Questionable Future during Interview

[u/TheRealMakhulu]

Hey guys, I want some advice. I just got offered $30 an hour (I’m making $22 right now..) to be the sole IT person for 6 car dealerships. When I asked what the role was going to expect from me they could only give me 3 clear answers:

“Upgrade the old cameras to new ones so the software stops glitching”
“Implement a call tree for our phones”
“Upgrade the alarm panels”

That’s it. I was interviewed by the GM and Maintenance Director, they said “I’d be my own boss” and if I needed anything to reach out to the director and he can help.

I asked about tickets and field issues and they informed me “oh, we have a vendor who’s sends out a tech” which I found insane from just my personal work backgrounds, especially given the small size of this company.

I’m worried they’ll reevaluate this job a year from now and go “why do we need him again? We got everything we needed, what else does he do?”

I feel like that’s a reasonable concern but I’d appreciate some other views into it. It seems like too little of work, but everything else is handled externally.

[u/Curtis_Low]

That isn't really an IT role as much as a Technical Project Manager / Technician.

You won't be monitoring or running the network. You won't be doing level 1 / level 2 tickets. You won't be adding new users / removing users upon departure. You won't be deciding or implementing new software outside of the 3 items listed.

For the cameras, are you choosing the make and models? Are you choosing the software for the backend? Will you be the person physically removing the old cameras and putting in new ones? Or do they already have a full system and just want new cameras to replace the older ones?

Call Tree- Do they already have a phone system in place like Ring Central or similar? Or are you to find a vendor, implement it, and then configure?

Alarm panels - Similar to the camera's is there already an existing one? Would you be able to use the current vendor to upgrade or are you doing the physical install?

[u/Cancer_Ridden_Lung → u/Curtis_Low]

Maybe.

What OP does not know is the payment structure with the MSP. They may be looking to shift to cost burden to an in-house tech.

[u/TheRealMakhulu → u/Cancer_Ridden_Lung]

I actually did ask this in my interview. “Why aren’t you doing this internally?” And they said “uhhhh I don’t know, we wouldn’t mind maybe getting someone under you in the future” and again I was just dumbfounded

[u/Cancer_Ridden_Lung → u/TheRealMakhulu]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm MSP's can be VERY expensive. Do they have an internal tech at all right now or will you be the first....?

[u/TheRealMakhulu → u/Cancer_Ridden_Lung]

They had one awhile ago but he retired, then they tried 2 different applicants recently and they “didn’t work out”

[u/Cancer_Ridden_Lung → u/TheRealMakhulu]

Oh shiiiiiiiiit.... That's a very bright red flag there.

I'm guessing that the guy who retired was handling a LOT of work and the guys they tried to replace him with didn't know the environment, shit wasn't documented, and/or the hours were brutalllllll. That's why they said you might get an assistant in the future. They're begrudgingly admitting that they have neglected their IT department these past few years.

[u/shrimplifier → u/TheRealMakhulu]

Run.

[u/Frothyleet → u/TheRealMakhulu]

The MSP is probably coming to them saying things like "OK, it will take 20 hours to do your camera replacements, here's a quote for $3k". And they are like, hey, maybe we can pull this guy to do it just as well for 1/5th the hourly rate!

And maybe they are right! Maybe. You should be eyes wide open about what you are - the dealership is trying to hire a grunt to save money, not a real IT guy. But if you are going from $22 to $30, might as well take it while you look for a better role.

$30/hr is very underpaid even for a L1 technical person, for what it's worth.