I got my first IT job back in April...salary offer might be renged...accept it?

thatguy67

I got my first IT job before school ended. I was hired on with the knowledge that I had no experience, and that I would get on the job training. They said it was an apprenticeship for the network engineer. The offer letter specified X salary for the first 90 days, then a raise at the 90 day mark, and another raise 6 months after that.

My boss brought up my pay on Friday and said that once I achieved three months of solid performance, then I would get a raise. I mentioned the offer letter and he said he forgot what he wrote. That worries me since he could have knowingly lied and is just trying to screw me. Then again it's a three-man shop where we manage 1500 machines so there is always a lot on his mind.

I am wondering if I should simply take what I can get at this point in my career? 3 months in and I am making somewhat decent money for entry-level. I can't live off it in Southern California, however. Would three months experience be sufficient in a job search? Should I stick it out for a solid year before trying to switch jobs? I feel like I could be more productive with my time, goals and studies if I didn't put in 10+ hour days 6 days a week. My job is mainly in Microsoft and I am more passionate about networking/Cisco.

The main thing keeping me on is the experience and a very distant second, the crappy pay. I am just unsure if the experience I am getting would be relevant if I want a networking job. For a networking job, would Microsoft experience mean anything? Sorry if this is obvious or whatever, please spare me the derision, just want input from people in the field, thanks.

LeBroke

Maybe wait on actually getting (not getting) the raise and/or bring up the offer letter first? It's very, very likely he did forget what he wrote.

Lenniusce

thatguy67 wrote: »

...The offer letter specified X salary for the first 90 days, then a raise at the 90 day mark, and another raise 6 months after that....

My boss brought up my pay on Friday and said that once I achieved three months of solid performance, then I would get a raise. I mentioned the offer letter and he said he forgot what he wrote...

I'm confused, isn't 3 months 90 days?

thatguy67

LeBroke wrote: »

Maybe wait on actually getting (not getting) the raise and/or bring up the offer letter first? It's very, very likely he did forget what he wrote.

True. I should wait until my next paycheck (mid August) before discussing it seriously.

Lenniusce wrote: »

I'm confused, isn't 3 months 90 days?

I started April 27. I am past the 90 day mark.

JoJoCal19

Since this is your first IT job I'd say if he does stiff you on pay, keep working on those certs and at your one year mark, apply for jobs elsewhere.

DoubleNNs

Try to stay for at least 6 months.
Microsoft experience WILL likely help you, especially if you're managing 1500 hosts like you say you are. You can learn a lot about general networking from working on Microsoft servers. IP addressing/subnetting. DNS/DHCP/AD/Security. Remote access (SSH/Telnet/RDP/VNC etc). You can also pick up automation skills - Python/PowerShell. Try to tie your interest to what you're currently doing on the job, it'll most likely make you learn faster.

Additionally, since this is your 1st IT position, it's possible you might not actually end up going the Networking route. I originally thought I was set on Cisco/Juniper. However, my 1st job was Linux. I picked up some skills and saw how versatile both Linux and the open source community can be, both professionally and personally. I left that job, completed 2 contracts in the networking realm, and then finally decided I was more interested in Linux and came back, full circle, to diving deeper into *Nix and automation.
Take the experience you're getting now, try to hang on a bit longer, and go from there. Hopefully you'll get that raise before the 6 month mark. But if not, you can switch then and it won't look as bad as staying for only 3 months and won't be as unbearable as sacrificing a full year.

Good luck!

ImThe0ne

DoubleNNs wrote: »

Try to stay for at least 6 months.
Microsoft experience WILL likely help you, especially if you're managing 1500 hosts like you say you are. You can learn a lot about general networking from working on Microsoft servers. IP addressing/subnetting. DNS/DHCP/AD/Security. Remote access (SSH/Telnet/RDP/VNC etc). You can also pick up automation skills - Python/PowerShell. Try to tie your interest to what you're currently doing on the job, it'll most likely make you learn faster.

Additionally, since this is your 1st IT position, it's possible you might not actually end up going the Networking route. I originally thought I was set on Cisco/Juniper. However, my 1st job was Linux. I picked up some skills and saw how versatile both Linux and the open source community can be, both professionally and personally. I left that job, completed 2 contracts in the networking realm, and then finally decided I was more interested in Linux and came back, full circle, to diving deeper into *Nix and automation.
Take the experience you're getting now, try to hang on a bit longer, and go from there. Hopefully you'll get that raise before the 6 month mark. But if not, you can switch then and it won't look as bad as staying for only 3 months and won't be as unbearable as sacrificing a full year.

Good luck!

I was very similar, convinced that Cisco networking was all I wanted to do all day. Now I work on a 100% Wintel team and decided it was what I enjoyed a lot more than the networking aspect. So, until you get into the world of it, you really are never 100% sure it's your thing. I never really expected to love the Wintel Server side of things, but that and Virtualization is about that can keep my interest anymore. I am heading more towards the "Cloud Engineering" type work.

Also, wouldn't it only be like 3 days past the 90 day mark?