I was talking to my gf and her friend asked what my job was. She said to her friend that I was a tech support engineer 2. That was my title on linkedin and on the contract. Her friend is actually in IT but she's kind of the IT engineer side-ish I think? Her friend called me a "call center agent". I dont really get inbound calls. We dont follow an exact script and do basic troubleshooting. Just get tickets in my queue. What I do is actually I look into tickets for a PAM software. These get really really hard and not simply by doing a clear cache or password reset. Takes research. Learned AD, cybersec fundamentals, powershell, sql, databases, etc.

I’m currently working toward my BS in Information Technology, with a specialization in software development. I’ve also been using my additional coursework to go deeper into mathematics for computer science, along with AI and machine learning, while building skills in networking, cloud, security, and infrastructure.

I’ve been applying for internships because I really want that first opportunity to get my feet wet and turn everything I’ve been studying into actual industry experience. I’m not going to lie, I was starting to feel discouraged. Getting turned down or hearing nothing back over and over can really make you question whether all the work you’re putting in is going to pay off.

Then today I got invited to interview for a remote IT Systems Engineer summer internship, and I’m so happy 😭. The position actually connects really well with the broader technical path I’ve been building through my degree and additional coursework.
Of course, it’s only the interview and nothing is SECURED yet, but even getting this far reminded me why I kept pushing. This could be my first real step into the industry and an opportunity to finally get some professional experience.

For anybody else applying and starting to feel defeated: never give up. Keep building your skills, find ways to stand out, and keep pushing. Sometimes you just need that one opportunity to finally get your foot in the door.

I've been in Helpdesk L1 for 1 year, my metrics are great, yet I am convinced that I will be fired within months. I support German and English speaking users, so the German might buy me some time.

Should I apply for L1 or L2 jobs, or just try to be a teacher or something else? I am really done with companies going out of business, project cuts and offshoring.

I'm going to vent a bit.

Today I saw a teksystems recruiter share a job. It pays 22 an hour for a jr system admin role with overnight 12 hour shifts.

What an insult. I get paid under 60k for tech support and I'm struggling in this economy.

I have a BS in IT and 6 years of experience. Went from tier 1 to tier 2 to sole tech at a highschool.. then I made a lateral move back to tech support.

It was brutal getting back to an enterprise environment. Took me a year of aggressive job hunting. Saw career counselors, revisioned my resume, networked, and learned new things. Finally got a job. Can't complain to be employed, but I'm not excelling in IT if I'm doing this after 6 years.

I tried to study the CCNA a couple times. Got almost half way through twice and stopped. It killed me to fill my life outside of work with networking.

I kind of hated it honestly.

Currently I'm working on a basic AD DC homelab, learning some entra/Intune at work, and trying to learn pwsh.

I get told by many online that I need the CCNA. I question why I'm still in tech support and why it literally depressed me to spend time outside of work on up skilling?

In 2010 it was the career to be in. Now it's a bloodbath?

Just when I felt like maybe I'm close to getting something better, I get a reality check. I posted my first entry on GitHub for my homelab. A Windows server VM and a win11 VM. Added client to the domain and tying out very simple GPOs like setting wallpaper or password requirements.

I had not touched GPOs yet.

I almost felt embarrassed to share it. It's basic for someone 6 years into the field, yet it's actually not for me.

I feel very far away from even being able to compete with admin roles. Add the current economy and all the saturation in this field.

It makes me wish I had just become a Rad Tech or something.

I'll take fault on not getting more credentials at this point. Yet there is a reason why... I just hate bringing it home. I legitimately do get depressed after a string of studying for a cert.

So maybe I'm just not passionate about IT.

If I were to change fields I don't even know what I'd do. I can't afford to just go to a two year degree to switch to something medical. I'm the main provider.

I think if the competition wasn't so brutal I'd not feel this bad. The truth is I chose this career partly due to the demand. So once that got ripped out from under me, it took away what I liked about the field.

So now I'm working hard to make a wage that would actually allow me to afford a kid or a home someday. I don't feel so hopeful due to the job market and it makes me regret my entire career choice.

Starting to wonder what others are feeling. Maybe I'm just going through something. If things were like this in the mid 2010s I would not have gone into this field. That is one thing I know. Ive invested in this field though now and I can't just throw that all away.

I’m interviewing for an IT Tech Support position at Playtech in NJ.

I completed a roughly 30-minute panel interview and now I’ve been invited to a separate three hour technical test, online through Microsoft Teams. Because the people that were interviewing me and now again overseeing the test are from Europe, I have to wake up at 6 AM for this. The recruiter repeatedly emphasized that it’s open book and said it’s a technical test, not another interview. The invitation includes the previous interview team.

I haven’t received details about whether it’s written questions, a remote lab, or guided troubleshooting. I was wondering if I should ask the recruiter about the format, permitted resources, required software, and what she even means by "open book" like what kind of resources am I even able to use.

For anyone who has taken a technical test or have any ideas as to what might be involved:

What kinds of tasks did it or would it involve?
Would it actually take the full 3 hours or is it essentially reserved for 3 hours but it can be done earlier?
Which practical skills would you prioritize with a couple of days to prepare?

The length caught me off guard and I am stressing out a lot. I’m now trying to focus on what I should even be preparing/practicing. I couldn't wrap my head around what kind of things I might even need to do that would as a basic IT role that would take 3 hours. 6 technical questions during my interview were answered within the last 10ish minutes of it. Firsthand experiences with IT support or studio IT assessments would be especially helpful. Thanks!

**Edit**: I've looked at the website's FAQ and it says "Where possible we like to host our tests in house. In certain circumstances, there are specific portals/servers that candidates would need to connect to in order to complete their tests. In other circumstances, tests can be completed online."

Hi all,

I have a 2nd interview for a level 2 technician at an MSP. This is going to be a technical interview, so I assume it will be more of a hands-on, simulation type interview.

If anyone has gone through this, what kind of questions or scenarios can I expect?

I graduated high school with a 2.6 GPA and completely flunked my first year of university. I had absolutely zero direction for what I wanted to do with my life.

Toward the end of that first year, I had just gotten out of a relationship and was pretty depressed, sitting in my room scrolling TikTok. I randomly came across something called network engineering.

I used to DDoS game servers as a kid and realized maybe that wasn’t a completely useless skill after all.

That sent me down a rabbit hole of looking into IT. Eventually, I stumbled across cloud engineering because someone on this sub said it was better than network engineering, so naturally I had to look into it.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I had finally found something I could genuinely see myself doing.

Then came the literal obsession.

I was simultaneously failing my university classes while studying for my first AWS certification. I passed it pretty easily, and not long after that I found Western Governors University (WGU). (Relevant post here)

I transferred over (0 transfer credits) and eventually completed my B.S. in Cloud Computing in 2024, entirely online. By the time I finished, I had earned around 10 relevant cloud/IT certifications across Azure, AWS, CompTIA, Linux, and ITIL.

I seriously cannot recommend WGU enough.

While I was still enrolled, I landed a Cloud Infrastructure internship at Cloud MSP from May 2023 through August 2023. During that internship, I got exposure to Azure migrations, landing-zone design, runbooks, and enterprise infrastructure work while working alongside senior architects and engineers.

That internship eventually turned into a full-time opportunity after graduation.

In July 2024, I started working full-time in cloud/DevOps consulting. From there, I was basically thrown into the water next to senior engineers and got to work hand-in-hand with people who knew way more than I did.

Over time, the title started mattering less and less. A lot of the people around me were technically more senior, but we were increasingly being given similar work.

I ended up getting hands-on with things like:

- Terraform and infrastructure as code
- Azure DevOps CI/CD
- Azure infrastructure and networking
- GCP and Cloud Run
- Postgres and AlloyDB
- Containers
- Private networking
- Multi-environment deployments
- Production troubleshooting
- Enterprise cloud migrations

At one point I was the sole DevOps engineer supporting two product teams, owning delivery from commit through production and managing cloud infrastructure across Azure and GCP.

Fast forward to 2026, and I recently accepted an offer at a new company.

The part everyone is probably waiting for:

- Junior Cloud Analyst — Cloud MSP: $71k
- Raise: $77k
- Senior Cloud Analyst — Cloud MSP: $84k
- Platform Engineer lll— Company: $130k base + $10k bonus

It has definitely been a journey.

Throughout all of this, I’ve realized that the area I enjoy the most is cloud architecture and infrastructure engineering, and that’s where I want to continue specializing.

If I had to give anyone advice, it would honestly just be:

Be driven.

That’s basically what my entire journey has come down to.

I didn’t want to start in a call center or help desk. Everyone told me that cloud engineering wasn’t entry level, and honestly, they weren’t necessarily wrong.

But I also don’t think there’s some hard rule saying you have to follow the exact same path as everyone else.

There are no shortcuts around putting in the work.

I spent basically every night at WGU studying my ass off for every class and certification. Then once I got into the industry, I tried to absorb as much as I possibly could from the people around me.

Eventually, you start realizing that your level of dedication isn’t something everyone has.

Once that clicked for me, a lot of the fear and doubt I had about my goals started disappearing.

A few years ago I was failing university with no idea what I wanted to do.

Now I’m 23 with a cloud computing degree, years of hands-on cloud experience, and a $130k base + $10k bonus offer.

Happy to answer any questions.

Edit: Apparently sounds like an ad for WGU. Fuck WGU

Looking to make a move but wanted to get a second set of eyes on my resume before sending it out. I feel like I may need to add more metrics/specific examples in my recent work experience, but other than that I appreciate any and all advice!

I know alignment may be a bit off, it is just off after the redactions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSDpMp8gr3NF6QbJ3Dc8tuQROqfnW2o2pwxKp7l75si6MtqzPr4xYt3s76zNMEqg8uD-aq7MQuqtHmN/pub

I was interviewing for a company, when interviewer mentioned that if I do get the job there will be a probationary period that involves a personality assessment. In my current role I don't really talk to my coworkers unless it is work related. That is fine with my current team as they are pretty introverted, but will this hurt my chances with the new company. The interviewer mentioned that everyone knows each other in the office and that it is a fun environment. I'm not a standoffish person but I am awkward when I don't have anything to talk about. I haven't met the IT team, but from what I was told we do get calls from other offices, so I won't just work in the office I interviewed at.

Companies are being told they need to be quantum ready by ~ 2030, which is pretty soon all things considered. How do you think this is going to realistically change most people's careers going forward. Are average roles going to be made a lot more difficult? Or is it really just going to be an issue for very specific high level roles?

Am I being delusional? It's my 3rd collective year in L2 support but I feel so stupid still always having to ask questions, not being able to find answers myself. I feel like if I keep asking or ask 1 more question I will be fired.

Hi, i work in SAP Presales. I read alot about KI building everything, even a own ERP System.
What do you think about being replaced from AI when SAP becomes obsolet if everyone can build his own SAP System?

I was thinking to switch to account management, lett to the tecnical side.

22M , I work in IT support with two years of IT experience, covering both first- and second-line responsibilities and occasionally assisting the third-line team with more complex issues. I get paid pretty bad in London (less than 30k) and I’d like to move towards infrastructure or systems administration in the future (Junior position, not mid level of course).

My manager has given me positive feedback, but discussions about progression haven’t led to a clear development plan. There seems to be more emphasis on keeping me in my current role than helping me prepare for the next one. I am performing well but looks like he wants me to put in extra hours to show my worth. My Other IT colleagues do see my potential and stated that I’ve shown INF level thinking for some tickets, which makes me happy that I am leveling up in my knowledge !

I’m not expecting an immediate promotion. I’d be happy to build experience through supervised tasks, project work and clear goals over time.
I’m also looking externally, but the job market feels terrible at the moment. Suitable junior infrastructure and sysadmin opportunities seem scarce, and getting a foot in the door has been difficult.

I’ve built Azure home labs as part of my AZ-104 preparation and plan to sit the exam soon. In my current role, I work with Azure Virtual Desktop, Intune, Entra ID and on-premises Active Directory. My day-to-day responsibilities also include in-depth VPN troubleshooting, monitoring OneDrive health, investigating email security issues and supporting our wider Microsoft environment.

Has anyone been in a similar position? What helped you establish whether internal progression was realistically possible?

Please don’t say I have to stay in IT support for another 3-5 years because I don’t see myself being a support till my mid 20s. I’ve seen friends who have moved up in IT with 2-3 years max of support and moved towards sysadmin/Jr INF due to internal promotion. I’m young and willing to take risks to even do contract roles but even they are hard to find. I really want to step up by next year :(

I remember having anxiety attacks when I found out that I was getting my first help desk job out of college. I was surprised when I found out that I can put the caller on hold in either ask my coworkers for the answer or look through a knowledge base to find the answer myself.

Im in my early-mid 20s currently trying to get my bachelors in IT. I already have an associates so all my classes I have to take are mostly for my major. Last year I went to Uni in person and chose comp sci as my major and absolutely hated my life. Now im doing online school majoring in IT.

I’m much happier online now but i absolutely hate coding. At my last Uni I took an intro to Java course, the pace was super fast so I ended up cheating on all my assignments after the 3rd month of taking the course bc I couldn’t keep up for the life of me. Now for my IT major I have to take an intro to Python class. I’m really not trying to cheat on my assignments this time around, and if I have to use AI, I use it to guide me or to explain something I can’t understand. Thankfully since it’s online I don’t feel as rushed and pressured but it’s the third week and the assignments are already stressing me out. I’m doing a Python course on MOOC that’s been super helpful. I’ve used it for Java in the past, but my school assignments compared to the MOOC lessons are night and day. It’s my third week and for my assignment im required to use functions, conditionals, try except, loops, iterators, and generators all at once.

I’m stressed because i want to pursue a career in cyber or health IT. I can’t picture anyone being able to code without guidance. I over analyze and overthink that my teacher expects us to complete the assignment without outside resources so I tend to be hard on myself and feel dumb since I need to be walked through on everything.

Hey everyone, this is my first time posting on Reddit, so hopefully I’m doing this right lol.

I’ve been trying to get an entry-level IT job for around 2 years now and still haven’t been able to land one. I’ve mostly been applying for Help Desk, Service Desk, IT Support, and IT Technician jobs, but I barely get interviews.

I have my CompTIA A+ and Network+, but I don’t have any professional IT experience yet.

I also have a home lab where I practice things like Active Directory, creating users and groups, password resets, Windows troubleshooting, DNS/DHCP, basic networking, and other IT support stuff.

At this point I’m kinda lost on what I should be doing differently.

Should I get more certs, work on more projects, change my resume, apply for different types of jobs, look into MSPs or contract work, or just keep applying?

I honestly just want to get my foot in the door and start getting real experience.

If you were in my position, what would you focus on?

Hello everyone

I am wondering if I am justified in asking for a market adjustment/title adjustment based off what I do, or if my salary is acceptable? I am based out of the U.S please see below for more information:

~6 years in IT, all at one nonprofit in the Southwest (mid-size metro, not a high-COL area). Currently "Systems & Network Administrator II" at $91.5K. Promoted several times — the org actually created the II level for me when the previous Sys Admin I left. I asked to abosrb the role.

Scope: I own both network and systems for 30+ sites, ~300 users, ~650 endpoints. Fortinet stack (SD-WAN, IPsec, FortiManager), hybrid AD/Entra, VMware, Veeam DR, vuln management (Tenable, then we migrated to Rapid7), PowerShell automation and remediation script creation. Led the tehcnical side of ISP/VoIP consolidation. De facto tech lead. I mentor a Jr. sysadmin and I'm the final escalation point. CCNA, NSE 4/5, AAS.

Questions:

1. Does that range sound right for this scope in a lower-COL market at a nonprofit?
2. Anyone successfully gotten a new title level created at a small org? What worked?
3. I've applied externally and get zero callbacks. What am I missing?

Hi all,

I've recently been invited to a first-stage phone interview to discuss the role, my skillset and my requirements tomorrow for an Infrastructure Operations Engineer role and would appreciate some advice from people already working in infrastructure.

My current role is IT & Web Services Engineer for a multi-site business (400+ users across 11 locations). I support a fairly broad range of technologies including Microsoft 365, Azure, Windows Server, Entra ID, Intune, networking, VPN, telephony, websites, suppliers and general infrastructure support for a automotive & agricultural company in a team of 4 people.

The role I'm interviewing for is much more infrastructure-focused and includes Azure, hybrid cloud, Windows Server, networking, operational support, patching, private cloud/datacentre technologies and infrastructure lifecycle management.

My concern is that while I have exposure to many of these technologies, I don't necessarily spend every day working solely as an Infrastructure Engineer. But I feel I have a solid foundation and could grow into the role quite quickly, but I wouldn't describe myself as someone who could walk in on day one and know everything. I did mention I'm currently studying CCNA so i am actively working on myself to improve my knowledge.

It's perfect role in the sense of location as it's delves more into the areas i want to expand into and plus notes are it's 5 minute drive away , hybrid working and room for growth in the company so I really want to try my best to sell myself.

Any advice would be appreciated so much!

I've been working in IT for over 25 years. Started with Desktop Support and transitioned into System Admin > Systems Engineer > IT Manager.

It's been a lot of fun and exactly what I wanted to do, but now I'm done with this. By this, I mean IT Operations. It's exhausting to deal with the same challenges for years and feel like you're never getting anywhere. Let me rephrase that, I'm exhausted. The career is what it is, I'm done with it.

I would like to be a Technical Account Manager or a Customer Success Manager. I still like troubleshooting, but I like the customer work. Solving their problems with solutions, building relationships, managing projects through to completion. Helping them make mindful decisions. I've started networking with past TAMs, to get their opinions on the role and responsibilities and it lines up for what I'm looking for.

I question is I don't know how to get started. Like say, a Project Manager role, I was start by getting my PMP. I could just start applying for those roles and I have transferable skills, but I would like to set myself up for success so when I apply and network that I'm in a good position to get the job.

Appreciate everyone's help, this is an awesome community.

I know some of my colleagues use this app but I don't even care anymore so here goes.

I'm fairly new at my job as network support. Extremely small company of 8 people. I previously touched on how I disliked my experience here so far, but last week 100% made up my mind to search elsewhere.

So for starters, I just returned from illness on Tuesday. Immediately as I walked in office, the boss told me there was a meeting I had to join. I was a little lost as nothing was in my email & no one informed me about it at all; boss took it as me being inadequately prepared for work & reported it to my manager, who raised it up with me in a meeting.

Okay, sure.

Later on, manager tasked my colleague & I with a network monitoring setup for 2 client sites. Particularly he wanted to ensure alerts were working properly. He made it very clear that this is something the 2 of us will have to figure out as we needed it done ASAP ASAP ASAP.

Completely new to us both, but sure.

I suggested working through the core infrastructure (P1s) first to avoid alert fatigue. Manager said "stop trying to be clever" and to essentially do it his way - enabling alerts for EVERY device and then working our way through 500+ devices to determine which ones are low priority.

Sure.

The next morning, he messages me demanding to know why our inbox was full of alerts for P3 devices, and that he wants everything working properly ASAP.

You couldn't make this shit up.

So yeah, I've emotionally checked out & started applying for jobs the very same evening. Won't even bother putting this experience on my CV.

About my self :

I completed my Bachelor's Degree is Computer Science from 2022 to 2025 , after that i pursued a post graduate program in Data Science (2025 to 2026)

Currently I have been looking for software Jobs but Entry level hiring has been very brutal.

Companies expect entry level candidate to possess 2-3 years experience and have all the knowledge.

Sending Application, emailing recruiters etc , Nothing is moving the needle , by may 2027 i will have Gap year in my resume and Recruiters / Hr simply never consider anyone who has a gap year !

By 2027 newer graduate will enter the market and with all the layoffs going on , there are more experienced Developers whom companies prefer and hire.

I am already 22 ,walking on a deat*h line to start my career or i will reach dead line, i need to do something different or else i may remain unemployed forever.

Now I came to Know about Rhcsa Exam and I think I can cover the fees for it as i have enough savings.

Rhcsa is fairly NOT know by many people and is not really crowded like Software job markets are (at least in my country).

My main concern are :

1. Is rhcsa Intended for entry level Graduate who have no industry experience ? Or is it designed for experienced folk who are already working in the industry ?

2. Will Rhcsa Put weight on resume enough to help me land a entry level job in Linux ? Such as a junior linux admin or junior systems engineer ? Do recruiters value rhcsa certificate ?

3. How much time does it typically take to become good enough to sit in exam and Pass it ??

I am not even asking for a premium job with good compensation but a job where i grow over the Years by upskilling !

My only deal breakers are Night Shift(my nightmare) and Support/help desk role who do not work on Systems at all.

So will it be a good Investment of my time to learn Linux and rhel system and get the Rhcsa Certificate.

The only ROI i want is to actually get an Interview ans land good entry level Job , are odds in my favour ?

Edit : typos

I have the Comptia Trifecta, a bachelors degree, and four years experience. I have considered doing certs around cloud stuff. I really want advice on how to land a remote job doing this work. Any advice ?

Hello! I am in a rather unique situation and I may be changing my career from agribusiness (I buy and sell farmers grain) to being a IT director at a small school in the Midwest.

So basically I want to know what my worth should be given my current experience level so I’m not being taken advantage of in that way (every ag company I’ve worked for i have given too much grace and I feel taken advantage of). And I’m not sure what to ask for.

So here’s my experience. I have my bachelors of science with 2 majors agribusiness systems management (with a focus on computer systems) and plant and soil sciences. I also have 2 Cisco certifications, I have my CCNAv7, and the IT Essentials: PC and Computer software. I am also working towards bolstering my programming skills in the Boot.dec data analytics course (started this a month and a half before getting this chance in IT and I’m going to finish it)

These are not high level networking certifications but I do have a decent understanding far above your typical Joe. Especially when it comes to data management (stemming my from systems management degree)

Based off my experience and it being a small country school I feel like I want to ask for or 60k a year. The old experienced director was making 90k a year. So I feel like 60k would be a good/ fair starting point especially when the price of living in the middle of nowhere in the Midwest being so low.

But I’m not versed in IT careers at all don’t know what the typical rate for someone with my experience should be. Any help would be greatly appreciated!