Got an interview and a job today... Advise needed

ipchain

Please refer to the subject to see what this thread is about...

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I don't know whether I will take it or not, probably not. There's not much room to grow in that company, and I did not like the environment. There's about 40 people in a room separated by cubicles. They receive about 100 calls a day on average, so it's not that bad.

The reason why I'm leaning towards not taking it because there's not much room for growth, and I would be leaving a company in which I have a permanent position, and great benefits.

Don't get more wrong, I don't expect to be offered the best when starting out, but I gotta have some sort of guarantee - I cannot afford to find myself without a job in a couple of months because like you, I too have bills.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated. If you were in my position, would you leave a permanent job in which you have seniority and great benefits ( 2 weeks paid vacation, 6 sick days, and 5 personal days / year ) for a job like this one? Considering it offers no guarantees, and you did not like the environment?

I understand breaking into IT is hard, but can I expect to get anything better than this? Or is this what I'll be looking at more for less? Thanks for bearing with me

blargoe

What is the job?

ipchain

blargoe,

It's a HelpDesk Technician job. I went to a group interview and was 'chosen' by the hiring Manager.

emmajoyce

What kind of job do you have already? Would this be your first IT job? what are the prospects of getting another entry level job around your area? Do you really hate the job or the environment? How did management seem? Are the benefits comparable??
If your like me, i wont hear from anybody for a long period. Then out of the blue someone will give me a job. As soon as i take it, I will get three more offers at one time. It makes me feel bad if i quit. oh well

Kaminsky

How many other job offers do you have? Is there much work around your area? Is this your breakin job ?

If it is your entry job I would say take it if there isnt a lot else around. Even if you only do it for a year or so to get your bums on seat experience, you will still have money coming in while your still studying. Helpdesk experience is a good thing, and can lead on to more technical roles, as it brings it home to you why your there in IT. You get to know the users and the problems they face and, later on when you are in a more 3rd line role with little user interaction, knowing who you are there to help will be a good thing. It also gives you very good exposure in how to deal with difficult and demanding users which can prove invaluable later on.

TechJunky

What is your current job title/roles?

For a beginning tech job a call center type atmosphere is good. However, IMO it should only be used as a stepping stone. If there is no growth from the call center atmosphere it will be very hard for you to land a job that deals with implementation of updates, policy's etc.

Let us know what you are giving up and what you would be recieving.

DirtySouth

Based on what you've told us, I would say stick with your current job. You've listed numerous good things about your current job & NOT one positive thing about this new job. Seems pretty straight forward if you ask me. Am I missing something?

IonCannon

If you dont get good vibes when you walk into a place, it's usually a bad sign. I mean desperate times call for desperate measures and if you arent really getting a huge pay increase 10-15% or more and the job isnt really an upgrade in your career path, just wait. Something will come up that is better usually....keep on keepin' on.

BryanM67

If you want to move up, I suggest finding the nearest school (preferably a community college because they have relatively cheap tuition), and take some night courses (one or two a semester) that will increase your knowledge and possibly prepare you for a marketable certification. Then when the opportunity you want arrives, you will have the qualifications.

ipchain

Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate them.

Bryan,

I have an Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems and should be getting my MCSA 2003 next week. I am also enrolled in FIU ( Florida International University ) pursuing a Bachelor in IT.

While I am desperate to break into IT, I did not think this was the right choice to make even though I was leaning towards taking the chance.

What kept me thinking about taking this position was the fact that I could really expand my resume after a couple of months by mentioning I provided support for Continental Airlines and GM.

I was recently informed my salary was increased at my current job and have decided to stay as it'll allow me to continue my studies while keeping the benefits.

I'll certainly try to seek an intership of some sort so I can get some 'real world' experience and be able to put that on my resume once I graduate. I will also try to find a part-time or something so I can gain that experience as well while still studying, and working fulltime. It'll be hard, but not impossible.

Oh and I almost forgot...

While I don't have any fancy company names to put on my resume, I did manage a Linux server for about 3 years a couple of years ago. I had to chance to recompile the kernel remotely, set up user permissions, configure and host DNS zones, set up a ftp server, install and configure mysql/pop3 server, and write scripts in bash among other things. I obviously don't mention this on my resume because I did it as a hobby and did not get paid so it literally is not considered a job in my opinion.

Anyways, I have learned something from all of this. Experience matters more than anything nowadays, and most employers do want to see fancy company names. It can also be quite frustrating trying to break into IT without 'experience' .

Again, thanks a lot for the comments. Have a nice weekend guys!