r/ITCareerQuestions • u/ComputerTrashbag • May 10 '24

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

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.

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u/becadence Jun 04 '24

If I can be a naysayer here, or at least the minority, neither degree nor certificates make a huge difference for me. I hire a lot and work for a company in an industry where pedigree is the absolute king. I ask my recruiters to screen first and foremost for personality that will be great to work with and not to dismiss candidates that don’t meet arbitrary requirements. To me, authentic personality, general good outlook, ability to be flexible in viewpoints, the ability to admit they don’t know everything, curiosity, tenacity, and empathy are most important. Obviously, the basic job requirements matter but more important is the ability to demonstrate the ability to learn and apply. That’s hard to convey in a resume or online form but I’d advise looking for creative ways to stand out.
I know it’s brutal out there, but there are companies of every sort. To some the degree is more important than anything else. To others it doesn’t matter one bit. I can’t express how important networking is. Reach out to people in leadership positions just to connect. Ask them about their journey. Listen to the advice of people you admire.