Salary of a Junior Help Desk agent

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Networkn
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#878680 15-Aug-2013 11:59

I would have thought 30K starting with a fast track to 35K (within 6-12 months) depending on competency.

BTR

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#878721 15-Aug-2013 12:40

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Its been very helpful, the position will be exactly a IT Help desk role i.e. sitting behind a IT Help Desk counter and providing support to staff and students with basic problems. The role might also include some light AV work.

raytaylor

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#879005 15-Aug-2013 17:55

I also agree $30k with a rise to $35k after 3-6 months.

Dont pay by qualification - pay by capability.
I used to regularly interview people coming out of EIT with a bachelor in computing and find they had very little practical knowledge.
An example for you - The Hastings District council about 5 years ago advertised for almost the exact same type of position - They were paying $35k
Add a little for inflation.

Listen to the story of the guy that took his car to the mechanic.

He walked into the workshop and said "Hey my car is making a rattling sound - i need help"
So the mechanic opens the hood and take a look. After a quick 4 taps of a spanner he says "Start it up"
And the guy starts the motor up and is amazed that its fixed.

So the mechanic says "That will be $25"
The guy was shocked "$25 for 2 minutes of work"
To which the mechanic replies
"It was $5 for the work but the other $20 is for the 20 years it took to learn thats what I needed to do"

Ray Taylor

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insane

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#879033 15-Aug-2013 18:25

Our helpdesk support guy who does this style work is in the mid $50's. He's not starting out though, he has years of experience and does a great job.

HiTM4N

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#879252 16-Aug-2013 08:26

When I started in a helpdesk role beginning of last year, i started on 39k fresh out of course.
Others from my course were around the same, so i'd say the 35-40k is still accurate.
Since starting i've moved up in the company and have been able to get salary increases

Love of all phones, computers and gadgets

BTR

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#879270 16-Aug-2013 08:54

I am not interested in qualifications for this position. As long as they have an interest in IT and are capable then I am happy.

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gehenna

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#879278 16-Aug-2013 09:01

$35K-$40K is an extraordinarily good start. Better than when I started on help desks in 1998. I started on $28K. That was the low end of a range that was usually $28K-$32K.

macuser

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#879288 16-Aug-2013 09:18

gehenna: $35K-$40K is an extraordinarily good start. Better than when I started on help desks in 1998. I started on $28K. That was the low end of a range that was usually $28K-$32K.

Using the reserve banks inflation calculator, 28K in 1998 is equal to 39,650 in 2013. Food for thought.

BlueShift

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#879289 16-Aug-2013 09:19

BTR: I am not interested in qualifications for this position. As long as they have an interest in IT and are capable then I am happy.

In that case, pay at the low end and expect staff turnover.
I too started out helpdesking in the late 90s in the late $20s, staff turnover in that place was high, less than 1 in 10 people stayed longer than 12 months - it was a good workplace, but crap pay, so once people had 6 months experience on their CVs they buggered off.
My current workplace pays their helpdesk much better than that though - high 40s - low 50s, but we expect a lot of them. Having skilled helpdesk saves a bomb on second level calls, calls fixed over the phone means user is back in action quicker, and second level support don't have to trudge over and fix simple problems. Plus the staff stay much longer, over 3 years usually.

BTR

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#879291 16-Aug-2013 09:24

BlueShift:
BTR: I am not interested in qualifications for this position. As long as they have an interest in IT and are capable then I am happy.

In that case, pay at the low end and expect staff turnover.
I too started out helpdesking in the late 90s in the late $20s, staff turnover in that place was high, less than 1 in 10 people stayed longer than 12 months - it was a good workplace, but crap pay, so once people had 6 months experience on their CVs they buggered off.
My current workplace pays their helpdesk much better than that though - high 40s - low 50s, but we expect a lot of them. Having skilled helpdesk saves a bomb on second level calls, calls fixed over the phone means user is back in action quicker, and second level support don't have to trudge over and fix simple problems. Plus the staff stay much longer, over 3 years usually.

I will expect a lot from this position. My comment about qualifications was more to do with the fact that I will hire someone with hands on knowledge than "paper" knowledge. Just because someone knows how to milk a cow doesn't mean they can actually do it.

If they have qualifications and can do the job then thats a bonus.

gehenna

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#879295 16-Aug-2013 09:33

macuser:Food for thought.

Inflation adjustments don't equal real world changes IMO. Food for thought yes, but rarely does the employment market match the reserve bank's rate of inflation.

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macuser

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#879296 16-Aug-2013 09:35

gehenna:
macuser:Food for thought.

Inflation adjustments don't equal real world changes IMO. Food for thought yes, but rarely does the employment market match the reserve bank's rate of inflation.

So what you're saying is that every year people are being paid less & less for the same work? No wonder there is a big divide between rich and poor ;)

networkn

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#879302 16-Aug-2013 09:43

macuser:
gehenna:
macuser:Food for thought.

Inflation adjustments don't equal real world changes IMO. Food for thought yes, but rarely does the employment market match the reserve bank's rate of inflation.

So what you're saying is that every year people are being paid less & less for the same work? No wonder there is a big divide between rich and poor ;)

Oh boy here we go!

Inphinity

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#879304 16-Aug-2013 09:45

macuser:So what you're saying is that every year people are being paid less & less for the same work? No wonder there is a big divide between rich and poor ;)

This is really a lengthy topic in and of itself, and heading offtopic for this thread, but the short answer to your statement is "In some ways, yes". Housing costs, for example, have increased at significantly higher than most wage increases. Meanwhile, some other costs have not necessarily had as large a relative increase. But let's not totally derail the thread ;)

networkn

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#879307 16-Aug-2013 09:46

Inphinity:
macuser:So what you're saying is that every year people are being paid less & less for the same work? No wonder there is a big divide between rich and poor ;)

This is really a lengthy topic in and of itself, and heading offtopic for this thread, but the short answer to your statement is "In some ways, yes". Housing costs, for example, have increased at significantly higher than most wage increases. Meanwhile, some other costs have not necessarily had as large a relative increase. But let's not totally derail the thread ;)

Agreed. Please don't.

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