Advice. Repair shop tech vs tier 1 help desk

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I work in a laptop repair store as the lead, and only full time technician.

I interviewed for a job with better pay and benefits that is 100% phone support, tier 1 help desk.

I have no certifications or degrees, entirely self trained.

The owner of the tech shop I work in is a great boss. I have total freedom and control over what I do.

He has offered to match the $ value of help desk job offer I just received.

I need advice.

My thinking is that since I have work in the repair shop environment for about 5 years, I have little more to learn and few ways to advance. From a technical perspective I view the help desk job is lesser then my current one where I have to be able to solve any and all random computer problems over a wider range of devices, hardware and software.

It seems to my my resume and job experience is stuck here indefinably unless I:
A. Get a degree or certs, or
B. Gain new job skills/experience.

I am leaning toward the help desk job as I think it adds a tangible example of more skill sets. Where as I don't think more years of tech shop work adds anything.

Some more info on the business I currently work in. Technically the owner of the repair shop makes less money then me on this business. He does not need it to put food on the table. He retired from IBM and claims his reason for buying this business is the "diversify his investments".

I seems the literal best possible future advancement for me here is to someday buy the business from the owner. But I'm not really sure I want to run my own repair shop anyways. So perhaps that answers it for my unless there is something I do not know about working help desk.

Some info on the help desk company. It was not a big room under florescent lights with cubicles all over. It looked like a small company trying to emulate the look and feel of working for google. Different break rooms with odd hipsterish furniture, all named after comic books (the bat cave was one). Free snacks, free lunch once a week, free food during extended shifts, happy hour bar every Friday.

Also assume that my ultimate goal would be to work up some kind of sys or network admin job in the future.

Any advice on this from anyone with experience would be appreciated.

markulous

As you said, you should pick the job that better suits your future. If it's a tier 1 help desk with a bunch of clients and close to full end-user support, and with better opportunities for other positions, I don't think it's a contest. Repair store is great for a first job, but there's no future in it.

snunez889

Its tough leaving a job you been at for a while. The help desk job can lead to exposure in other areas the repair shop can't. If it was me I would take the help desk job and move forward with your career.

iBrokeIT

Ive worked at two different computer repair shops and an ISP helpdesk. I would recommend going helpdesk, the work is more soul crushing but you should be able to gain far more and better experience.

Trashman

First day at a Tier 1 Help Desk

Welcome To The Internet Helpdesk - Official Version - YouTube

Would stick to repair shop and gain some certifications.
As you mentioned great boss and total freedom and control over what you do.