Had Two Interviews Today

the_Grinch

I had two interviews today. First one was first line phone support for an e-commerce company. My buddy works there and got me to apply. Pay isn't great (I'd have to get a second job), but it's better then nothing and I would get 4 day work weeks! Second one was a computer tech for a school district. I've done that for a year so I am confident in my abilities, but again pay wasn't what I was hoping for. I e-mailed my college about the position and they said they were still looking at their options. Seems my luck just won't change.....

NetAdmin2436

Hang in there man. A low paying job is better than no job. Just remember too, you can always keep looking after you get the job. Sometimes the low paying job will open a door to something much better.

Good luck

skrpune

NetAdmin2436 wrote: »

Hang in there man. A low paying job is better than no job. Just remember too, you can always keep looking after you get the job. Sometimes the low paying job will open a door to something much better.

Good luck

+1. Unless you've got ample unemployment insurance left, sometimes it's better to take that less than ideal job than to wait it out. Depends on your circumstances I suppose.

Good luck, hope you hear some good news soon!

the_Grinch

Thanks guys! As always, you guys are correct!

NightShade03

I feel your pain. Been looking myself for over 6 months now. I'm actually a tech for a school district too (actually work for a private company that is hired by the school district). Money does suck....but like everyone said it is a job.

And school lunches rock

captobvious

NightShade03 wrote: »

I feel your pain. Been looking myself for over 6 months now. I'm actually a tech for a school district too (actually work for a private company that is hired by the school district). Money does suck....but like everyone said it is a job.

And school lunches rock

Pizza Day!

TravR1

hahahah! I remember Pizza day! And those tiny little cartons of milk, and chocolate milk available on Fridays

NightShade03

"I remember Pizza day! And those tiny little cartons of milk, and chocolate milk available on Fridays"

Haha we can eat from the teachers lounge area where you can have chocolate milk everyday Plus the full lunch (drink, side, main dish) is only $3.00

TXOgre

NightShade03 wrote: »

I feel your pain. Been looking myself for over 6 months now. I'm actually a tech for a school district too (actually work for a private company that is hired by the school district). Money does suck....but like everyone said it is a job.

And school lunches rock

This is a bit off topic, but I think it's a shame that our school districts have to low ball something as essential as IT. It's hard to keep people around when you can't pay them what the market demands.

itdaddy

ah those were the days. even 20 years ago or give or take 25 haa
they had pizza day and little cartons of milk yeah!

hhaha

dude best of luck to you...we all feel your pain..but there are guys on this forum who make six digits and say hang in there our day will come..

yeah unemployment makes a fraction of what a job pays and at least you will have more experience and might open doors especially in school districts..go for it dude..you are not the only one who is going thru it I know I get paid crap but exposure to the job is great. we get all kinds of gismos cause we are a credit union.we have the bucks for the newest toys;)

NightShade03

TXOgre wrote: »

This is a bit off topic, but I think it's a shame that our school districts have to low ball something as essential as IT. It's hard to keep people around when you can't pay them what the market demands.

Actually you would think this, right? In fact it is quite different where I am (on Long Island) they aren't low balling at all. Out here most people get hired by one of the 3 consulting firms for the island depending on where you live. The company pays you a crap wage and sticks you in whatever school district they have a spot for you. HOWEVER, the company turns around and charges the school per technician or engineer that they place there. So even though the company pays me peanuts they charge the district that I'm in $90,000 for me to be there.

And if you think that is crap...there are 4 techs and 1 engineer where I am. The district pays 90k per tech 160k for the engineer. Clearly I'm in the wrong business and should be consulting on my own lol

the_Grinch

Yeah school districts here pay crap. But, I do find that as a tech at a school district I got a lot more respect then anywhere else. Teachers don't give me crap, kids don't talk to you, and administration has always held my opinions in high regard. Like anywhere, it has it's ups and downs. Just sucks that I have been actively looking since October. Savings are just about drained (got lucky and won at the casino). So here's to the continued hunt and good luck to everyone else that is looking! Is there a support group for us yet?

NightShade03

Haha I second the support group. And good luck as well to anyone still looking. All I can say is welcome to the club

ipconfig.all

Be happy that you got a call back for a interview. Some people who have a lot education, experience are still stuck.

the_Grinch

Got another interview. It's a Sales Engineering position and the phone interview is on Wednesday. Seems like a good company, good pay, and chances for bonuses. Plus get to work with networking and SANs!

Aldur

good luck on that, sounds like it would be a great job to have.

the_Grinch

Yeah hoping everything goes well!

qcomer

Honestly, I work for Education. I worked for a k-12 charter district before as their technology coordinator.

Currently, I work for the County's Office of Education.

And I just got offered a position for another School District (I will probably start next week)

the pay, benefits and environment are not bad.

btowntech

Thought I would chime in to say that I also did my time as a PC technician for a school system. Pay wasn't that great but it did allow me to go back to school to get my 4 year degree. Took it upon myself to learn and manage the networking equipment and earned my CCNA in the process. It was a great stepping stone to get me where I am today as a network engineer for a military contractor (plus the pay is better).

By the way, if I decided to eat in the cafeteria I usually didn't have to pay because I took great care of the cafeteria manager! Just remember to take care of the people who give you raises and feed you (and everyone else).

the_Grinch

I will say I never ate in a school cafeteria while I was working at a school district. Too many great places to eat around where I worked and it was nice after all those years of torture to be able to just leave the building whenever!

qcomer

btowntech wrote: »

Thought I would chime in to say that I also did my time as a PC technician for a school system. Pay wasn't that great but it did allow me to go back to school to get my 4 year degree. Took it upon myself to learn and manage the networking equipment and earned my CCNA in the process. It was a great stepping stone to get me where I am today as a network engineer for a military contractor (plus the pay is better).

By the way, if I decided to eat in the cafeteria I usually didn't have to pay because I took great care of the cafeteria manager! Just remember to take care of the people who give you raises and feed you (and everyone else).

For me, it works out great. Then again, Im not a computer technician. Ive been a Network Administrator, Technology Coordinator, and now going to be a Network Tech/Admin for a larger district.

Ive seen some of the pay scales for "PC Tech" positions at districts, I do have to admit...they pay gap between those and my positions are quite big.

I dont really plan on ever leaving education firms from now on. I started in private sector and Im really comfortable where I am at now.

btowntech

the_Grinch wrote: »

I will say I never ate in a school cafeteria while I was working at a school district.

Trust me, I ate lunch at home most days unless I was really bogged down.

qcomer wrote: »

I dont really plan on ever leaving education firms from now on.

I grew up in education and also worked for the school district that I graduated from (knew all the teachers). Luckily it was 6 years after I graduated.

the_Grinch

I had a phone interview that went really well and they want to take me to lunch sometime next week. I also got a call from a company that I interviewed for in December to come in and talk about an opportunity that they have available.

Aldur

sweet, good luck with that! Hopefully one of those fish bite

msteinhilber

the_Grinch wrote: »

I had a phone interview that went really well and they want to take me to lunch sometime next week. I also got a call from a company that I interviewed for in December to come in and talk about an opportunity that they have available.

Great news, free lunch at the very least! And that's also nice to know about the interview from December... you must have made a good impression if they want to bring you back in to discuss an opportunity!

Best of luck!

jediknight

Good luck and keep your head up! Things will definitely turn around and get better for you!

the_Grinch

Yeah both positions are really great, but one would be much more hands on and I'd get to work with a lot of different technology. Plus they are currently a 2 IT Person shop (one doesn't really know IT though) so I would be working. They've also just implemented VOIP and are having some major issues with it. Friday at 2pm I find out what I'll be doing and what they are looking to pay. The other big bonus is they will pay for graduate school anywhere and for as many credits as I would like to take.

The other company will have a higher starting pay (as far as I can see). I'd be able to work from home most of the time (minus meetings in the office and presentation for clients). Plus I believe I would get some percentage of commission on each sale. But they only give $5200 a month for school and the hands on isn't anywhere near the other place. So as you can see I am leaning toward one, but giving everyone a chance!

mikez

i work for a school district (going on 1 year in july). I went from the private sector to public k-12 and got a 15k pay raise. My days got shorter, commuting time went from 3 hours a day to 30 minutes a day round trip. It was a win-win situation for me. Of course i always have my eye open for other opportunities in other districts if they open up. I do get paid pretty well but i also support the soup to nuts operations of a 3000 student, 4 school district, me and 1 other full timer. don't get me wrong, we do stay very busy. From what I hear and see there isn't so much talent around the area which is probably why the compensation is higher.

the_Grinch

Had what I thought was suppose to be a job offer and turned out to be another job interview. Also, to be told that I was in the running with someone else. More or less I was jerked around today....

WillTech105

^
Dont worry about that. Employers love telling you "we're still interviewing people" or "your one of our top 3..."

Now I was never on the other side of the interviewing table but it seems to me that they like to put pressure on you when they say that. For me its a sign that they'll offer you the job. The three times I got that pitch they called me within days offering me the position.

sambuca69

the_Grinch wrote: »

Had what I thought was suppose to be a job offer and turned out to be another job interview. Also, to be told that I was in the running with someone else. More or less I was jerked around today....

So was it a technical or social interview and how did you do?