Any cons for working for a small MSP company ?

loss4words · August 2018

Hey guys,

Today I was offered a job as a Systems Engineer at a small MSP company. The pay is very good for MSP standards (30% increase from my current salary) and the benefits are decent. The company is also getting mostly great reviews on Glassdoor with people admiring culture and growth opportunities, good management that cares about the employees. The company itself seems to be doing well and have been growing.

I've been lucky enough to have only worked for large enterprise corporations since my career began, slowly moving up the ladder initially from Desktop Support and then Desktop Engineering positions. Seeing that this will likely not be my last job if I accept the offer, will working for a small MSP company look bad/weird on a Resume because of it's size and the fact that no one probably heard about it in comparison to other companies I've worked for?

Any other cons that I should consider before accepting a position at MSP?

P.S. Company asked for me to start to start in 3 weeks which is very reasonable. I was hoping I could take an additional week off to enjoy a longer vacation before I begin working. Would it look bad if I asked for the start date to be moved (they already agreed on higher base compensation that was initially offered)?

Thanks!

TechGuru80 · August 2018

Well working for a small company in general, be ready for a lack of structure in certain aspects. The downside is there might be multiple ways things might get done...but on the flip side there will be opportunities to help create structure. Generally people who have been at a small company for a while have a general distaste for how big corporations feel so understand that going into the job.

N7Valiant · August 2018

Depends on the company, but based on your position I feel it's very strange to end up as a System Engineer and then decide to go into an MSP. I would view an MSP as a stepping stone to boost your career. The reason being that the CONs are also the PROs in a weird way.

The downside is that you'll likely be understaffed and overworked. The upside is that because they're short-handed there might be a good chance that you'll be given more leeway and less oversight to do as you please. Although that might only be true for lower tier techs as our System Engineer seems to have the next few months planned out for him.

QED - I got out of college 7 months ago with a 2-year Associate's and started work as a Help Desk tech 6 months ago.

Thus far I've:
-Wrote a GPO to edit the registry of the current user on a Terminal Server for which there are about 50+ users(which in and of itself is bad).
-Worked with a System Engineer to backup Bitlocker recovery keys to AD, had to expand the schema to do that(had minimal oversight over that process).

Yeah, might be things that should go straight to the top, but I'd say my skills have had a bump up compared to Help Desk in-house where someone else 6 months in might still be resetting user passwords(which I still do), and nothing else.

Nowadays I amuse myself by writing a batch script to clear out a stuck print spooler for me because I'm too lazy to pop open a few folders and doing it full manual(that and command line is always faster and more responsive than waiting for File Explorer to feel like opening). What I don't know is why nobody did it before.

:

loss4words · August 2018

Thanks guys!! Well, what attracted me to this position besides the higher salary is really opportunity to continue doing more - taking on new fun projects, working with things I haven't had a chance to work on before, really placing myself to be able to land an even better job few years down the road. I do believe that in this company people do get promoted based on their performance as well and that's also a big plus. I've been kind of limited what I can do in bigger corporations and don't think I would be exposed to as much technology as with this company.

N7Valiant · August 2018

True enough, you'll be exposed to technology. I think part of the issue we have is that we use and sell the technology without a firm grasp and understanding of it(Such as Azure SSO and Sharepoint). That and if the expertise was effectively silo'd to one guy and then that one guy leaves but you're still peddling the expertise, well it gets ugly.

NetworkingStudent · August 2018

loss4words wrote: »

Hey guys,

Today I was offered a job as a Systems Engineer at a small MSP company. The pay is very good for MSP standards (30% increase from my current salary) and the benefits are decent. The company is also getting mostly great reviews on Glassdoor with people admiring culture and growth opportunities, good management that cares about the employees. The company itself seems to be doing well and have been growing.

I've been lucky enough to have only worked for large enterprise corporations since my career began, slowly moving up the ladder initially from Desktop Support and then Desktop Engineering positions. Seeing that this will likely not be my last job if I accept the offer, will working for a small MSP company look bad/weird on a Resume because of it's size and the fact that no one probably heard about it in comparison to other companies I've worked for?

Any other cons that I should consider before accepting a position at MSP?

P.S. Company asked for me to start to start in 3 weeks which is very reasonable. I was hoping I could take an additional week off to enjoy a longer vacation before I begin working. Would it look bad if I asked for the start date to be moved (they already agreed on higher base compensation that was initially offered)?

Thanks!

I have worked at a couple of MSP, and here my pro and cons:

pro:
You learn alot in a short amount of time.
You're not confined to one department, like you would be in an enterprise environment.
You will be exposed all different types of environments. Healthcare, small office, manufacturing, accounting firms ect..

Cons:
Less Pay
Less benefits
More stress
On call

I think it would be asking a little much if you asked for more time before your start date. Also, I think the start pay for your sounds fair, if it's 30% more than what you're making right now.

volfkhat · August 2018

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

I think it would be asking a little much if you asked for more time before your start date. Also, I think the start pay for your sounds fair, if it's 30% more than what you're making right now.

^^ Agree with this guy.
If you want more time off.... then leave your current gig sooner.

instead of sticking around for 2 weeks (10 business days); leave after 7 business days.
tell them you got doctor's appointments, etc to take care of :]

loss4words · August 2018

Thanks guys! One more question:

As I was reviewing the offer letter I found out that my direct supervisor is actually located in a different state (by looking him up in LinkedIn). Does this throw any red flags? I was interviewed by other people in management positions who are based from my city.

Another thing that kind of concerns me is that I wasn’t actually interviewed in their office location but was asked to meet in a cafe. They explained to me when I met them that there isn’t much space in the office location and that cafe was located close to the client they were visiting.

Again, company is getting good reviews and offer letter/benefits package seems legit but the two things make me a little worried.

Should I bring it up with company IT recruiter who has been in communication with me through this process before speaking with my supervisor regarding taking the job offer?

Basic85 · August 2018

loss4words wrote: »

Thanks guys! One more question:

As I was reviewing the offer letter I found out that my direct supervisor is actually located in a different state (by looking him up in LinkedIn). Does this throw any red flags? I was interviewed by other people in management positions who are based from my city.

Another thing that kind of concerns me is that I wasn’t actually interviewed in their office location but was asked to meet in a cafe. They explained to me when I met them that there isn’t much space in the office location and that cafe was located close to the client they were visiting.

Again, company is getting good reviews and offer letter/benefits package seems legit but the two things make me a little worried.

Should I bring it up with company IT recruiter who has been in communication with me through this process before speaking with my supervisor regarding taking the job offer?

Have you actually been to their office? That's strange that your direct supervisor would be in another state but I guess a lot of things can be done remotely now a days? is this an in-house recruiter? If so than I guess you can bring it up with them if you want to or you can just wait until you start and see how it goes.

loss4words · August 2018

Yep, it is an in-house recruiter. I wonder if maybe they made a mistake in the offer letter regarding my supervisor.

I have not been in their office.

I will bring it up with recruiter first thing in the morning, thanks!

TechGuru80 · August 2018

Basic85 wrote: »

Have you actually been to their office? That's strange that your direct supervisor would be in another state but I guess a lot of things can be done remotely now a days? is this an in-house recruiter? If so than I guess you can bring it up with them if you want to or you can just wait until you start and see how it goes.

All depends on the company culture. I had a sales job before where I never met my boss or the director face to face. My guess is they have a lead at your location but that person doesn’t have hiring authority.

The office probably is just an open room without a conference room or something. Although not ideal, it isn’t necessarily a red flag.

loss4words · August 2018

Thank you! I hope that’s the case. That put my mind at ease for now. Will update you guys tomorrow.

volfkhat · August 2018

Screw that.

Go see where you are supposed to work before Quitting your job.

You dont know what you dont know; maybe the place smells like cigarettes, or has buzzing lights, 1 toilet in the whole office (seriously), too many stairs, old/neglected elevator, roaches, dirty water, scary whatever.

i might be alone one this one... but you gotta give it a walkthru first.

scaredoftests · August 2018

Agreed with the above poster (volfkhat).

MeanDrunkR2D2 · August 2018

As the past few have said, you absolutely need to see the local office and you should ask if you can meet up with a couple of your potential co-workers as well. You'll be spending 40ish hours a week with them and if the person smells like a fart factory you may not want to sit next to them all the time or be confined in a small space either.

Mike R · August 2018

I work for a small MSP, my interview was in a small but fairly nice office. What I didn't know was that wasn't our office! It turns out the actual "office" is my bosses house, we do work remote from home but needless to say that was a surprise. Fast forward now 2 years and after losing a couple clients the pennies are being pinched big time (no training), project rushed, etc. Be sure your not just looking at the money and see warts and all.

SteveLavoie · August 2018

Without seeing where you will work, I won't work for this company. I surely mean that they are not proud of their office.

Smaller company are a good place to grow and learn. They are often the best place for people with a lot of initiative as the chain of command is not that long.. usually 2-3 steps from tech to CEO. I choosed 16 years ago to work with a SMB VAR/MSP etc.., and I think it helped me succeeded in life in general.

Zipper265 · August 2018

I'm in-line with Networking Student.

I recommend seeing the office and meeting the staff. Any reputable company that has nothing to hide should have no problem making this happen for you. If they balk, then it's a huge red flag.

Can Glassdoor reviews be fakes?

Are they willing to provide client references that you can call?

Google search comes up with anything else for the MSP? BBB complaints?

Remember, MSP's are very sensitive to contracts/income and staffing levels can adjust quickly based on a lost/gained contract. Only you can weigh the decision between a position that pays more, but may possibly be less stable.

Absolutely give your current employer a full two weeks notice and be very cooperative in transitioning duties and responsibilities (even for a time after you leave)! I have seen too many times a less than gracious exit has come back to bite someone (e.g. when you need a reference down the road or are networking for another position).

epcg · August 2018

There is cons to all jobs. So you got to list all the Pros then Cons and see which works best for you right now. Money is great but what else is positive about this job? So think and ask questions about this what kind equipment will you be working with, will you have a mentor to help you along yhe way, help pay for any training, certs, or education? Thats just a few questions lets not forget mileage for your car, tools, etc. Next ask to come in and see and meet the team and see the office. Most MSPs will have you out doing things. As for vacation leave the current job early.

AvgITGeek · August 2018

I made a similar jump, except I moved from a small company (<100 users) where I managed IT to an MSP. The MSP I now work for is a franchise style organization so this may not apply to the MSP you are moving to.

MAKE SURE YOU TALK TO YOUR TEAM! I almost quit this gig because of my senior guy. He was replaced and I really like the job again.

Pros: Experience, experience, experience. I've worked with more servers and switches in my first 4 months than I have during my entire time at my last company. All networks are different so I have to learn each one and think on the fly. We're growing too so I have the opportunity to mentor interns. I now work with DR technologies I never would have touched at my last job as well as environments with VMWare and Hyper-V.

Cons (again, these may not apply to you): No health insurance yet (this is currently killing me), some limited reimbursement for training/exams as in only a couple of hundred bucks per year. I'm busy, busy busy...

Being busy may be considered a pro as time flies. I can't even believe I've been here going on 2 years.

TechGromit · August 2018

loss4words wrote: »

As I was reviewing the offer letter I found out that my direct supervisor is actually located in a different state (by looking him up in LinkedIn). Does this throw any red flags? I was interviewed by other people in management positions who are based from my city.

This wouldn't concern me, I interviewed for my first job with the company I work for with my manager on the phone (but there was HR and other in-person people in the room), after I was hired, I didn't actually meet my manger face to face for several months afterwards. So long as your a self starter and don't have to be told what to do every day, it can be very benefitial having a remote manager.

loss4words wrote: »

Another thing that kind of concerns me is that I wasn’t actually interviewed in their office location but was asked to meet in a cafe. They explained to me when I met them that there isn’t much space in the office location and that cafe was located close to the client they were visiting.

THIS would concern me, I would ask to see the office location they want me to work in, stop in for a visit before accepting the offer. You might find the new offices are a fire inspectors wet dream of violations, or other unfavorable working environment.

Ashenwelt · September 2018

TechGromit wrote: »

THIS would concern me, I would ask to see the office location they want me to work in, stop in for a visit before accepting the offer. You might find the new offices are a fire inspectors wet dream of violations, or other unfavorable working environment.

LOL. I have done this. I personally love lunch interviews. Granted you know you are in a good spot if I am buying.

But you do want to clarify location of work. You may be 100% at client sites if a field engineer or TAM. That is a quick call, and not a lot of importance to the internal recruiter.

scaredoftests · September 2018

What did you decide? Did you take the job?

futurehendrix · September 2018

Lack of true structure but some people like that.

DatabaseHead · September 2018

Does PTSD count?

Any cons for working for a small MSP company ?

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