New Job Transition

Pilotreborn

So Im currently enrolled in WGU and I work as a tier 1 technical support for a hotspot development company and I troubleshoot a variety of end users on wired and wireless networks in a call center making $13.50 an hour.

I have about 3 years experience working part time and during the summers in SEO. At my current job the Director of Operations sent out an email askign if anyone had experience with that and they were looking internally for someone to fill the position. So long story short I went through various interviews and meetings and they want me to take the position. I will be working for 1 month full time on a trial basis to see if I add value to the company and if im a good fit. Then I will move into the position permanently.

From the research that I have done "entry" level positions working in house for this postion start off making 40-45k a year. This would be a big increase from what I am making now.

What I am concerned with is a couple things, if this will be moving my overall career in the right direction or if this will be moving me indirectly out of the IT field more into marketing, which isnt particulary what I want to do in the long run. And if they will pay me what the industry dictates which is the 40-45k entry level, which I would think since I have some experience should be 50kish. I am a little worried they might try to low ball since im making so much less than what that position is worth currently.

So any input you guys have would be greatly appreciated, I follow the forum regularly and always appreciate your insight.

Regards,

Essendon

Which way do you want your career to go? Do you want the money now or the cool career in a few years? If you want to get into system/network administration, this may not be the right choice. In addition, if they do try to low ball you, then just stay in your current position as helpdesk and start working on the resume and the certs and start flooding the resume all over.

Pilotreborn

Well I guess im in a position where I want to have my cake and eat it too. I am getting married in june of next year so having the good paying job now would be very helpful at increasing my savings and stability for my new married life. But also I do want to have a successful career down the road as well.

I am currently going to WGU for Network Administration and would like to go into that field and I think focusing/specializing in security would be exciting and a good path for me.

Yea I think if they do try to lowball me it wont be a hard desicion for me keep my current position because I have a flexible schedule now, and I study a lot at work which is a large benefit to me. Also the yearly performace reviews were going to be in a about a month and I was going to negotiate for a raise, since I now have 2 certifications under my belt and have been taking on a lot of responsibility at my current position.

But I will be going to the marketing department in 2 weeks, so its kind of bad timing I think.

Hypntick

I'm in help desk myself, I realize there isn't a lot of motivation to stay in the job. However don't be lured by the higher pay if you can. That's why i'm looking to get out of this help desk and into a higher responsibility position. My company pays 45k+ for L1 help desk, there are quite a few folks who are in 10 year+ stints there. You can tell they came for the money and stayed long enough to end any career advancement for themselves.

Pilotreborn

Wow, well you certainly are making good money for tier 1 support. I guess my largest concern is if this will hurt me in about a year and a half once I have my degree and all my certs backing me post graduatuation at WGU.

I will want to move on to greener pastures, I will have about a year and a half experience with tier 1 support and it would be roughly a year a half experience at this business with SEO. If I choose to take this position after the 1 month trial. What do you guys think as far as that goes?

Essendon

I sometimes wonder why people stay on in Helldesk for so many years. Maybe they have no ambitions of any sort, or cant be bothered to find a better job, or for some other obscure reason just stay put.

Pilotreborn

That was exactly my thought process, I have a year and a half experience roughly now in helpdesk. I also now have 2 entry level certifications. So I see this as moving up making more money and taking on larger responsibilities. My only major concern was if this would negatively impact me when I look to get another job in IT/ Networks administration or security after I work in SEO.

Essendon

I hate to say this but a HR person wouldnt have more than one glance at your resume if you had a search optimisation role listed and you applied for a sys/network admin position. Heck, your resume might not even make it through the keyword filter that the HR duds use. If you need the money, I reckon take the SEO role (but maybe dont list it in the resume so you dont diminish your chances), and keep applying for a server/networking role. And step up the gas on those certs. At the end, you gotto do what you gotto do.

Pilotreborn

Ok, another possibility that I thought of is that during the 1 month trial Ill bust my ass and do anything and everything I can to impress them. During the meeting/interview to evaluate my performace and to negotiate pay etc. I try to take on more responsibility and request that I work with information security and or website security or networking in adition to the seo work I will be doing.

I think this is a plausibile option because the company is still fairly small and the job descriptions for almost all positions are very gray. Meaning what what your job description says you are suppose to do and what you actually end up doing are 2 different things.

So idk, if I could somehow swing that it would be phenomenal experience and would be stellar to get my foot in the door. The way I would spin the conversation that way is explain that this is what im majoring in and am expanding my knowledgebase in and I would love to get real world experience assiting our company with what I know and what I will be learning in school.

Input? Thanks for your advice so far everyone, I appreciate it.

Regards,

Pilotreborn

Any more input guys? Would love to get some more opinions about this before it gets to close to the wire.

SteveO86

Working in helpdesk for over a year, I'd say you've spent a good enough time there.

If your end goal is Network Administration, which is what your degree will be in from WGU maybe get a few networking certs along. I would honestly hang tough in the help desk studying/cramming away and jump to a Jr Network Admin job later on. Going into a marketing type job might bring you some good money but it will disconnect you a bit from the troubleshooting aspect of the world.

Normally companies don't give you a bump of 15-20k.. (It's just HR crap/policy but it's there) It happens don't get me wrong but it isn't too common.

On the flip side you might like over in marketing who knows?