Support Engineers: Undervalued and Undercompensated

Drawing from my extensive experience in support roles across various organizations, I've observed a common trend that underscores the undervaluation of support engineers, be it in application, cloud, or technical support. This sentiment resonates across conversations with professionals from diverse backgrounds and organizational scales. 1) Support engineers form the backbone of operations, often working tirelessly across shifts, including weekends, public holidays, and even during major festivals. Despite being the linchpin of operational continuity, they often don't receive the same level of respect accorded to developers or other teams. There's a misconception that support roles entail mere ticket handling without requiring significant technical skills, sometimes likened to chat or call center support. 2) There exists a substantial pay gap that fails to reflect the true worth of support engineers. It's not a comparison with other roles, but rather a plea for fair compensation commensurate with the responsibilities shouldered. It's disheartening to witness instances where individuals with four years of cloud support experience are offered salaries as low as 7-8 LPA, inclusive of night shift allowances and public holiday compensations. 3) Transitioning from a support role to other positions within the tech industry can be challenging due to misconceptions regarding technical proficiency. Despite possessing invaluable support experience, candidates often face difficulties from HR departments, assuming a lack of hands-on technical expertise. Support engineers play a pivotal role in ensuring seamless operations, and it's high time their contributions are acknowledged and rewarded accordingly. Note: It's strictly my opinion. Please correct me or share your opinion on this.