I would like your two cents... Hell I would like four! Options

[conzo]

Howdy all my name is Conrad & I'm a typical, or not so typical, 23 year old geek from the Gold Coast QLD!

I have been a long time reader of the magazine and don't ask why I have only just now created a forum account, I have no good excuse!

The main reason for this post I guess is that I would really appreciate some advice. In about ten weeks I finish my Diploma in Information Technology - System Administration. This is all well and good and I am pumped trust me, my query though is what should I do after or prior to finishing to get the best foot in the door possible? I know the IT industry can be very competitive and there is a lot of smart/creative talent out there competing for jobs, I am however, only looking for a foot in the door. Meaning I would be happy with an entry level help desk role, tech support or even a basic systems builder/mobile technician job.

I am sure there a plenty of readers from this magazine who have started out in my position, studied, finished and then wondered what now? I have worked mostly in sales as far as my employment history is concerned mixed with a little data entry and would love to get out of these roles as soon as possible, should I look now? Do you think there is a role out there that I can be hired for even though I have not yet reached the completion of my diploma?

Excuse the muddle up post, with questions all over the place its almost like my ideas/confusion is flowing strait out, if anyone is equipped to give me good advice it would be the atomic readers!


- ConZo

[robzy]

I'm afraid that I don't have any specific advice, but I'm curious, do you know where in the industry your want to head? Can you list 5 jobs that you might want to be working in 10/15 years?

"I just want to get my foot in the door" is all good and well, but having some idea about where you'd like to head can be valuable.

Rob.

[conzo]

I'm afraid that I don't have any specific advice, but I'm curious, do you know where in the industry your want to head? Can you list 5 jobs that you might want to be working in 10/15 years?

"I just want to get my foot in the door" is all good and well, but having some idea about where you'd like to head can be valuable.

Rob.

I am glad you gave me five choices as I have a few strong passions! In order of preference it would have to be..
Please excuse me if these are not specific enough as I am still discovering things myself.

1) Systems design & assembly (I love working with hardware, but don't know how far this goes beyond assembling computers for your local computer store).

2) Network & Server administration with an emphasis on computer security.

3) Technical support, this could include mobile technician.

4) Programming - not a huge fan, most of my knowledge is hardware based.

5) Database work - definitely not a fan, unfortunately this is the only downside to System Administration afaik

[.:Cyb3rGlitch:.]

I am glad you gave me five choices as I have a few strong passions! In order of preference it would have to be..
Please excuse me if these are not specific enough as I am still discovering things myself.

1) Systems design & assembly (I love working with hardware, but don't know how far this goes beyond assembling computers for your local computer store).

2) Network & Server administration with an emphasis on computer security.

3) Technical support, this could include mobile technician.

4) Programming - not a huge fan, most of my knowledge is hardware based.

5) Database work - definitely not a fan, unfortunately this is the only downside to System Administration afaik

I'm surprised you placed system design as your first option. There's no money in it, and it's boring as boring gets. Unless you want to design the components themselves, in which you'll need a degree in Computer Engineering.

[conzo]

I am glad you gave me five choices as I have a few strong passions! In order of preference it would have to be..
Please excuse me if these are not specific enough as I am still discovering things myself.

1) Systems design & assembly (I love working with hardware, but don't know how far this goes beyond assembling computers for your local computer store).

2) Network & Server administration with an emphasis on computer security.

3) Technical support, this could include mobile technician.

4) Programming - not a huge fan, most of my knowledge is hardware based.

5) Database work - definitely not a fan, unfortunately this is the only downside to System Administration afaik

I'm surprised you placed system design as your first option. There's no money in it, and it's boring as boring gets. Unless you want to design the components themselves, in which you'll need a degree in Computer Engineering.

Yeah I guess Im a little strange that way, I love building systems, I know it can be repetitive but I see each computer as a different challenge, having different cases and components etc...
I would be more then happy building systems all day everyday for 50k p/a but I doubt people in that sort of role get paid that much?

This is the thought pattern that attracted me to the System Administration diploma. Sys Admins seem to be a jack of all trades so to speak, computer assembly, network configuration, server configuration and are a consultant of sorts who businesses can approach. So I guess my number one preference after this would be to get into a experienced System Administration role for a large firm, from here I can take focus on my computer security interests as well.

This sparks a good question...

If I was to focus on doing exactly what I am studying, landing a role as an administrator, most jobs I see are ranging from 55k up to 175k p/a and need at least a few years experience + say a Microsoft and CISCO cert. Now these extra certifications I can do, but what sort of entry level role would get me the necessary experiences to get myself a solid, well paying System Administration role after a few years? The only option I can see, unless I am looking at this wrong would be a help desk role? If this is the case, even they require experience, thoughts? (:

This post has been edited by conzo: Jun 10 2012, 11:27 PM

[mudg3]

Lvl 1 support contacts low lvl desktop support will be your bread and butter right now.



Gold coast and brisbane are currently a gold mine.


GL

[conzo]

Lvl 1 support contacts low lvl desktop support will be your bread and butter right now.



Gold coast and brisbane are currently a gold mine.


GL

Thank you very much! I will look into some of these roles, do you think I can apply now or will I require to have the diploma in hand first?


Any other thoughts lads/ladettes?

[mudg3]

Wait until your done. I wouldn't go into it with big money thoughts right now, Start off your going to be on 35k+ in the really shit joints contract work will pay between $20-$30 an hour depending on what your doing every man and his dog is 1/2 way through either getting rid of their current provider or is outsourcing.


Start applying on seek but 1st make sure you've got a good resume together as it means everything when you come right out of tafe.

[conzo]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.

I did spend a lot of time recently on my CV, so I guess its just time to keep an eye out for an entry level support type roll! Ty for all the information the more I thought about it, the more confused I was as to where I should start. (:

This post has been edited by conzo: Jun 11 2012, 10:19 AM

[Xen]

Unfortunately support roles are the starting point.

Do start planning for the future and get some extra certificates whilst you are working, work your ass of in the current job and you might be able to climb the ladder there.

If there's no ladder to climb work your ass off just for the reference when you move on.

If you end up in support keep your eyes and ears open for other positions, support desk is career equivalent of stabbing yourself in the eye with a rusty fork.

If you like your hardware keep an eye out on seek for some of the HP tech roles, 42K per year (last time i saw) Company car and you will be driving all over the place to trouble shoot systems.

Should you look at the larger companies (and they may consider you even with no exp.), do a lot of research first, know what they sell, who the current CEO is... etc.

They do ask those questions, and it can help to know as much about a company you are applying for as possible.

[conzo]

Unfortunately support roles are the starting point.

Do start planning for the future and get some extra certificates whilst you are working, work your ass of in the current job and you might be able to climb the ladder there.

If there's no ladder to climb work your ass off just for the reference when you move on.

If you end up in support keep your eyes and ears open for other positions, support desk is career equivalent of stabbing yourself in the eye with a rusty fork.

If you like your hardware keep an eye out on seek for some of the HP tech roles, 42K per year (last time i saw) Company car and you will be driving all over the place to trouble shoot systems.

Should you look at the larger companies (and they may consider you even with no exp.), do a lot of research first, know what they sell, who the current CEO is... etc.

They do ask those questions, and it can help to know as much about a company you are applying for as possible.

Sound advice, all taken on board!

I have an interview for a help desk role tomorrow in Brisbane, guess its a starting point, if that doesnt pan out Ill pursue some of the other options you guys have mentioned. HP tech sounds nice.

(:

[Xen]

Unfortunately support roles are the starting point.

Do start planning for the future and get some extra certificates whilst you are working, work your ass of in the current job and you might be able to climb the ladder there.

If there's no ladder to climb work your ass off just for the reference when you move on.

If you end up in support keep your eyes and ears open for other positions, support desk is career equivalent of stabbing yourself in the eye with a rusty fork.

If you like your hardware keep an eye out on seek for some of the HP tech roles, 42K per year (last time i saw) Company car and you will be driving all over the place to trouble shoot systems.

Should you look at the larger companies (and they may consider you even with no exp.), do a lot of research first, know what they sell, who the current CEO is... etc.

They do ask those questions, and it can help to know as much about a company you are applying for as possible.

Sound advice, all taken on board!

I have an interview for a help desk role tomorrow in Brisbane, guess its a starting point, if that doesnt pan out Ill pursue some of the other options you guys have mentioned. HP tech sounds nice.

(:

Good luck with it, your first interview for a job so far?

[conzo]

Unfortunately support roles are the starting point.

Do start planning for the future and get some extra certificates whilst you are working, work your ass of in the current job and you might be able to climb the ladder there.

If there's no ladder to climb work your ass off just for the reference when you move on.

If you end up in support keep your eyes and ears open for other positions, support desk is career equivalent of stabbing yourself in the eye with a rusty fork.

If you like your hardware keep an eye out on seek for some of the HP tech roles, 42K per year (last time i saw) Company car and you will be driving all over the place to trouble shoot systems.

Should you look at the larger companies (and they may consider you even with no exp.), do a lot of research first, know what they sell, who the current CEO is... etc.

They do ask those questions, and it can help to know as much about a company you are applying for as possible.

Sound advice, all taken on board!

I have an interview for a help desk role tomorrow in Brisbane, guess its a starting point, if that doesnt pan out Ill pursue some of the other options you guys have mentioned. HP tech sounds nice.

(:

Good luck with it, your first interview for a job so far?

Within the IT field yes, Im 23 and have had mostly retail/telesales/customer service experience. That's why its tricky for me because I havent worked within the field (excluding working for myself) before and don't know the best way to find a foot in the door lol.

[Antraman]

Good luck with it, your first interview for a job so far?

Within the IT field yes, Im 23 and have had mostly retail/telesales/customer service experience. That's why its tricky for me because I havent worked within the field (excluding working for myself) before and don't know the best way to find a foot in the door lol.

That's more than many starters.,..

[conzo]

Good luck with it, your first interview for a job so far?

Within the IT field yes, Im 23 and have had mostly retail/telesales/customer service experience. That's why its tricky for me because I havent worked within the field (excluding working for myself) before and don't know the best way to find a foot in the door lol.

That's more than many starters.,..

I kind of realized that after my interview today...

It went surprisingly well for a guy who hasnt yet finished his diploma and has no industry experience, the lady from the employment agency has put me forth as one of her priority options and I should be meeting with the company whos offering the job in the coming days for another two interviews. Touch wood if they go well Im a player in the ball game!

My customer service experience was apparently the main winner, thats what out shone my lack of experience as its a level 1/2 help desk role. Anyway ill have a lot to learn and it will be fun, all I can do is hope for the best now! Woop woop woop

(:

[fabman_uk]

Level 1 IT phone support is often the basis for people getting into IT, its boring and repetitive but after a year or so and you have proven yourself competent you can go to level 2. This will offer you more challenging tasks and a greater chance of learning. From there you can branch into several areas including but not limited too:
- Team leader / managerial roles, in this you will eventually become less hands on and more instructive to people in your current situation.
- Network and Server administration, this will still allow you to remain hands on for many years and eventually it could lead to a well paying job, such as a network consultant. That is if you can stick to the same field for years on end, you will be required to take many courses as you progress.
- Mobile technician, this is very people orientated and you will need to 'up sell'. You will operate often without direct supervision but progression is limited to managerial positions or running a business yourself. This is a difficult field because computers are so cheap, charging someone $200+ to fix it can make people think you are a crook, when in fact you are charging for your time and your knowledge. Still you get to meet many people and a great way to improve communication skills.

Assembly is usually very low paid work and isn't really an IT career, you are instructed on how to assemble and you do it in the quickest time possible. Mundane, however you will be hands on.

If you design systems, you will need to go to University and you will spend little time hands on. Though working in teams with people who are all pasionate about the field and knowledgagble can be a great career. It will pay well but it will be competitive and challenging mentally, your boss will put you under pressure for results.

Programming is a solid career, it can pay very well, offer challenges, and changing languages once you know one becomes easier. You will probably need to go to University to get a good job. You must love sitting in front of a screen for hours on end and expect many meetings to discuss direction of the project.

Database work - I have no knowledge that would be useful.

I tried many fields and now I work in a mundane but relatively well paying job, monitoring systems and waiting for problems. However I would prefer to be designing systems as that is what I studied at University.

This post has been edited by fabman_uk: Jun 14 2012, 06:23 AM

[elvenwhore]

My customer service experience was apparently the main winner, thats what out shone my lack of experience as its a level 1/2 help desk role.

Bingo - one of the tricks for being successful in a helpdesk/support role is to approach it as a customer service position, because that's basically what it is at its heart :-) The people calling up for support are your customers or clients, and you're trying to sell the IT products that the company you work for provide - you may not be selling actual bits an dobs like you would in Harvey Norman, but what you're trying to achieve in a support role is to promote (or "sell") your IT infrastructure. So yes, people may be coming to you for support with technical issues, but in solving those issues in a timely, efficient, friendly and helpful manner, one of the things you're trying to achieve is to restore a sense of faith and goodwill in the services your department provide :-)

Understanding this, and knowing how to work within this framework, is one of the hidden tricks of working helpdesk, and one of the things that separate a successful helpdesk worker from an unhappy and unsuccessful one :-) So I think your background working in customer service is extremely beneficial, and it's something I can certainly appreciate when looking at helpdesk applicants, so I hope your recent experience with job interviews and agencies can put your mind at least a little at ease :-)

IT isn't just about hiding away in some dark hole and anonymously doing your job anymore - we have to sell the product we're working with, otherwise what possible reason do the users (not to mention, managers and decision-making people, if you catch my drift) have to trust in their IT department or the systems they work with? Trust me, life is very, very difficult when you work in a company where the staff don't trust your professional word :-) One of the ways we, as IT professionals, build that trust is to do our technical jobs very well - but when things go wrong, and they inevitably will, people need to feel they can trust in the people and processes that are in place to give them support. And that's where all those non-technical skills come into play.

Just by way of context, I've established and managed helpdesks as a team leader/manager for several years now. I've managed people who inherently understood this facet of working helpdesk, and I've managed people who didn't understand it, and the first group are generally more successful and happier in their roles.

Good luck in your search :-) Even if you try helpdesk and find that you don't like it, you'll at least learn a hell of a lot and you'll get a little experience under your belt - both very valuable things to have :-)

[conzo]

First of all thanks for all the information and replies, it has been a massive help to me and definitely put my mind somewhat at ease..

I have some further good news I spoke with two potential employers today, one of the roles is the level 1/2 help desk position in which I went to Brisbane for an interview the other day and the other is a traineeship with a mobile technician company. Both of these company's have requested further interviews with me early next week, so hopefully I can bring the goods.

I can really see how customer service would be of value, company's do not want stagnant antisocial geeks dealing with their staff members and customers/clients. From speaking with a few different businesses lately it seems they love the fact that we are geeks and actually encourage fruity individuality to an extent. It's nice to know that geeks are now a valued part of everyday business and like you said no longer locked away in the basement.

I will keep you all informed as to how it all pans out, I really look forward to using the skills I have and what I have learnt from study in the real world!

This post has been edited by conzo: Jun 14 2012, 06:12 PM

[conzo]

Just a check in.

I was offered my first job within the IT field today, working for somebody else's company that is! It's a Junior Help Desk role but I think its a great start that should yield some fantastic experience! Thanks for all the info and feed back people it has been fantastic!

(:

ConZo

This post has been edited by conzo: Jun 25 2012, 10:37 PM

[mudg3]

Just a check in.

I was offered my first job within the IT field today, working for somebody else's company that is! It's a Junior Help Desk role but I think its a great start that should yield some fantastic experience! Thanks for all the info and feed back people it has been fantastic!

(:

ConZo

Even if its crap pay dude its a foot in the door and best of all its a job. Run with it enjoy and learn all that you can.

Congratulations