What is a good first IT job and salary for someone with a BBA?

Gauchos

What sort of jobs should a I go for when I have:
Bachelor's degree: BBA in MIS
21yrs old
A+, Sec+, and Vista Certifications
little job experience (two summer jobs)
1 yr volunteer work in IT to learn things (from a friends company but not an official internship)
I have applied to about 40 positions and no luck
Should I be aiming higher than Help Desk Support?

I ask because most jobs require at least 2-3 yrs IT corp. environment experience and these are the jobs that are supposed to get a persons foot in the door.
Thanks

glenn_33

I'm really not sure off the bat. I do know experience is one of the most important factors though. I've got my A+ and Net+ with one year of experience and make $35k if that's any starting point for you. I'm sure someone here can give you some sort of range...:)

snokerpoker

It really depends on where you are located. With that being said, I'd say 35-40k would be reasonable.

ptilsen

Helpdesk or desktop support. $15-$19 /hr or $35 to $40 /year, depending on location. Maybe more in enormous metros (e.g. NYC), but that range will work for almost all metros.

If you can get some more experience and/or certifications and the skills that should go along with them, you could potentially be looking at something above helpdesk or desktop support. You don't have to start in helpdesk or DST, but it is very difficult to get low-level admin positions early in your career without something serious to show you're worth it.

Trifidw

Gauchos wrote: »

What sort of jobs should a I go for when I have:
I have applied to about 40 positions and no luck

I'm pretty sure I applied for hundreds before I got my first call, I was probably applying for nearly 40 a day. I had similar experience as yourself too.

Make sure your C.V. is perfect.

Gauchos

I could get the $45,000-$55,000 if I go the business route but I strongly believe in doing something I enjoy. So I guess I will take the pay cut hoping that in a few years I will move up rapidly, for now I will start searching for more Desktop/Help desk positions. Kinda feeling cheated by college right now since I thought it would be more valuable. At least it was paid for by scholarship or else I would be crying right now. Thanks everyone, now I have a better idea of where I should start and at what pay.

ptilsen

The value will come later. In this field, the degree gets more and more valuable later, in my opinion.

Akaricloud

I would say 35-45k depending on the area. Aim for either a higher level helpdesk/desktop support role or a jr. systems administrator job if you think you can handle it.

The week after I finished my MIS degree I started as a Systems Administrator in the 50k-60k range but that was due to my experience, not my degree.

Hypntick

35-45k, wow...some of you guys who have seen my resume would cry knowing what I make.

Honestly though with your degree and certs, help desk is where you'll probably start. I would say the ranges given are accurate depending on location.

Gauchos

I just got my first job offers . I got offered a low $32-33k but everyone tells me it's a really good company to start for. The other is a web dev position for another company for 40k but it's not what I want to do in life. Would 33k be too low for someone with a degree and certs? Am I being taken advantage of? It would be at a very good company.

lantech

The A+ and Security+ aren't worth a whole lot. They are good for entry level and government but that's about it.

You can always try and negotiate your salary up a little. Plus what kind of benefits will you be getting. I was contacted about a contract job one time and was actually offered 10 more per hour to help offset the high cost of the health insurance and the lack of vacation and holiday pay. So with good benefits that pay could be worth it.

Also, what is the position you are being offered and what area are you in?

apoole15

Only you can say whether or not you're being taken advantage of. I have heard from my IT friends that I could probably go somewhere else and make $5k to $10k more per year if I went to a different company. However, I love my job and the company I work for. They gave me opportunities that I would not have received somewhere else and every day I get a chance to work with a wide variety of technologies. Half the time I feel like I'm taking advantage of them.

From the way it sounds, you currently do not have a job in IT, correct? You want to break into IT, correct? You have an offer and a way to break into IT, correct? So... what's the problem? My advice, accept the job, learn as much as you can and then decide whether or not they are taking advantage of you.

You can hold out for days/weeks/months/years waiting for an offer that you think is fair - which may never happen. Or, you can start getting your feet wet, be in the career field that you want to be, gain some experience WHILE bringing home a paycheck and improve your chances for getting those higher paying jobs (possibly in the same company that has a reputation of being a very good company).

Just my opinion...

eserfeliz

apoole15 wrote: »

You can hold out for days/weeks/months/years waiting for an offer that you think is fair - which may never happen. Or, you can start getting your feet wet, be in the career field that you want to be, gain some experience WHILE bringing home a paycheck and improve your chances for getting those higher paying jobs (possibly in the same company that has a reputation of being a very good company).

Just my opinion...

I generally agree with this. My only addition to this would be to think very seriously about what role you're looking to perform, which it sounds as if you've already been doing. If you want to get into Security, don't go too far down the Ops path or be a dev, unless you'll have a chance to gain some experience doing other things that suit what you want to do in the future. Remember that a career is not just about trading work for a wage. It's about tailoring your skills and interests to an employer that can utilize and cultivate your talents. And if it's not going to be a long-term relationship, make sure to use them as much as they'll use you. I mean "use" in the context of experience, training, knowledge, etc. Don't go stealing the hard drives...

Gauchos

I have been giving thought of what I want to do and decided that I want to be a System or Network Administrator within 2 years. I have been applying to a lot more Desktop Support positions. I got my A+ about 4 days ago and I already got about 4 offers already (I applied to those jobs within the past 4 days). I guess the A+ really does make a difference since I have applied to about 40 something positions before the A+ and nada.

DEC901

Ultimately getting the first job in the field is more important than being selective but not by much!!!