Why Work for a Managed Services Provider?

Have you ever wondered what it’s like working for a MSP? I often get asked this question by contacts in the industry who are submersed in a corporate IT environment managing a single network. They wonder what life is like outside the world of managing a relatively static set of users and often antiquated infrastructure. So what makes working for a Managed Services Provider special? I will outline some of the key differentiators between working within a typical corporate IT environment compared to working for a MSP.

Dynamic vs Static

There is nothing worse than accumulating rust and become stale within your field of employment. Unfortunately, in the world of IT, this is very common. I don't want to generalize here but I've worked within a handful of corporate environments and have many contacts in the industry who are currently working for a business with a set base of end-users and a defined IT infrastructure. On average, these types of environments present an initial challenge, however, over time these environments become relatively static once best practices have been applied. This creates a situation for the IT professional where they become a master of their domain to the point where managing the IT infrastructure is no longer a challenge and supporting the end-users is a piece of cake. How many years can one sustain the 'simple life' without becoming bored or hungry for an additional challenge? In contrast, Managed Services is an ever-evolving space where clients new and old are always seeking change. As an IT person working within a Managed Services team, you are responsible for managing and supporting the infrastructure of potentially hundreds of clients. These clients encompass small business but can also reach enterprise status. What this means is that you are always dealing with something or someone new, you are constantly challenged which in turns builds your skills and knowledge and prevents boredom from ever setting in.

Growth Opportunities

Career and personal growth is something that everyone seeks as an IT professional. Working for a corporation, you may become pigeon-holed into a certain role and never have the opportunity to grow. Who wants to create and modify Active Directory accounts 365 days a year? These types of things are better left for robots, not humans. I think in order to remain sane and to achieve fulfillment as an individual, one must have the ability to grow and develop over time within the career path they have chosen. Growth opportunities as an IT professional working for a small business are limited, you may be a one-man show, or a part of a small team, what are your opportunities? how do you evolve as a professional?. Being a part of a MSP IT team you are presented with numerous growth opportunities. Not only will you evolve your skills, you will have multiple career paths to pursue. These range from support, field services, consulting, team leads, management, you name it! There are multiple avenues one can pursue when defining their careers and generally the sky's the limit for an IT professional within a Managed Services team.

Longevity

I hate to break it to you, but we're talking to your boss. That's right, your CFO has most likely sent us an inquiry about our services and how we may be a good fit. Outsourced IT management is nothing new, but it's a common trend these days especially across small businesses. Put yourself in the shoes of a business owner for a second and ask yourself this question...Is it more cost effective to hire a support engineer, a network administrator, and an IT manager versus paying a company a fixed-fee price per month which equates to the monthly salary of one of these individuals? In the past few months I've seen more and more of this activity where in-house IT staff have been exchanged for a dedicated team of managed services professionals. Unfortunately for those in IT roles for small business, it makes sense for the business owner; it is a strategic decision which allows the business to focus on their core business objectives instead of having to worry about IT. I'm not saying that the role of a dedicated in-house IT professional will be completely eliminated in the future, all I'm saying is that we, as a Managed Services Provider, are continually making the business case as to why it makes more sense to outsource some, if not all of an organization's IT management needs.

I decided to focus on the top three reasons why I feel an IT professional should seriously consider working for a MSP. Keep in mind, not all Managed Services Providers are the same, but each attempts to reduce the administrative burden of operating an IT infrastructure. IT management outsourcing is not a fad and the past couple of years it has been trending upwards. As more business owners realize the benefits of outsourcing this aspect of their operations which allows them to focus on their core business, the more your job is in jeopardy. This doesn't apply to all business environments, however, in the SMB segment, strategic IT outsourcing will only increase over the years. If you're looking for a dynamic, fast paced environment which fosters personal and career growth, it's time you brush up your resume and apply at a MSP!