By the end, I was doing the work of three people—two of whom would have been at least four pay grades above me—while being paid the rate of a level‑2 employee.
The benefits were fine, but if you’re the kind of person who fixes broken processes, gets bored once things run smoothly, and naturally takes on more, you’ll quickly find yourself doing work that’s light‑years beyond your job description while still being paid according to whatever outdated title HR has on file. It turns into a nonstop “what have you revolutionized for me lately?” grind, with zero acknowledgment that you’re operating miles outside your lane because no one else will.
This is the job that taught me to act my wage.