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What would you do if you were me? (Job Dilemma)

Kimura410

This is a bit of a read but I could use some opinions and insight from others on this forum.

So after two interviews, I received a job offer from Geek Squad at Best Buy. I start next Saturday. I have no IT experience, except for four college courses, and plan to get a bachelors in science/computer science in the next couple of years. I currently have no certifications, but am taking Security+ monday and am confident that I will pass, so I should have one within a week.

Geek Squad would be my first IT related work experience. The problem is that I have a daughter and I feel like I would never see her if I take this job. The manager told me that during the holidays, they could open as early as 7am and close at 11pm, which is a 16 hour day! Mind you I would only be working 3 days or so because I would start at "part time shifts", but I am sure they will put me on every Saturday and Sunday, which are two main days that I spend time with my daughter.

I was able to land an interview with a more professional, naval contractor, but did so-so on my interview yesterday and I don't plan for them to call me back. I landed this with only an Associate's Degree, four IT courses, and saying that I am currently studying for Security+ on my resume. This makes me feel like I should be able to get more interviews in the future when I get a couple more certs and some more courses taken.

I am only going to get $11 an hour at GS. I have an interview with a nice restaurant, which obviously would not offer me IT experience, but I could make $200 a night for 3-4 days a week. I would work weekends, but late at night and not the entire day, so I could spend some time with my kid. Honestly, I am leaning towards the restaurant, because I am worried that the hours at GS and especially the clientele at this particular store (bad area), will force me to quit sooner than I expect and that this will all just be a waste of time, landing me back at square one.

What would you do in my situation? Would you grin and bear it in order to get some experience? Or make decent money, continue school, and make yourself more marketable so that you could hopefully go straight into a more professional environment to gain IT experience, but entry level, such as a Tier 1 help desk at a big company? I mean, not everyone starts at Geek Squad, there are others way to get my foot into the IT door.

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Comments

networker050184

You need the IT experience, but obviously there are other factors. Can you live off that pay? Would the hours stress the family life too much?

I certainly wouldn't pass up a guaranteed job offer in hopes of maybe finding something better. You can always continue to look while working at GS. It's a high turn over retail position so leaving after a few months for a better gig isn't anything out of the norm.

Kimura410

I have made my mind up. I picked the worst time to apply for Geek Squad in the first place, just before the holidays. But I totally agree with your point, that I should not give up a guaranteed job offer, because I will take the GS job if its the only one that pans out and just continue to look while I am there.

In this case, the experience would not balance out the low wage, extremely long shift, and dealing with the type of customers that would most likely be present in this particular area. I think (hope) that as I continue my education I can join in on some extra curricular activities on campus such as a recent invitation to the cyber security club from my computer security class, or even some volunteer work here and there. I realized that there are other ways of gaining experience and that this job would cause more problems than grant rewards.

networker, thanks for the response.

sratakhin

Ask yourself where you would like to be in 5 years and then do whatever it takes to get there. I realize that spending time with the family is very important but it's difficult to achieve without making some sacrificing something.

Roguetadhg

Some experience is better than no experience on a resume.

aspiringsoul

Kimura,

4 years ago, I was working for Geek Squad. I only worked there for 3 months. That experience, combined with my AAS in Computer Networking is what landed me my current job. You can definitely use the experience to help you land a help desk position, or maybe even a Systems admin position with your degree and some certs.

Your mileage will vary greatly depending on the store, but you will make more money than the blue shirts. They are also strict about limiting your hours during non-holiday seasons. When I worked there, there was a much greater emphasis on "Selling services" instead of "Providing services", which is frustrating for you, as well as your customers. Picture only two of you in the work bench with countless computers in the back, but you still have to process new customers, sell services, and handle shipping/receiving and answer phone calls. Either that, or they'll place you in the new computer section and have you urge customers to purchase services/products/extended warranties for new computers.

The employee discount is nice, but it's very hard to make it on that level of income with the lack of hours. A couple of the people that I worked with at GS had second jobs. Your supervisor may be willing to work with you on that if you can find another employer who is willing to schedule you around Best Buy's schedule, at least until you have a few months of experience under you belt, which should complement your degree and certification(s) nicely.

goldenlight

You might have a problem with the hours. Opening up on Thanksgiving day is just disrespectful. I refuse to shop on thanksgiving day.

paul78

Just my 2 cents, but I've always viewed Geek Squad as a customer service retail position. And not necessarily an IT position. In some ways, working at a restaurant would be equivalent. As a father myself, I think I would opt for the restaurant position while I continue to seek employment in an IT department.

Kimura410

Some good points were made here.

Working for a few months, for me personally, wouldn't kill me. The part that bothers me is that I would later debate putting it on my resume because then I would have to explain why I was only there for three months. I really want to avoid looking like a job hopper.

The experience would be good for a beginner like me, but when I counted the pros and cons of this job, experience was really the only pro. No doubt that it is a pretty important pro, but I digress.

I have been bartending for five years now and I don't know if I will keep my sanity with $11 an hour, for possibly 16 hours a day. I could use the bartending income to provide for further education and certs. I will be scraping by on $11 an hour and won't have money for any extras.

Anyways, I guess I will see what happens in the upcoming week. I'll just be happy to have a job and not have to do construction on the side anymore!

pamccabe

As a father myself, I'd say go for the restaurant option... for now. When I first started school and was trying to break into IT, I was offered a position with GS. I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. From what I was told, the position was more about selling and customer service than actual computer repair. Like paul78 said, I don't consider it an IT position. Maybe it would be a good experience to be around technology, but I don't think having GS on your resume would make or break your career. If being a father is more important to you, then chose that option. Just keep in mind, the day will come when you have to make a decision about an IT job. Most likely, you will not have rose petals thrown at your feet and paid a king's ransom. You will have to work long hours and maybe weekends. You probably won't make a lot and have to answer calls all day. It is all part of the process. One day you will have to make a sacrifice.

Oh, and I don't think it is legal to work 16 hour days. That maybe the holiday store hours, but I don't think an employeer can make you work that kind of shift.

Backpacker

Whenever I'm on call it seems 60 hours is the norm.

Kimura410

Haha, I didn't think 16 hours was legal either. I know that if you work more than 8 hours, you must get a break, so maybe it is as long as you are getting time to rest and eat.

I totally understand your point about making a sacrifice one day. Maybe it will be easier when my girl is grown up, she is only 1 now and I feel like I need to cherish this time.

I guess the thing is that I am not willing to sacrifice for GS. I have worked 14 and 15 hour days before, 65 hours a week as a restaurant manager, but I was making $4-500 a day, give or take. It was worth it. Besides, at that time, I didn't have a kid, but probably would have continued to do it because with that kind of money, I would have reasoned to myself that it is worth it in order to provide for her future.

I am willing to sacrifice for a more career orientated job, with benefits perhaps and chances for advancement in the company, but lets face it, I wouldn't plan on working at GS for more than a year at the most. For some reason, when I applied, I thought that GS would be a good part time job to gain experience, but foolishly, I did not anticipate the holiday madness of an electronics retailer.

But like I said, I guess I will see what happens after this week.

--chris--

@ OP, I am in your boots: Married, 16 month old boy (first & only child for medical reasons), moving from a career where I have lots of knowledge and good pay to IT where I am starting over and looking for $10/hour jobs.

Here is my $0.02.

If I were you, Id stay the course and work the job you have now. Keep working on your education and on certifications. It wont be long and your little girl will be starting pre-school. What, 3-4 years? In 3-4 years how much more will you have learned from school and certifications OR how likely is it that in that time you will get a regular, better paying 9-5 IT job that wont require holidays, late nights and weekends? Much better. I would skip GS completely, postpone the acquisition of the resume boosting "experience" a year or two and keep learning.

In regards to time with your kid, quality over quantity. Go to the zoo, go to kid stuff, go to places that are new to her. Id rather spend 5 hours at the zoo than 10 hours sitting at home chasing my boy around and I am sure he would too.

Kimura410

Awesome advice chris, in regards to the job and being a dad. Couldn't be more on point. Thanks

thenjduke

This is my thought. I am a father of two kids and they are 9 and 7. I missed out alot of good times when they were younger because I was dedicated to my career. I am 40 now and I have stop working hard and started to work smarter. I will only do my 8 hours unless I am needed when on call. I do not answer email or phone after hours unless only on call. I would say get more education and certifications and take the job you will be able to spend more time with your daughter. Work smarter not harder. The knowledge you will gain from school and certs will help and also working with customers helps too.

neo9006

Thenjduke is right about working smarter then harder. I heard this term from someone at my second job. She was right about it. When we implemented it things would go great.

Syntax

I used to work for Geek Squad/Best Buy. You wouldn't be working open to close but more than likely they will have you work on the weekends. The only time you would have an extra long shift is during black friday because they open very early.

The other thing to consider is if they hired you as a "seasonal" employee. Best Buy and other retail establishments tend to "over-hire" during the holiday season, meaning they will hire more people than they are budgeted for with the idea that they will more than likely get rid of you after the new year when business slows down again.

Kimura410

Right. The seasonal hire aspect crossed my mind. However, I am minutes away from calling the manager and telling her that I am no longer interested in the offer.

This morning I got the job at the restaurant, then took and passed my Security+ exam.

I will still work on the weekends, but only half of the day and the rest. manager told me herself that she makes it flexible for students. The BB manager told me that they try to keep employees on the entire day, as I specifically asked her that question, so maybe it is different at each store. At the end of the day, I just have a bad feeling about Best Buy, and through many life lessons, have learned that your gut is the most important thing to trust.

This way, I will make more money, work less, and study harder. The tradeoff is missing out on the experience. However, I am confident that I can gain experience in other ways, more suited to my lifestyle.

Syntax

It's quite possible that's changed, and I know that every store is run differently so that could be the case now. I started working there in 2006 and was there for almost 4 years. Back then, it was a good job for me because I worked with some good people and was able to land a full-time spot which allowed me to use their tuition reimbursement benefit. That, along with a partial scholarship allowed me to graduate college almost debt-free. But again, everyone's situation is different and I know the company has changed due to the economy and the climate of the consumer electronics market in general. So if your gut is telling you to stay away then it could be for the best.

N2IT

If you found you like the sales piece you could potentially get into an IT Sales position. Might be something to consider. Of course once you aquire some experience.

Nemowolf

I started my career with six months in GS. Times were different some 7-8 years ago though. I started as a part time employee just before my store started hiring for Seasonal. It gave me the confidence and transition skills to translate customer service pieces to technical support.

Having said that, I was only there for six months because after 4 months I realized that i had learned all i could there and with no room for me to grow i started looking elsewhere. I applied for every entry level position i could and landed myself in corporate america in no time. I got lucky with that job and nearly 5 years later moved on to my current position. I only got this position because the hiring supervisor was also a former Geek Squader and her husband too. We bonded over this and i was offered the job before i even managed to pull out of the parking lot.

Moral of the story, it isnt all bad.

--chris--

I posted this once before (its got a ton of great advice), but I think it is worth reposting.

Moxie Marlinspike >> Blog >> Career Advice

#1 and #5 are the bell ringers in this instance. Id read the whole article, but I mean to point out those two ideas to you.

Crikey

I used to screen resumes as part of an interviewing team at my former position. From my perspective, having GS experience didn't hurt, but it didn't particularly help either. If we were considering bringing that candidate in for a face to face, there had to be more (experience and/or certs).

TheNewITGuy

$11/hr = $440 a week before taxes even if you do the higher w4 rate you'll bring home like $386/week

$200 x 4 = $800 and since it's the restaurant business you're gonna see a lot of that cash "under the table" which does more for your bottom line.
When I first started in IT I took a 2 month project with TEK Systems. I refused to work at retail places like Staples/GS just because of the stigma. I would call around to contract agencies and look for helpdesk or desk side roles. You can always gain experience that way, you dont have to sacrifice pay and time spent with your kids to gain experience.