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Home > Archive > General Discussion > July 2000 > How much experience
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How much experience
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| How much experience do you need before you can start considering yourself a semi experienced professional(note the word semi).
2 years??
5 years??
Also how important are added skills like being proficient in Access programming in helping entry level techs move to more senior level positions.
Apart from Networking, what other areas of IT should we be putting some effort into??? | |
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| Time may not be the best way to quantify a semi-professional, so much depends on the experience you gain during that time. Are you involved in some large software or network migration projects, or just unplugging and moving PC's from old offices to new ones? I've known certified techs who were hired only to spend 40 hours a week for months making phone calls nationwide to schedule computer moves - not actually touching the hardware, only scheduling the moves. (Hey its work, but are you really learning much about IT?)
However, with nearly three years IT experience, I would say the two year mark in a position doing actual computer and or LAN support is a good threshold, give or take.
Of course, you won't be a specialist in everything. Some of us may be great at support from a Help Desk, others are great LAN Admins., while you may have a strength in the software development side creating Access databases. A good course is to land a position where you can get exposed to a little of everything, then study and certify for those skills that are most used and needed ASAP, maybe in the first year. Then focus on the areas that interest you most; those that you want to pursue longterm.
For instance, I got my start in Level III desktop support. I worked on various hardware and software in that position while I studied for the CompTIA and MCSE exams. The experience and studying for two years gave me great basic skills. Then I landed a better paying desktop support position that is providing some hands-on LAN experience as well, so I can build my employers confidence in what I do well, while I polish some new skills that I've only learned in class. Now I'm moving onto CCNA and CCDA, then maybe CNA or CIW. I'm trying to get exposure to a variety of information right now, then in a couple years I hope to focus more on the Internet side, but right now the wide exposure is most helpful.
Get a feel for your own work environment. If they need a tech to do some software development, if it is what you like, and if it will provide opportunity, go for it. But if your trying to prepare for an entry level job, I'd say go for the general exposure to desktop and LAN technology - the basics.
For me though, working on "the big picture" seems the most reasonable, still, for my future plans. |
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