craigslist.org I see under "Computer Gigs", an ad for a "senior level web programmer" with, additionally, "exceptional Microsoft SQL 2000 administration... skill".

By "senior", the ad explains, they mean "someone with at least 5 to 6 years working experience in Microsoft Platforms. Microsoft certification is a plus."

The offer requires a minimum three month contract, with set hours of 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Thursdays (with Fridays off). That's 20 hours a week (but without apparently the ability to time-shift or moonlight so as to accomodate another 9-5 job).

The compensation offered is $800 per month -- in other words, a "senior level web programmer" is apparently worth only ten dollars per hour.

And yes, I emailed them to confirm this, and they really do mean ten dollars per hous, twenty hours per week, minimum three month contract. And this is in the San Francisco area.

So my question is, is this what's becoming the norm, or is the job poster smoking something?

----
Addendum: As artifex2004 (766107) notes below, the job posting has been removed from craigslist.

However, another craigslist reader was er, kind enough to respond to the original listing; but I'm not sure how he calculated $12.50 an hour. (And no, I didn't make the response.)

Also, for those wondering about my email with the job poster, this is his reply to my query confirming his ad, with addresses elided:

Hi

Yea exactly we are a small start up. And that is our offer

Thanks

----- Original Message -----
From: orthogonal's address elided
To: job poster's address elided, too
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 2:42 PM
Subject: Wanted: SQL 2000 Admin With ASP, HTML skills

>>
>> From your ad at: http://www.craigslist.org/sby/cpg/54284856.html
>>
>> You're offering $10.00 per hour for a senior level web programmer?
>>
>> Quoted:
>> This is a senior level web programmer position. You will program and
>> manage our existing database driven community portal.
>>
>> We are looking for someone with at least 5 to 6 years working
>> experience in Microsoft Platforms. Microsoft certification is a plus.
>>
>> Working hours will be 10.30am to 3.30pm with Fridays Off. Salary is
>> $800/month. Minimum 3 months contract required.

Insane wage

[Zak3056]

Sadly, unemployment in California would pay better than this job. Even here in northeast Tennessee (not exactly the tech capital of the USA) someone with the required experience and skills would be offered more than that. And our cost of living is like an order of magnitude lower.

The worst part is there are probably enough people so hard up for a job right now that the guy has been overrun with resumes.

Re:Insane wage

[Frisky070802]

Maybe he thinks people are too hard up to do the math?!

Sounds fishy

[dead sun]

I bet they're looking for a college level intern who's been dinking around with this crap for a few years. They'll get what they pay for, of course.

For a college freshman that can schedule class around that it'd look good on a resume, Senior Level, ooh. It'll probably gather a good review from the employer, since they obviously have no clue about any of it. It's probably terrible pay for the area, but back on breaks in college visiting my parents in WI, it was a little under what I made to do similar stuff.

logic

[turg]

is this what's becoming the norm, or is the job poster smoking something?

These two options are not mutually exclusive.

Re:logic

[jamstar7]

is this what's becoming the norm, or is the job poster smoking something?

These two options are not mutually exclusive.

Except when you're the employee, then you have to pass the wizz quiz. Flunk it, and you get to find another $10/hr job.

link has been removed

[artifex2004]

so I can't see the job offer, maybe someone already got hired? :)

Anyway, even all but the lowest employees at Apple stores get paid more than that, according to a mac rumor website I read today. I know I made $15+/hr when I worked a survival job taking calls at a broker last year, before quitting to go back to school, too. On the other hand, when I was in college and working as a reading tutor to underprivileged/ESL kids, I made under $7/hr. (You can read about that here [everything2.com] and here [everything2.com].)

Some jobs are just under

Senior level?

[unitron]

Perhaps what they really mean is "high school senior" level.

craigslist low balls

[serano]

I have moved from SF (where I used craigslist a lot) to LA. I have gotten to where I never use craigslist in LA because 95%+ of the jobs are ludicrous, low-ball offers like you posted. At least the job in your post recognized the skills they were asking for were sr even if the pay they offered was well below jr. My guess is these people are seeing other postings like this and just thinking, "I doubt I'll find someone, but hey why not. It's cheap, and it's worth a try."