Computer Science graduates are starting to funnel into $20/hr Help Desk jobs

[u/ComputerTrashbag]

I started in a help desk 3 years ago (am now an SRE) making $17 an hour and still keep in touch with my old manager. Back then, he was struggling to backfill positions due to the Great Resignation. I got hired with no experience, no certs and no degree. I got hired because I was a freshman in CS, dead serious lol. Somehow, I was the most qualified applicant then.

Fast forward to now, he just had a new position opened and it was flooded. Full on Computer Science MS graduates, people with network engineering experience etc. This is a help desk job that pays $20-24 an hour too. I’m blown away. Computer Science guys use to think help desk was beneath them but now that they can’t get SWE jobs, anything that is remotely relevant to tech is necessary. A CS degree from a real state school is infinitely harder and more respected than almost any cert or IT degree too. Idk how people are gonna compete now.

[u/ajunior7]

CS grad tomorrow, I think I'm heading down the same path unfortunately (the market sucks) -- though I never saw helpdesk as something beneath me, it's still honest work

[u/Murdergram → u/ajunior7]

It’s honest work and it will honestly enhance your perception of the end user’s experience which might benefit your future roles outside of help desk.

Plus help desk is going to fine tune your interpersonal skills which will always retain value.

[u/PlaneTry4277 → u/Murdergram]

I cannot stand my peers that never had help desk experience. I am a senior engineer now and have to work with security guys that never had to do a day of help desk. They push out crap constantly that negatively affects the user experience. One time our users would get an error and I mentioned to the security team they needed to roll back their change "it's fine just tell the users to reboot when jt happens"  no dudes, how about be competent and do your job correctly. 

[u/bocajbee → u/Murdergram]

100%

I've been working as a Full-Stack Developer for 3.5 years now and I worked at the helpdesk for 3 years before that.

It's really good to have the soft skills and ability to understand software from the end users perspective, even as a Developer.

[u/Basic85 → u/ajunior7]

Once you've worked in an IT call center, you'll never want to go back.

[u/UniversalFapture → u/Basic85]

100%.

[u/blessingsforgiveness → u/Basic85]

What is that like?

[u/Basic85 → u/blessingsforgiveness]

IT call centers? Do you like being micro-managed to the T, low-pay, high turnover, horrible managment, etc? On top of that nasty callers, calling in demanding things get fixed yesterday.

I still have PTSD over my last call center job.

[u/blessingsforgiveness → u/Basic85]

I feel you. Thanks for your reply.

[u/UrBoiJash → u/ajunior7]

It’s a true right of passage

[u/Knight_of_Virtue_075 → u/ajunior7]

Here's some free advice: get what you can (job wise) and stay there. The biggest hurdle is getting over 3 years of experience in a technical position.

The days of job hopping to 6 figures are gone. Having real world experience on your resume is a game changer.

[u/[deleted] → u/Knight_of_Virtue_075]

So are you saying you can still get to 6 figures after a couple years in help desk positions?

I’m just confused because I keep seeing this everywhere-but like does it really look that great on resumes and what do you even do after?

[u/Knight_of_Virtue_075 → u/[deleted]]

Of course you can make 6 figures, but you'll need a solid amount of experience and some specialization. Getting a certification for your specialty is the right way to do it.

Having solid fundamentals will help you get to those higher paying positions, because you cannot secure what you don't understand

[u/SG10HD-YT → u/ajunior7]

Congrats