Did I take the right job?

[reicherb]

I just graduated with a Bachelors degree in Computer Networking and Systems. I am trying to evaluate if I took a decent job. I accepted a job as a Network Technology Specialist for a medium sized school district. I will be responsible for the following servers: Netware 5.1, Groupwise 5.5, and Border Manager, as well as an NEC phone system, all of the districts PCs, and a single fiber run and 3 leased T1s. I will have a couple people in each school to help with PCs and other minor issues. My question is that the job only pays $30,000, they are however sending me immediately to CNA training and are willing to send me to other training (probably CCNA next).

Is this a job place to start? Should I not worry about the pay because of the great experience I will gain?

I forgot to mention that the position is salary and I will only have to work 15-20hrs a week during the summer.

What do you guys think?

Thanks.

 

[spidey07]

15-20 hours a week during summer. you lucky dog.

sounds like a good opportunity to learn, if you don't like find something else.

 

[ksdavis]

Personally I'd say, yeah, not bad. I don't know how the job market is in Michigan right now, but here in Boston things have gotten tight in IT, as dot-com layoffs have left many people with tech experience out on the street looking for work. I work in a major university's IT group managing our student computer/network support program and techs, and applications for our department's part-time and full-time positions have soared -- we have few empty positions left.

The tough thing with the current job market is, recent graduates are being hurt the worst. Several of my former student-employees (who just graduated three weeks ago) had job offers delayed or rescinded or interviews abruptly cancelled. Even if you have the CS/IS background, as you do, an employer may want to take someone with more "experience," especially a mid-to-late-twenties person fresh out of a dot-com, over a recent grad.

This employer sounds like they offer you the following:
1) Job stability;
2) The opportunity for training (very key -- many employers shirk on this. Get it in writing?); and
3) Good experience for a resume.

My suggestion? Work there a couple of years and get your certifications, and be sure to always volunteer for new and interesting projects to build skills. In IT, if you aren't always updating your skills, you're losing ground fast. Then a couple of years from now, look to make the jump, either to higher ed (tends to be better pay, non-profits vs. local gov't) or to the Federal gov't (great payscale right now for IT) if you want to stay public sector, or to a private sector employer if that's where you want to be.

Good luck! E-mail me if you want to chat more about IT in the public sector/education markets.

 

[Wik]

I bet you get great pension and medical also.

 

[reicherb]

Thanks guy, That makes me feel better. I just graduated 3 weeks agao as well. Over the last 3-4 months I have slowly seen the job opening go from quite a few to almost none unless you want to write code all day every day.

 

[PELarson]

Nope, not the right job for you. Hmmm.. by the way where is it so I can "avoid" it?

 

[macssuck]

The only problem I have found with working at schools is that they don?t pay very well so most people get their training and move on in 2-3 years.

 

[ksdavis]

It very much depends on the school. Public school systems, yeah, the pay stinks. In higher ed, the pay ranges from the same to better to significantly better.

Private non-profit institutions will tend to pay better than public non-profits (state schools, etc.), even though they're both called "public sector" traditionally.

Private sector pay will usually, but not always, be higher for equivalent jobs. IME, true technical types (programmers, network admins, etc.) take the biggest hits in private-public sector, while media and Web designers and support staff have the smallest.

 

[ajskydiver]

Sounds like you made the good choice. I starting working in a similar environment as your current job (except more end-users and a few more servers and OSes) at a bit higher, got a big raise after 4 months...4 months later I was recruited by the Govt. and resigned Monday

I learned a ton and didn't have to go looking for another job once word of mouth got out from the consulting that I was doing on my own.

Learn as much as possible and you may not have to stay there even a year...

~AJ