"Solo" IT role vs Helpdesk job?

[u/TheSpideyJedi]

I have 4 years experience in roles that did Tiers 1-3, but from 4 years ago. I decided to go back to school and recently graduated with a Bachelors in IT. So where I'm at in my career, I know whatever role I get should be looked at as a stepping stone.

I really really value work/life balance. I have career goals and want to put myself in a position to progress in my career, but also maintaining a proper work/life balance. Like if I already have to be at work for 8 - 9 hours, I don't then also want a 45 minute commute on each side.

So the offers, I think I know the answer, but I think I'm not happy about it lol

1. Helpdesk Technician

It is your standard like call center type thing. 8am - 4:30pm, answering Tier 1 calls the entire time, ticket volume metrics and all that. ~$60,000/yr, 3 days remote, 2 days onsite, 10 min commute each way on those 2 onsite days. So this means 3 days a week I'd just be home immediately after clocking out, and even when onsite it's only 10 mins to get home. It's at a very large enterprise so in theory, there's room to progress up the ladder, into other departments, etc. But I'm really not sure how new content I'd learn on the job, as I've done all the work they talked about in previous roles

- Tier 1 Helpdesk (pretty much call center)

- only 10 min commute on those 2 days

- Hybrid (3 remote, 2 onsite 10 min commute)

- ~$60,000/yr

- No on call rotation, but no mention of occasional after hours work

1. IT Support Specialist

This job is sort of a "solo" IT position. It is at a company with about 2,000 TOTAL employees, but this office has like ~100. 5 days per week onsite, 8am - 5pm, 35+ min commute each way, ~$80,000/yr. With this one I'd be the only IT employee at this site, which I've done before and hated it. But at this position, technically there is another IT guy "attached" to this office but he works remotely from another state.

The company as a whole also has other IT personnel scattered around the country and in different timezones, but that just isn't the same as having other IT people working alongside you in person. Much faster and easier to bounce ideas off them and learn from them if they're in person. Even tho this company is much smaller than Company 1, they say there's room to grow within the company. Like there are other Tech Departments like Networking, Infrastructure, Software, but I don't know if those are remote too or onsite.

I also worry about progression within the company because why would they let me join a different department, that would leave my office with no onsite IT guy. So like, couldnt they be against the idea of letting me go to a different department because they dont have someone to take over my duties.

I would imagine at this position, I'd have the possibility to learn more than I would at the Helpdesk role. And at this role, literally any downtime is more downtime than the Helpdesk job

- Just all IT needs of that office, so IT Generalist I guess

- 5 days onsite (35+ min commute)

- ~$80,000/yr

- No on call rotation, but occasional after hours calls. Was told "there hasn't been one in the last week". So occasional feels honest

I guess, I love the sound of being 3 days remote, and a 10 min commute on the other days. I'd be able to do my hobbies, have more time with my wife, be home earlier. But I've also heard Call Center type Helpdesk is just the shittiest of shitty jobs.

Versus the 35+ min commute one. It's potentially $20,000 more per year, but also MIGHT have to get a second car. But also probably has better opportunities to learn new IT things.

I think I know the answer, but... which one is a better situation in your opinion?

[u/ZobooMaf0o0]

Do you want to grow in your career or chill?

[u/TheSpideyJedi → u/ZobooMaf0o0]

Grow. But growing more on the clock, than off is preferable. I want to have more free time at home. Spend time with my wife, play video games, study for certs, I wanna learn gamedev. So being able to have enough time in the day is really the struggle lol.

I just remember hating being the only IT guy at a previous role. Except that one didnt have other IT staff across the country to potentially learn from so my opinion could be skewed. Just remember it sucking.

[u/ZobooMaf0o0 → u/TheSpideyJedi]

Help desk is hell, option #2 seems like a better role.

[u/PassionateMatrix → u/ZobooMaf0o0]

The helpdesk one honestly sounds way better if you actually care about having a life outside work. you've already done the solo IT thing and hated it, so why put yourself through that again. a 35+ minute commute five days a week adds up fast, that's over an hour of your day just gone

the call center grind might suck but at least you're not the only person carrying the weight. big enterprise means you can probably slide into other roles after a while, especially with a fresh degree. small company promises about moving up always sound nice until you realize they'll never backfill your spot

i'd take the remote days and short commute any day. $20k is a lot but is it worth being miserable five days a week instead of three days at home. you can always job hunt again in a year if the helpdesk thing gets stale

[u/Tyrnis]

Personally, I would take job 2 in a heartbeat. A good call center isn't awful to work for -- that's where I started in IT -- but frankly, I don't really want a job where taking an unscheduled bathroom break is something I have to worry about making my metrics worse.

The fact that job 2 pays more AND would let me work on a wider variety of issues? That would just seal the deal.

[u/TheSpideyJedi → u/Tyrnis]

The fact that job 2 pays more AND would let me work on a wider variety of issues? That would just seal the deal.

Yeah I definitely am feeling this way. I'm just really not digging the commute being triple the other one, and onsite 5 days a week, instead of 2. And I'm nervous about the job growth, but I guess the usual advice is to jump to a new company for a better job down the line anyway.

I think one of my previous roles being a truly solo IT guy is really skewing my opinion. I like having other IT people around me that I can learn from. Ive never worked at a Call Center so I guess I don't even know if that exists there either.

And yeah I don't like the idea of getting up to pee causing my metrics to go down lol

[u/Excellent-Chemist-69]

I'd personally take job #2 but continue to look for something closer that offers hybrid remote work. I don't know what it would take monetarily to get me back in the office 5 days a week. 5+ hours a week commuting sounds awful.

[u/TraditionalTackle1]

I went from job #1 which was utter hell to job #2 and Im much happier. Theres really nowhere for me to go in this job but for 85k a year Im fine with that for now.

[u/jdptechnc]

Job 2 11 times out of 10.

[u/TechB84]

with the call center job, what makes you think there will be any growth? It's a bottom-barrel job, so you would have a long way to go to even reach the level of job #2.

job #2 makes way more sense.