PC support jobs.

Well, I'm looking to exit the telecomms industry after a whopping year and a half. Pay is not good and I can't see this place offering me any sort of progression. So, I want to get back into IT. I have been a systems analyst with no formal training in a previous job, I know my way around the hardware and software (XP, Vista) but probably not enough to support a network. I was thinking of doing a course and found the MCITP in Vista (and Server 2003). Hopefully this should get me a job as 1st/2nd line support on a starting salary of about 20k. I've spent too many years not knowing what to do and I need to be challenged daily. I love technology and want to have a career, or at least enjoy my job. I am looking to be Network A+ certified and then do the Vista 70-620 exam in a couple of months. Anyone else done similar? Any tips? I can't stand intensive training and do best at self paced type learning.

I work in Application Support now, and TBH, you probably don't need to do the MCITP to get a 1st/2nd line job in app support. User support it would be more handy, but then you'd have to deal with PEBKAC issues all the time. Yuk.

I've worked as various things in the past, including software dev, and I haven't seen any need for MS certifications. It's still a case where a large number of employers would look badly ad your CV if it had those letters on it!!

Right now, I'm in a team supporting approximately 1500 Server '03 machines, with each server having a mimumim of 45 XP Embedded terminals under it. Management offered a free MS certification, and everyone on the team laughed at them & suggested they change to Cisco qualifications, then we'd take them seriously.

My tip, start applying for jobs & going to interviews, you already know enough. Hell, we have a telecomms department, lots of other firms do to, so you could get a foot in the door there & then transfer over to a support role.

Thanks Baph. I already know bits and peices but I don't know all that much about networks/servers etc. I'm studying the network + at the moment (as it's free training just got to pay for the exam) so will apply after that.

Oh yea, also, there's 3 area's to PC support really:
- User Support (helpdesk jobs answering calls to folks that have no computer expierence usually - these roles usually have scripts to follow so there's no real need for knowledge to start with).
- Application support (helpdesk but application specific, all necessary training provided by the employer before 'go live').
- Hardware support (indepth hardware knowledge required more often than not).

TBH, we've got people in our office (though not the same team as me) that barely know where the power button is. We have Fault Scripts for people like that to follow. New folks get them too to ease them into the job, but once you know what you're doing, there's no need for them.

Firstly i'd say decide what part of IT you want to get into. If your set on doing a 1st/2nd line role, then you will be answering general calls, going out to users desks and fixing them, printers, hardware, software etc.

The smaller the company, the more involved you can get in other parts of IT. If your going for a bigger company, then u'll be stuck in support until you can train up and apply for another role (in same company or another).

Qualifications wise, well some companys would like an MCSE. But in reality theres better courses out there that can teach you the skills. Its more about some work experience, then your in.

I will say though, i've done/doing support for the last 8 odd years. 1st line jobs, stear clear of you just have people moaning all day and taking tempers out on you. Im moving more into a techy role, working more on servers, but still support 8 of our sites and all users with general issues.

Decide WHAT exactly you want to get into in IT (theres lots of "support" areas), servers, migration, email specialist, or a programmer (in which case, what languages), or administration etc etc etc..

[Luckypants]

If you want to get into support, then a basic ITIL certification may be handy. All our support staff had to do it last year and all new hires have to take it if they do not have it. Would your work offer that to it's support staff?

[fizzwheel]

Can you get a job somewhere and get your foot in the door on a helpdesk or desktop support role. If so go for that and dont bother with the exams as theres no substitute for on the job experience.

I've lost count of people who have impressive CV's with MCP & MCSE etc etc but you give them a broken PC and they can't fix it.

Get a job on the bottom rung, prove you can do what you say you can do and show an apptitude for it and IMHO it'll get you a damn site further than meaningless bits of paper will.

I've got no qualifications. I started on a helpdesk, went to desktop support, to field engineer, to Senior Engineer, then I ran a workshop where we churned out somewhere in the region of 4 - 5 servers and 150 PC's a week. Then I went back to helpdesk again, then onto desktop support, then onto server support. Now I do server and infrastructure design and I'm also datacentre manager.

If you want to go and learn something, Learn Cisco either switches / routers or VOIP, Extreme networks is another one to look at and also look into getting Vmware Certification.

[ogden]

I've been working in IT for ten years now, but give me a broken PC and I'll probably just look at you funny and ask where the datacentre monkeys have got to.

VMWare is a winner atm and it's dead easy, but you do have to do the VCP course before you can take the exam - if you take the exam and pass but they can't match your name against a course attendance, they revoke the cert.

[timwilky]

I agree with Mike. ITIL is the thing to get your foot in the door.


As for Baph. I am one of those who he cites that would reject you application if you had a mass of MS useless qualifications. Why. well the real world is not one homoegenous solution. We use best of breed technologies and horses for courses. you therefore have to be able to demonstrate an understanding of the core fundamentals rather than world according to Bill Gates.

What do I mean by that. I would rather employ somebody to look after an active directory deployment who was knowledgeable about X500 directory, LDAP, NDS than somebody who only MS. the reason being that the AD needs to be a tool used further than just the MS server/PC environment.

Similarly I would rather have a programmer who was competent in C/C++/Java and cross train to C#. Than try to train a C# programmer in Java

Fizz has advised well in suggesting VMware certification. The real world is using virtualisation to consolidate infrastructure. Instead of huge racks of individual servers. We are seeing very powerful servers supporting ESX solutions providing VMs. But companies are exploiting it poorly. Getting caught out by a lack of application balance. and the use of the internal switch etc. Again many are now taking VM appliances etc very seriously as the way to deploy supportable corporate solutions.

The only real advise I can give. Is don't put all your eggs into one basket. A good employer will build on a well defined toolset, ie you with a broad knowledge base. They can add the specialist knowledge they may deem the job to require where necessary.

I'm an old git and have been contracting since I left IBM in 1993. I currently work as a Business Analyst specialising in the Insurance Industry. As a contractor you get to travel from company to company, building your skills and giving them the benefit of an outside view. All training is tax deductible.
We contract scum (outside of London, by preference) charge anything fro 400 to 600 quid per day. Downside - you are the first one out the door. Upside - you get out while the going's good.
Tried a management role with GE in Munich. Drove me mad. After a while you forget how to kow-tow and do that career thing.
Go independent!!! After 15 years experience I can recommend it!!