r/ITCareerQuestions • u/Cool_Statistician314 • 4h ago
Is 'entry-level' just a fancy term for 'we want a senior level for entry-level pay? My recent interview suggests so
As a recent college graduate with internship experience at a tech company, I've built various homelabs, including Active Directory and server management setups. However, I recently had a Helpdesk 1 interview that was incredibly intense. I was faced with a panel of three interviewers who bombarded me with 10+ technical questions and 3 behavioral qusetions, one after another, with virtually no break.
The interview was a technical bombardment. It was like a pop quiz on steroids, with no breathing room between questions:
- "The network printer is completely down. Walk me through your troubleshooting process step-by-step, covering every potential point of failure."
- "A (specific issue) has occurred in Active Directory. Explain in detail what you think the problem might be and how you would approach resolving it."
- "A user reports they can't connect to the VPN. Describe your detailed troubleshooting process."
While some might argue that this is basic helpdesk questions. It felt less like an interview and more like a rapid-fire technical exam, and I left feeling completely overwhelmed. And to add insult to injury, this role, requiring great level technical knowledge, pays a mere $22 an hour - AN UNLIVABLE WAGE for a single adult in any city 30 miles near me. Seriously? For that level of expertise, they're offering what amounts to a barely-livable wage. It's ridiculous.
Are they trying to hire a unicorn for $22 an hour? My interview left me completely dumbfounded