I started a new job today.  It sucked hard.  So hard that even my wife agrees that I should give it a week and quit if it does not get any better.  Here is the situation;  
I was a high paid computer tech.  Lost my job and could not get anouther for a long time.  I worked a seasonal at the mall to get by.  Still no work.  Then I landed a job doing data entry.  Basicly data base work for $10 an hour.  First thing when I get their, hey fix the server.  WTF  and it got worse.  During the staff meeting I was asked how to do effective back ups and design a daily plan to back up mission critical data.  Then my opinions on network tapology for a new office being built.  
Did I lose you guys yet?  OK it is because none of the stuff I was asked to do involved typing on a desk.  I figure they got me in as cheap tech support and don't want to pay the consultants the $100 an hour I used to be making.  On top of all this bull shit I am doing billing invoices.  Huh?  
So I think I am being screwed over, and my wife agrees.  I don't want to quit because she supported me the hole year I wasn't working and it's time I helped with the bills no mater what it takes.  
Seriously I just want to get some crap job making beds for a cruse line like carnival or some thing at this point.  Want to be in nature or at sea or something.  My wife is very supportive and I don't care at this point.  Sound like a plan?  I don't even mind leaving Hawaii.  Or am I being a baby?

This is a widespread phenomenon, from what I've heard, especially in the Bay Area where there are legions of unemployed IT types.  Job descriptions with the most outrageous expectations, in return for peanuts; or even worse; unpaid internships.  There's a whole board devoted to posting the most flagrantly exploitive job descriptions.

Tough it out, keep your eyes peeled and actively look for non-BS jobs.  The stock market's kicking ass, good sign things are going to get better in the future.

Both of my brothers are in similar situations. One was an insurance adjuster for 7 years, got tired of it, and decided to get into network admin. He was doing great for a while, with all the Cisco and MS certifications, but when the economy tanked, he was out the door. That was two years ago. Since then, he's worked as a driving instructor, a software installer, and a couple of other jobs. But no steady income for two years, so he's back living with the folks. And he's 43 and has a BS in accounting.

My other brother never went the college route, but he's good with his hands, and with hardware, so he got into computers about 8 years ago. He also did the Cisco and MS certifications BS, and landed a good job as a network admin. In 2000, he was up to about $70k, the market crapped out, and he lost his job. Since then, he's had nothing but temp jobs, working a week or two here and there and then being laid off for a month. I think he made $30k last year. Now he's finally working full-time as a network admin at a local hospital, but he's a contractor and is laid off every couple of months for up to 3 weeks. No benefits, health insurance, sick leave, nothing. And the hospital is paying the agency he works for $100 an hour, while the agency pays him $25.

The situation today is similar to 1989-1993. When the economy is like this, employers are in a position to screw you, so they do. All you can do is suck in your gut and wait for the next cycle of prosperity. I doubt we will have a return of the pre-Y2K economy, with all that wonderful tech spending, but things will get better.

In the mean time, learn all you can, get as much experience as you can, and when the economy picks up, you're out the door to a better future.

Yeah, this is common here in AZ as well.  My dad went to a dozen or more places only to get the run around.  Basically, they get you in the door with a decent proposal then hit you with everything from building workstations, fixing UNIX and WIN NT/2000 servers, running Cat-5, and even being on call for free!

All this crap for $40,000

I realize most good ITs can do a lot of server (e.g., UNIX, Windows) and workstation repair.  Others are good in Cisco and networking design as well, but they usually get $75,000 MINIMUM.  The market is flooded with CCNAs and MSCEs, therefore the demand is no longer there.  Bottom line is most companies will squeeze the life out of you and not even think twice about how they're screwing you.

The best advice that I can offer is to think it over and do what will make you and your wife the happiest. Is the job really worth the way it is making you feel? If it is really stressing you out as much as it sounds, I would quietly look for other jobs elsewhere and when something comes available, snatch it up. With your skills and experience, you could find many jobs making as much or more than what you are making. But next time, make them spell out what your roles and responsibilities will be from the start. That way you don't get suckered into doing $50 per hour jobs for $10 again. You deserve better. And last, whatever happens, know it will all work out ok in the end and don't let it bother you. I used to be a very over-achieving person while in high school and college. But dealing with the real world quickly taught me I had no preparation at all for real life. So I adopted the attitude that no matter what happened, I wouldn't give a monkey shit so long as I was happy! This drops the stress level about 100%. But don't go too far as being on either extreme isn't healthy. I am sure that something nice will open up for you soon though, so just hang in there and don't let this stress you out. Better days are ahead. Good luck.

-Charging Handle

I don't know how friendly or hostile the management is at the place you are at, but you might want to bring it to their attention that your performance expectations have greatly shifted from what you originally were brought in to do.  Even though human resources is not always your friend in these matters, you might want to start a case with them regarding working outside your pay grade.  Your abilities may be your best form of leverage in this matter, and rattling the cage might make it clear that an adjustment in pay may be in order.

I had a similar thing happen when I worked on a workstation rollout project.  At the time, work was slow, so I came on the project pretty much as a installer / box mover.  In a month or so, I'm reasigned to a team to fine tune some of the software installs and clean up the mistakes on the master image they were deploying.  Once that was done, I was one of the deployment and support leads, and I muttered one day to the other leads that I'm not getting paid for the crap I'm putting up with.  I was fed up and about to quit.  Word traveled quickly that I was leaving, and the next day my contract manager showed up on site with a new contract regarding pay and job responsibilities.  I found this has worked on other projects, as long as I give them enough polite hints before I get nasty about it.

Redefine your role/responsibilites with your super and go from there...Good Luck

I would suggest going out of your way to do a good job at all the tech support work.  Give it a week and then go talk to your supervisor.  Tell him that you are not doing what you were hired to do and that if they want you to do tech support then they need redefine your position and adjust your pay to a half way appropriate level.  If not then tell them what they can do with their job.

Are you supposed to get an eval about 90 days into the job?  If so then just suck it up until it comes up.  Then bring up your concerns and see what happens.  If they really want you around, they'll work something out.  If what they really want is a tech whore then they won't do anything and you can go out the door.

At least you are still in the computer field right now.  I know quite a few who are not, went from $70K a year to doing oil changes at Wal-Mart.

Look to do temp work for a state agency and try to go for a perm placement.  That is what I just finished doing.  I worked for them FT for about 2 years, went down to PT after I took a really good job and then back to FT when I got laid off.  They made an offer yesterday and even though it is several thousand less than what I am used to making, it's better than contract work.

Either way, just ride the storm out, things will improve and then we can go back to sticking it to the employer.  

1)  Don't sweat the small stuff
2)  It's all small stuff

Make a list of the functions you have performed and saved the company or made the company money. Is the company making money off what you are doing ? Is the company making money at all ?

Then ask to speak with the boss for 10 minutes. Above all don't threaten anything, threats are a LAST resort.Think about what you do when others threaten you, I know I dont respond well to threats of "You give me a raise or else" BYE BYE I say. Be calm and just talk to him. What have you got to loose. You are thinking about quitting anyway right. Show him what you have been doing and let him know you WANT to be the go to guy but you know the company is not treating you fairly. You should know what a tech in your position would make and ask for that amount. Tell him you want to be happy but the pay verses work really grates on you. You feel you are being taking advantage of. TELL HIM what it would take to make you happy and then point out how you have helped the operation again. If you don't get an answer right away don't sweat it. In a week ask again to speak with him, he will know why.

The good thing you have in your corner is you are ready to walk anyway, so the stress about them saying NO shouldn't hurt. Just ask in a none threating way.