Taking a cheap Help Desk position

Hi everyone. I current job is not related to IT and I am looking to get into IT field. Have been looking for a job with so far no success. I came across a Help Desk position which pays $10/hr. I know it is very low but really want to get some IT hands on. Is it worth taking such low paying job? How long u think I should work there before I can start looking for something better?

Thank you!!

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srabiee

sanrus wrote: »

Hi everyone. I current job is not related to IT and I am looking to get into IT field. Have been looking for a job with so far no success. I came across a Help Desk position which pays $10/hr. I know it is very low but really want to get some IT hands on. Is it worth taking such low paying job? How long u think I should work there before I can start looking for something better?

Thank you!!

How much professional and non-professional IT experience do you have?

Do you have a degree?

How much are you making now at your current job?

Need more info.

NetworkVeteran

srabiee wrote:

How much are you making now at your current job?

+1. If you're now making nothing, this is a huge step up! If you're already making $50/hr, then a flat no.

sanrus

AS Degree in Computer Engineering Tech with specialization on Microsoft Server. Have A+N+Sec+. Have about 3 non-professional it experience college/house lab, and 2 years of IT support in small office (as my secondary role at work). I am currently making 35-40k.

NetworkVeteran

$40,000/yr is approximately $20/hr. If you're already making that much, and have some "secondary" IT support experience, I personally wouldn't accept such a steep pay cut. I'd look at what jobs in the $14-$16/hr range were looking for and work on those skills.

DoubleNNs

I agree w/ NetVet. It really depends on how much of a pay cut you're going to be taking and how much experience you already have.

I see you have your CompTIA trio tho - you might be able to do a little better than that. Have you tried Craigslist? That's where I found my 1st IT job (where I now currently work). Also have you tried posting your resume here for review/critique?

Edit: I took too long to reply lol.
But based on your credentials, i def think you should be able to do better than 10/hr.
Is it that you simply don't see IT related jobs in your area? Why did you think that you should go after than specific job as opposed to others that you've seen posted?

sanrus

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

$40,000/yr is approximately $20/hr. If you're already making that much, and have some "secondary" IT support experience, I personally wouldn't accept such a steep pay cut. I'd look at what jobs in the $14-$16/hr range were looking for and work on those skills.

That pay cut would hurt me a lot. I was thinking the same way just wanted to hear your opinion.

sanrus

DoubleNNs wrote: »

I agree w/ NetVet. It really depends on how much of a pay cut you're going to be taking and how much experience you already have.

I see you have your CompTIA trio tho - you might be able to do a little better than that. Have you tried Craigslist? That's where I found my 1st IT job (where I now currently work). Also have you tried posting your resume here for review/critique?

Edit: I took too long to reply lol.
But based on your credentials, i def think you should be able to do better than 10/hr.
Is it that you simply don't see IT related jobs in your area? Why did you think that you should go after than specific job as opposed to others that you've seen posted?

I was looking for a job for 2 months now and so far had 2 interviews. Both went well however I did not get a job. It is pretty hard to find IT job in my area so I am trying to consider every offer.
I guess I will keep looking until find something closer to my pay. I just feel like I am wasting my time at current job because I want to have career in IT.

Thanks guys

pert

I would take that level of pay cut if the experience was truly out of this world, but just ordinary IT stuff doesnt qualify. Find a job with much better pay and/or experience potential.

sratakhin

Sanrus, what area are you in? Have you considered moving?

sanrus

I'm in central florida. I would move but I want to finish my degree first.

srabiee

sanrus wrote: »

I'm in central florida. I would move but I want to finish my degree first.

stay at the job making $40,000 until you finish your degree.

Moon Child

Here is the problem with too many people willing to work for $10/hr vs. $17/hr it devalues how much that job is worth and the salaries of everyone in those jobs. The IT industry really needs a good union to cap minimum pay so this doesn't happen. If you were desperate for experience I would take it, but since it is less than what your making now it may not be your best option. I see many of the same jobs posted for $17/hr or more online, choosing the cheapest employer isn't always the best option in my opinion. Employers wanting all these certs plus degrees and yet only want to pay $10/hr seems a joke to me. In my area it is not that difficult to get a job as a laborer in a steel mill that pays $19/hr and only requires a high school diploma.

sratakhin

I don't want to get political here, but shouldn't people decide by themselves what they are worth? If you don't like lower pay, don't take the job. Look for one that offers more.

NetworkVeteran

Moon Child wrote: »

The IT industry really needs a good union to cap minimum pay so this doesn't happen.

Gosh, no! One of the things I enjoy about IT is my pay is based on my performance and not my seniority.

sanrus

I cannot agree more. It doesn't seem right that entry IT job pays same as high school kid can make working at McDonald's. That clearly shows supply/demand of IT jobs in my area. Somewhere in DC I can assume there are much more demand in help desk and it is probably not as hard to find an entry job. Now, if I was right out of high school, I would jump on that $10 for help desk. I spent some time getting degree and my cents and been using/studying computers since Ms DOS and Win 3.11. In the beginning it is a joke to go for $10 but as everybody says that experience>cert/degree I started seriously thinking about it. I guess I will keep looking. I will get my degree and then get MCSE or CCNA.

DoubleNNs

Keep the job you currently have and try to volunteer on the side. Or just network and try to build references/contacts from the IT industry.
Then after you get your degree, consider relocation.

Sinema

I always think that HelpDesk jobs are like student teaching you get a feel of what Tech Support does but in a very bad way

pert

The reality is that most of the pay in IT fields is backloaded. Even if you can do 90% of what a senior person can do, I absolutely guarantee you're not making 90% of his salary. The amount of effort to go from unemployed to to 40k is way more than the amount of effort to go from 40k to 80k. Some people may not agree, but this has been my experience. Just. Keep. Learning. Companies will pay an absolutely absurd premium for a guy who can do everything they need vs a guy can "only" do 95% of what they need. Help Desk jobs pay garbage, for this reason. I know people want to make good money out of school, but thats mostly a pipe dream. Face the fact that out of school you are still unable to meet the needs of others, and are payed accordingly. Companies only pay you to meet their needs, no one gives a rat ass how much you know, they only care about what you can and cannot do for them. Figure out what you cant do (within your field) and learn how to do it. I guarantee you its way less complicated than you think, and in comparison to the amount of effort you've already put in learning this new technology will be trifling.