EthanGamerKingz's journey

I was laid off in September 2025 from a part-time IT Support role that was severely underpaid and offered no benefits, just a month after I graduated college. Instead of aggressively applying for jobs, I decided to wait for recruiters to reach out to me, and surprisingly, this strategy paid off. I almost landed my dream job managing IT projects in a hybrid environment, but unfortunately, they chose another candidate. In the end, I received two offers: one for $55k at a charter school and another for $60k at a large public university nearby. I opted for the $60k position since it paid more and was non-exempt, meaning I would be capped at 40 hours a week. While I feel overqualified for this role, the state benefits and job stability are comforting after my previous experience. It's been four years in IT support, and even with my BS in computer information systems, I worry about my career progression. I know a coworker with over 10 advanced certifications who is struggling to find a new job, which adds to my anxiety. A few years ago, I could have found a job in just a few weeks, but now it took me six months, and I have a lot of therapy ahead to process the stress from this experience. On the bright side, I now have excellent dental and medical insurance, and I've tripled my salary while doing the same job.