Hey everyone! I'm a recent graduate working as an IT Technician at a small company with around 150-200 users. I've been with the company for about 8 months, and I'm starting to feel like my responsibilities might extend beyond my official role. Although I'm hired as an IT Technician at $22 an hour, I often find myself performing tasks typical of a Junior SysAdmin or even a full SysAdmin.
My daily tasks include working on support tickets, patching servers, adjusting Group Policies, managing the firewall, configuring VLANs, and leading efforts towards CMMC Level 2 compliance. I'm also the main point of contact for another company that's helping with our compliance efforts. It feels overwhelming, especially since I'm the only one here who knows how to handle our Linux systems, while my coworkers primarily work with Windows.
I'm curious to know if my experience aligns more with that of a Junior or full SysAdmin rather than just sticking to an IT Technician role. I feel lost regarding my career progression and compensation, and I'd love to hear your advice on whether I should stay or consider moving on. Thanks for reading!
5 Answers
Honestly, you’re being underpaid for all that you do. While it's great experience, if you're taking on so much responsibility, it might be wise to look for other opportunities that better reflect your skills and what you deserve. Moving to a different company could result in a better salary and benefits.
Filling that kind of role at $22/hour is definitely not where you should be. You’re performing mid-tier system administration tasks. If management isn’t willing to recognize that, it might be better to look elsewhere. And remember, if they ask you to do more, that’s a reason to negotiate for better pay.
That totally makes sense! I just worry about my lack of experience since I’m still pretty early in my career.
Try not to get too caught up in job titles. Your responsibilities are what matter most. Document your tasks and present them clearly when seeking a raise or job change. When negotiating, ask for what you truly believe you’re worth—aim for higher than you think because that gives them room to negotiate down while still getting you to your desired range.
Yeah, it’s all daunting but I need to work on negotiating better. I just hope they don’t see me as unrealistic if I shoot for $32.
In small companies, roles can be pretty fluid. It’s common to wear multiple hats, especially in IT. You're likely gaining valuable experience that will help you in the long run. Just make sure you document your work diligently; it’ll make discussing your role and salary changes easier in the future.
It sounds like you're way beyond just an IT Technician, especially at $22/hour. Patching servers, handling Group Policies, and being the go-to person for compliance are definitely roles of a Junior SysAdmin at the very least. Document everything you’re doing and present that to your management when you discuss your title or pay. You're doing a lot more than what’s typical for your position, so don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself!
Yeah, but I feel like my resume won't show much since I’ve only been here 8 months. It's tough being a newbie in this space.
That’s what I feared! Even in my area, it feels like $25/hour is the minimum for something like this.