Job Listings under-valuing IT Professionals...

[airdata]

I just saw this listed in the local craigslist. The job listing was for ' PC Technician '

I check these periodically to see if there's something part time or just small projects.

Anyhow... I think somebody w\ a 4 year degree, net+, sec+,ccna would be looking for slightly more than $10-12 per hour. Or, the preferred CCNP LOL... how many CCNP's on the board here working for $12/hour?



We're looking for a bright computer technician to join our team. This is an entry-level job with entry-level pay, but there is lots of room for advancement. You will be expected to travel within the state of Texas to service our customers. Since this is an entry-level position, most tasks are non-technical installations of PCs, Servers and printers. You will not be responsible for configuration or troubleshooting.

Required: (do NOT submit your resume if you do not have all of the following)
- One to two years of professional experience as a computer technician
- Four year degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering
- CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+
- Cisco CCNA

Preferred:
All of the above
- MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Admin
- Cisco CCNP

• Location: Dallas
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
• Compensation: $10/hr - $12/hr

 

[Saint Nick]

E-mail them this thread.

 

[sourceninja]

Maybe they are hoping illegals are trying to get into the IT industry?

 

[GTaudiophile]

I agree with you but I am afraid that it is an employer's market right now. They can take their pick of the litter and pay him peanuts...and many out there would be very happy with peanuts to put food on the table.

My GF has a part-time video editor working at her company. He has a MS. They pay him $15/hour and it's one of two jobs he has to make ends meet.

 

[purbeast0]

how the hell is it an "entry level" position if it requires 1-2 years of professional experience?

 

[quakefiend420]

I think McDonald's is paying more than that these days lol

 

[airdata]

A person w\ those qualifications shouldn't have much trouble finding a job.

If I throw my meager resume on career builder, I'll get spammed from recruiters w\ all sorts of job openings.

 

[Vic Vega]

Employers can be picky right now as the marketplace is flooded with IT people. If you know you can get a brand new BMW for the price of a Honda Civic why would you buy the Civic? IT jobs work the same way right now.

Plenty of people are laid off and looking for ANY work in their field until times are better. When the economy picks up these people will move on, plain and simple but it's better to be employed doing SOMETHING than sitting doing nothing. So, if you're a seasoned and well educated IT person and get laid off from your $95k/year job it's better to take that 30k/year job for six months to a year while you are finding another real job, plus, you still have to eat and provide for your family in the mean time.

 

[CVSiN]

GG.. no way in hell would a tech with all those credentials work for 12 bucks an hour..
epic fail.
Not even Helpdesk pays that low these days.

 

[freegeeks]

reminds me about the "you have to speak 6 languages, Zulu included" that pop up from time to time here in Belgium

luckily there is a big shortage of IT people so IT professionals here can just ignore these kinds of job listings

 

[Herr Kutz]

how the hell is it an "entry level" position if it requires 1-2 years of professional experience?

While job searching, I have found a LOT of postings state they are entry level but want 1-2 years of experience.

 

[airdata]

It's nutty though because if you goto the other IT job sections, there are several help desk type listings w\ very basic requirements paying $14-16 /hr.

 

[nanette1985]

I've run into way too many CS grads with certs that don't know anything about how to be a computer technician

 

[SpatiallyAware]

1-2 years of IT is entry-level IMO.


It really doesn't matter what certs and degrees you have, you will suffer through 3-5 years of grunt work before you make anything in IT... You can thank all of the "get you MCSE over a weekend!!!!" bootcamp courses for this.

 

[fatpat268]

how the hell is it an "entry level" position if it requires 1-2 years of professional experience?

No kidding. No wonder why a lot of people have difficulty finding jobs. Nearly every job requires years of experience already... not something everyone has, especially someone young.

I'm kinda having the same difficulty. At 23, I have a couple of years of work experience, but none in the field I'm trying to get into. I may be perfectly qualified in a good economy, but in a bad economy, I'm not.

 

[TwiceOver]

Whatever keeps the lights on. I don't think I would take it at that price with travel involved. But if it kept me from leeching off society, sure why not.

Then again I have different views from the average person.

 

[vi edit]

Looks like a copy and past hack jack by HR where the reqs are for a different job.

But I guess I would expect nothing less from craigslist. I'm in a small market and it's just a joke listing service here.

 

[CVSiN]

Whatever keeps the lights on. I don't think I would take it at that price with travel involved. But if it kept me from leeching off society, sure why not.

Then again I have different views from the average person.

lol that wouldn't even cover my rent.. let alone gas to commute.

Desktop here in Houston is making up to 80k a year with less credentials than that..

 

[Vic Vega]

No kidding. No wonder why a lot of people have difficulty finding jobs. Nearly every job requires years of experience already... not something everyone has, especially someone young.

I'm kinda having the same difficulty. At 23, I have a couple of years of work experience, but none in the field I'm trying to get into. I may be perfectly qualified in a good economy, but in a bad economy, I'm not.

That's how it works. In a good economy employers can take a risk on you and hope they are able to bring you up in a manner which will benefit the company and you. In a bad economy they can't risk you, they need experienced people. They can't afford to waste two years on you at $60k/year to find out you can't be taught, don't understand the field or just plain don't want to be there after seeing what the work is. Times like these employers look for smart picks which unfortunately leaves out a lot of people.

I laugh when I hear people say they want these big companies taxed more... it's usually the people who can't get a job too (not saying this is you). They just don't get it.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

lol that wouldn't even cover my rent.. let alone gas to commute.

Desktop here in Houston is making up to 80k a year with less credentials than that..

I call complete and total BS shens.. Not the first time with CVS


Desktop support is viewed purely from a cost perspective of what they provide directly for the company... and no desktop support person is worth that much unless it's some bizarre cost of living situation. We're not talking about net/sys admin that make company-changing decisions who can make themselves 'worth' 100k+


From a lifestyle perspective, a desktop support person isn't going to be able to support a family. They'll live in an apartment or house w/ roommates, not able to eat out 7 times a week, etc etc...

For most places it's $15-$20/hr absolute max (~$40k/yr), *maybe* $60k if it's a company with tons of money and they want someone really good.








The days of getting your bachelors, scoring a few certs, and banking 90k after doing desktop stuff for 12 months are far far over..

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I just saw this listed in the local craigslist. The job listing was for ' PC Technician '

I check these periodically to see if there's something part time or just small projects.

Anyhow... I think somebody w\ a 4 year degree, net+, sec+,ccna would be looking for slightly more than $10-12 per hour. Or, the preferred CCNP LOL... how many CCNP's on the board here working for $12/hour?

The most entertaining part to me was that they expected you to have a 4-year degree with EE being one of them they listed. LOL!

 

[Texashiker]

1-2 years of IT is entry-level IMO.

Unless its flipping burgers or delivering pizza, less then 1 - 2 years of anything is entry level. Personally, I consider the cut-off for entry level at 3 - 4 years on the job experience.

Less the 3 years on the job experience - entry level.
More then 3 - 4 years - experienced.

But that is just my personal opinion.

 

[fatpat268]

That's how it works. In a good economy employers can take a risk on you and hope they are able to bring you up in a manner which will benefit the company and you. In a bad economy they can't risk you, they need experienced people. They can't afford to waste two years on you at $60k/year to find out you can't be taught, don't understand the field or just plain don't want to be there after seeing what the work is. Times like these employers look for smart picks which unfortunately leaves out a lot of people.

I laugh when I hear people say they want these big companies taxed more... it's usually the people who can't get a job too (not saying this is you). They just don't get it.

Yea, I understand the dynamics of that... it's just incredibly frustrating when an employer requires stuff that would make you way overqualified for the job at hand.

I mean, the job listing the OP posted... it's essentially the lowest of low. It's plugging in computers, hooking up printers, etc. My grandmother could probably do that with 1 days worth of training. Instead, this employer wants you to have a CS or EE degree + 2 yrs professional experience? I know it's an employers market, but come on.

Instead of getting the right people where they belong: qualified people in qualified jobs and inexperienced people in entry level jobs, employers do the opposite. It's a terrible cycle. Stupid economy.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I mean, the job listing the OP posted... it's essentially the lowest of low. It's plugging in computers, hooking up printers, etc. My grandmother could probably do that with 1 days worth of training. Instead, this employer wants you to have a CS or EE degree + 2 yrs professional experience? I know it's an employers market, but come on.

I'm going with VI's theory that the posting is a hacked up mess from a mindless HR drone who wasn't paying a bit of attention to what he/she was doing. No one with 2 brain cells would seriously require a EE degree and a CCNA for the job in that description while only paying $10-$12 an hour.

 

[CVSiN]

I call complete and total BS shens.. Not the first time with CVS


Desktop support is viewed purely from a cost perspective of what they provide directly for the company... and no desktop support person is worth that much unless it's some bizarre cost of living situation. We're not talking about net/sys admin that make company-changing decisions who can make themselves 'worth' 100k+


From a lifestyle perspective, a desktop support person isn't going to be able to support a family. They'll live in an apartment or house w/ roommates, not able to eat out 7 times a week, etc etc...

For most places it's $15-$20/hr absolute max (~$40k/yr), *maybe* $60k if it's a company with tons of money and they want someone really good.








The days of getting your bachelors, scoring a few certs, and banking 90k after doing desktop stuff for 12 months are far far over..

Everyone on my team makes at least 55k+ benefits for desktop as I have for the past 10 years. I make right at 70 and I'm not capped.
I came from Chevron and Employees on the desktop IT team there made well into the 80s and 90s but all had been there 20+ years.

Good experienced Desktop Techs with a good background (me US Navy and then 15 years exp and certs to back it) Temps make crap. Employees make good money.


Ive been here less than a year with this new company coming from a Network Administrator role to a Senior Desktop Tech/AD Admin and actually am making more here and doing less than I did as an Admin.

quick google search also proves you very wrong..
http://www.indeed.com/q-Desktop-Support-Technician-$60,000-jobs.html
http://www.indeed.com/q-Desktop-Support-Technician-$80,000-jobs.html
and more..
insert foot into mouth. GG