General Discussion - Questions from someone new to the field

Author

Questions from someone new to the field

darkagent21

2001-09-05, 8:15 pm

I am just starting to get my first certifications. I plan to have my A+ and Net + and MCP by October, my MCSE and CNE by January, my MCSD sometime before summer and hopefully a bachelors degree sometime late next year (will explain later about that).

I have a few questions that I hope some of you can help me out with.

1. Can I expect to get a help desk entry level job with only my A+, Net+ and MCP, or do they usually require more experience than that? The reason I ask is that I have some customer service and office support experience, and I am about to start what will surely be a grueling job search in one of those areas for something to pay the bills while I go for my certs. However, I will be completing my A+, Net+, and MCP in October and if it is possible for me to get an entry level help desk job for a decent amount of money (I would settle for $12/h) with the previously mentioned certs, I would do that instead of locking into a customer service job for the next year.

So basically I was wondering what experience do I need for entry level help desk, and what does it usually pay? Also, do those types of jobs (help desk) generally pay for your future certs? Also, am I overlooking any other type of job I could get with these certs (I had always heard everyone has to start at helpdesk.) BTW, I am in the Philadelphia, PA area if that matters (and please forgive me for being naïve - I am new at this)

2. If I can in fact count on getting a help desk job with the a+, net+ and mcp, could someone please recommend a good place to look. I have tried the whole monster and hotjobs thing and both usually come up with few, if any relevant positions. Where should I look, and what should I be looking for?

3. When I do start sending out resumes next month with my three new certs on there, are there any other things I should have on there that you think employers are looking for (except for experience of course, which I don't have any immediate way of obtaining)?

4. Does help desk experience count at all toward IT experience on a resume?

5. Does anyone have any opinions on the excelsior college degree program? Once I get my various certs this year, I should be able to finish my degree program with them in less than a year. Is this a worthwhile pursuit, or do you think this particular degree is worthless? (www.excelsior.edu)

6. Can someone give me an idea of what my career path can/should be with the following certs/experience - MCP, MCSE, MCSD, CNA, CNE, A+, Net+, I-net +, one year experience at help desk and possibly a bachelors degree. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself, but what I am asking is what kind of job should I have in 3 years, 5 years, etc. How long do I have to stay in a particular type of job before I can move up to the next level. If anyone would also add what I can be expecting to make along the way, that would be great.

7. In addition to the certs I listed above, are their any others I should pick up to ensure that I can sufficiently sell myself to a potential employer?

8. I would very much like to travel, and I been giving a lot of thought lately to taking my IT skills abroad. Are there any countries where people in IT are in demand, places where I could a nice paycheck once I get past my formative years in IT?

Again, please forgive some of my questions which might seem stupid or obvious, but I am just starting out and know very little about the industry. Thanks for your help in advance.

Bobby Digital

2001-09-06, 8:01 am

WHOA!!!!!! "Slow down little red corvette you moving much too fast"

That's a lot there. First of all, there is no such thing as a stupid question no matter what anyone says or makes you feel.

I am going to answer in general and to each one of your questions. With the state of the US economy today, you cannot afford to look at the IT industry through rose colored glasses. It's not that bleak, but you have to be prepared.

The first thing you need to do is to decide what direction in IT do you want to go. You listed every major certification and asked for more. Looking at your posting, you seem to be "cramming" for certs and not looking at getting experience. Yeah, I know "you can't get experience with out a job and you can't get a job with out experience", but earning five certs by January without any experience will make any recruiter/employer VERY cautious (granted I don't know your full background and/or education). Decide on what you want to do:

-Tech support
-Network/System Administration
-Network Engineering
-Databases
-Programming
-Web design

After that, decide what specificially you want to do:

-Microsoft (MCP, MCSE)
-Cisco (CCNA, CCDA, CCIE)
-Novell (CNA, CNE)
-Oracle
-SQL (MCDBA)
-UNIX (Solaris, AIX, HP-UX)
-Linux (Linux+, RHCE)
-Web design (i-Net+, CIW)
-Programming (MCSD)

In a nutshell, don't start out trying to be a "jack of all trade, master of none" because you will eventually set yourself up for disappointment and frustration. Decide the direction you want to go and focus on that. The A+, Network+ and Server+ are good starting points in terms of certifications.

As far as a degree goes, I am all for it moreso than certs especially starting out. I am not familiar with the school/program you mentioned, but look at getting a degree, associates or bachelors, in the near future.

Good luck

exar07

2001-09-07, 4:34 pm

Bobby you said it all!

darthw

2001-09-07, 5:23 pm

I agree with Bobby.

1. Yes. Howerver, also emphasize your customer service background to a prospective employer. Much of support work is dealing with clients/customers, some people got it, and others don't. The boss who hired me for my first IT job said he did so mainly because I had a strong customer service background("I can teach the technical side, but it is much harder to teach customer service.")

2. Have you tried looking on the internet at the web sites of nearby companies who advertise jobs within their organization? What about job placement at a local community college where you take classes? I have gotten a good job via sites like monster (and not through a recruiter), so it is possible, but it seems most employers through that site want the experience you currently lack.

3. Again, emphasize the customer service skills you've used in current or past employment. Are you the computer "expert" in your office that many come to for help?

4. Yes.

5. Get a degree. Get a degree. Get a degree.

6. My experience has been three years of progressively more technical desktop support, now I am doing both desktop support and LAN Admin. Being able to blend what I am very experienced in and get more advanced LAN Admin experience has worked well for me. Of course, so much depends on opportunities you created for yourself and those that come your direction.

7. As Bobby indicates, don't rush the cert thing. The CompTIA certs and an MCP exam or two are a good start. The MCSE and CNE look better with some experience under your belt. You may want to consider some CCNA or CCDA to round out your certs. I took those exams to get some knowledge of LAN/WAN technology, and they helped me.

8. Can't answer. I'm not worldly enough.

Bobby Digital

2001-09-08, 8:47 pm

Darthw filled in the "holes" rather nicely especially about have customer service skills. If you are not a people person or "don't play well with others", IT is NOT for you. Believe me, I deal with people everyday that in all honesty do not need to touch a computer.

You are going to have to deal with people who think they know everything, but don't know a damn thing and people who sincerely don't know. You have to have patience and tact everyday to keep from loosing it.

Good Luck

Gundyman

2001-09-09, 11:33 am

Of course, anything can be happen without certification, too...

The only question is how do you going to obtain all those certification in time frame. ... Don't use the time period to setup your certification..

Knowledge is the power!!!!!

Get few certification and try to get a job, before you finished those certification without a job experience, money to pay rent, ... etc..

Take those you need it...

Mikk

2001-09-09, 8:31 pm

also emphasize your customer service background to a prospective employer

The boss who hired me for my first IT job said he did so mainly because I had a strong customer service background("I can teach the technical side, but it is much harder to teach customer service.")

I currently work in a Helpdesk environment and I was employed for the very same reason, my boss also quoting a very similar phrase. I knew bugger all about computers, but knew alot about dealing with people, especially aggressive ones.(Fun and games, I like being abused over the phone-not)

Maybe try for employement after you have your first certification (E.G A+)so at least you have some idea in the industry but as darthw says, push those people skills.

stefanw

2001-09-13, 5:03 am

I obtained my first IT job by sheer luck. I applied for a warehousing job (knew nothing about PC's) and overheard someone had just walked out from their IT dept (tech Support)

I managed to puersade the company to give me a chance (they were desprate and I lied) and I very, very quickly began learning all about PC's. I kept that job for 2 years, and everyone called me the "best" and that has set me up in IT. While I was there in my 2nd year, I started to take exams, mainly Brainbench. This gave me a sort of step to stand on when talking to new employers.

The job I am in now (3rd one) was obtained mainly because of my attitude to learn and experience in certain areas (mainly problem solving and controlling people). I failed a number of question in the interview, but when I knew i didnt know the answer I made up for it by saying I was willing to learn etc etc.

Fairplay on having exams, but you MUST MUST MUST have good experience to back that up, even if it means having a crappy wage for a while, you need to have experience. You can then back experience by qualifications which most employers will look more favourably upon.

Good luck wih your future.

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