Should I get a new job?

[jimbob200521]

I currently work as a PC Tech at a local ISP. The job is pretty good, I have co-workers I get along with, unfiltered high-speed internet at work, and a pretty good amount of down time. However they are pretty anal about a lot of things here, and from my understanding (I've been here just under a year) there is most likely little opportunity for advancement. The pay isn't exactly great, either. It's above minimum wage, I'll give them that much, but it's starting to not be enough. I also have to deal with phone support every other two weeks.

The job that I am considering going to is at the new Wal-Mart Distribution Center. If I get hired on there, starting wage is at least $11/hr, which is already up $3/hr from what I'm making now. The work would be repetitive, the conditions would be harder (working outside, loading heavy boxes all day, etc), and the hours wouldn't be the 8:30-5:15 I work now.

It's not only a money thing at this point, I can live off of my current job, but if I wanted to move out and get my own place it would be hard, I don't think I could do it alone (I'd have to have a room-mate). I am basically living from paycheck to paycheck at this point, no room to save any money. However if I were able to get the new job, I would have a higher income which means I would not only be able to save money, but have more to spend each week.

Cliffs:
1)Current job is easy, but doesn't pay much
2)New job would pay more, but hours would suck and it certainly wouldn't be "cushy"

So what will it be ATOT? Should I get a new job or stay where I'm at now?

 

[FoBoT]

what is your career plan?

it sounds like staying at the ISP is no career plan, so i vote to go for the walmart job and see where it leads you

 

[Abel007]

Factor in insurance and ease of job. Working at a DC isn't for everyone. It is generally very hard work for long hours and the new people get the grunt work. I worked at a DC for Tractor Supply Co. when I was younger and that was the hardest work I've ever done in my life. It made me appreciate sitting in a chair.

 

[KK]

walmart=the devil.

Let the walmart bashing start.

 

[crownjules]

This sounds similar to me in my junior/senior year of college. I worked a cashier job at a wholesale store and the pay just wasn't enough, but it was a relatively easy job. I left to go work at Home Depot as a stocker on the night shift for an extra $3/hr. I was often given the harder tasks (stocking cement bags, tiles, etc) and the hours sucked. It was over my last summer in college and I was on a completely reverse schedule from all my friends, so I barely saw them at all that summer.

 

[Wapp]

Originally posted by: jimbob200521

Cliffs:
1)Current job is easy, but doesn't pay much
2)New job would pay more, but hours would suck and it certainly wouldn't be "cushy"

So what will it be ATOT? Should I get a new job or stay where I'm at now?

What kind of experience do you have? Are you going to college, what are your goals? Sounds like both jobs suck, you need to get some education and get your foot in the door someplace that will give you some real money.

 

[j00fek]

go for the cash

 

[jimbob200521]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
what is your career plan?

I'd like to stay in a technology related job if I could, but if it's working for what will soon be near minimum wage with no real big change to advance...

Originally posted by: Wapp
What kind of experience do you have? Are you going to college, what are your goals? Sounds like both jobs suck, you need to get some education and get your foot in the door someplace that will give you some real money.

Well as for experience, I have worked at my current job for going on one year. The place I work is a relatively large ISP in the area, and has a pretty well known name. I'm also not currently going to college, but have considered getting some certifications such as CCNA, MCSA, etc. If I want to get these cert's, my current job will supposedly pay for the first test (and all material pertaining to the cert I am working on) if I want to take it, but if I fail I would have to pay for each additional test. Also, if I go that route and have my job pay for some certs, then I would have to sign something saying that I will stay at my current job for X amount of time.

 

[bucwylde23]

I'd probably stick with the tech job long enough to find another tech job with a more promising future. Walmart DC isn't the best place to work.... (my brother works at one)

 

[Canun]

You could always check and see if the ISP wants to retain you. Most of the companies I have worked for have some employee retention funds that the boss's can use if they want to keep the employee.

If they say no, then leave.

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: Abel007
Factor in insurance and ease of job. Working at a DC isn't for everyone. It is generally very hard work for long hours and the new people get the grunt work. I worked at a DC for Tractor Supply Co. when I was younger and that was the hardest work I've ever done in my life. It made me appreciate sitting in a chair.

same here.

I worked at a walmart DC in ottawa, kansas in the late 90's. The work was hard. I worked from 5 pm to 5:30 am for several months and then from 5 am to 4:30 pm for several months. The work is hard and boring. During the winter months, its cold as hell in the back of trucks and its very very dirty. In summer, temps can rise to the 120's easily because all they had was a fan mounted on the wall blowing hot air in the trailer.

It really made me get off my ass though and get a real career oriented job. When I think my current job blows, i always remember back to working at the walmart DC and how lucky I have it now.

 

[Savarak]

how old are you? are you a student? even 22k is kind of hard to live on if you take the job at walmart imo

 

[SampSon]

Tech support/PC Tech is the fast food job of the tech industry. You're never going to get anywhere staying at an ISP as a tech, no matter how much BS they tell you about getting certs and education. Usually low end tech jobs are mindless, require little work and the pay is low.

The labor job will pay more, but you're going to work harder (read: actually do work).

 

[Jeff7]

I worked at a warehouse. The work sucks. It wasn't climate controlled, so you freeze in the winter, and bake in the summer. I'm talking 20F+ above body temperature, even when it's cooler outside, plus there's almost no air movement. Be sure you've got some muscle. At the Home Depot warehouse I worked at, some of the boxes weighed up to 120lbs. They say, "Get help if you need it." Well with the quotas they had for cases per hour, if you have to wait a few minutes to get help lifting one box, you probably won't make your case count for that hour.
It's dirty too. Everything was dusty, and at the end of each day I'd have to blow my nose good, and all this gross gritty slime would come out, just from breathing all the dust all day.

I do not ever want to get a warehouse job ever again. Just think of your day, yes it may suck. But now imagine that it's 120 degrees (or maybe 5). You don't have a clean office to work in, but a filthy warehouse. You don't push around a mouse, but instead move boxes weighing close to your own body weight. And do it all quickly. They want speed. If you don't have speed, you won't have a job.
Oh, and they'll probably love to give you overtime. Some people at the HD warehouse did 60+hr weeks on a regular basis.

 

[compman25]

Is the Wal-Mart DC a general merchandise or food DC? If it's a food one it will be cold in the winter, but during the summer if you're unloading reefers it will be nice and cool. It's too bad you won't make the money that I pay to lumpers to unload me.

 

[jimbob200521]

Bump for night crew...