Time for a new job?

[SnOop005]

I've been thinking about this for a loooonngg time but I really want to look for a new job now so maybe you guys can help. I'm deciding if I should stay where I'm at or move on to something else. I'm a full time college student currently working part-time for a small IT outsource firm. I've been working there for about 2 years and I have learned a lot about servers/workstations in a corperate level environment (Active directory,Exchange,Vertias Back up Exec, etc)

Basiclly the firm has support contracts with many small - med size companies and whenever ****** happens my supervisor will call me and i wil go to that company to resolve whatever issues that their having. I get paid on-call basis, meaning from the moment that i step into a company till im done and step out. My rate right now is $17.50/hr, this may sound good but theres a couple of things that i need to mention: 1. I don't get compensated for travel, meaning gas money is on me, I travel at least 30-40 miles a day round trip. 2. I have to pay for my own equiment that i use on-field (Blackberry for emails, laptop for support, etc) so i don't get compensated for monthly service for the blackberry. 3. A lot of my own time that i put in to help my supervisors or follow-up work such as doing research on different things ,finding solutions to various of problems, testing software/hardware, making and updating documentations (SOPs). Since those are non-client related or things that I do at home or offsite I can't bill for those either. Pretty much say I spent total of 8-10 hrs on work I can only bill for about 4-5 or even less. The only thing that's keeping me right now is the learning experience that comes from this job. My mentality is if i just get a job at BB or CompUSA i'll be spending my day fixing common user problems and scanning virus, pretty basic stuff. But with this job I learn a lot and IT is the career that I'm going for, so im hoping after graduating I can use the experience to back me up when I'm finding jobs of this field. What should I do????

It is 4:00 A.M right now and I can't sleep thinking about this decision. it has gotten really bad recently to the point where I feel like im being ripped off and exploited. This job has also taken way to much time for a part-time job. Right now I feel like i just want to get a job at BB or CompUSA, just do my shift and get out, while being paid for the whole time that i worked.

I'm 20 years old and have been messing with comps (overclocking,modding,building,frying mobos, and crashing hard drives) since I was 14 with 2 yr of IT experience mentioned above
A+ Cert. and MCP

With what I have right now, is there something better for me out there?



Sorry for this long thread, as you can see I rarly post here but this problem has been bugging me for a while now. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Cattlegod]

right now it is going to be just about impossible to find a job that pays more without a college degree unless you like to do manual labor.

 

[j00fek]

yeh, might as well stick it out. the exp is worth it in the long run. it should pay off when you interview after school, it did for me 😀

 

[woowoo]

Stick with it, beg for a raise.

I hope your taking all those expenses off on your taxes.....

 

[xtabi]

I did exactly what you are doing while I was doing my undergrad. I did that for about one and a half years. Right after graduating in 2001 I got a job at a fortune 100 company. It was the first job I interviewed for. Got hired @ $45,000 /year at an entry level job working in our Data Center doing operations type work. Five years later, and three promotions, I have a corner office overlooking our city and hockey rink and now make $80,000. Its amazing how much a little time and effort you put in up front makes a difference in the back end. Now I'm 29 with even more upside potential, and I owe it all to the hard work I put in while going to school. Plus they are paying for my graduate school classes!

Most people coming out of school will just have their school exp. to fall back on. What puts us ahead is real world exp. That doubles your value in the eyes of a potential employer.

STICK IT OUT! YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: j00fek
yeh, might as well stick it out. the exp is worth it in the long run. it should pay off when you interview after school, it did for me 😀

Yep. Look at this job like a intern job that pays well. That way when you are done with school it shows you don;t jump around and also have long term exp. Something most of your other grads will not have.

 

[crownjules]

Ask for a raise, or at the very least compensation for some of your expenses. Let them know that you're being forced to shoulder the burden of some expensive charges on a modest salary that you'd like to use more to pay school costs. It shouldn't be unreasonable if you've been working there 2 years without any sort of pay raise.

 

[Cal166]

I was in the same situation while I was in college. I went to a really expensive college and I needed money so I stuck with them while I was in college earning $17 an hour inhouse systems admin. I learned a lot working managing a small-mid size company.

After I graduated, the company offered me a low-ball salary so I left. I took half a year off from college and found a internship, two months later they offered me a full time position and now I make double.

As of right now, I would stick it out and try to get a raise and get as much experience as you can. Since you are in college, it would be hard to find a part time job to fit your schedule.

Right now you are underpaid for an on-call consultant. If it was an inhouse internship, the pay is good. I do consultant jobs on the side for $40/$55 an hour.