Well, I've had my A+ cert for over 6 months and I still haven't found a job in the IT field. I'll be taking my Network+ exam on the 5th of Feb. and I'm also have my CNA cert as well. I've signed up with just about all of the tech job sites on the net but still haven't gotten a job into the field. I'm just looking for a Help Desk or tech support position. Is there anything else that should I be doing to get the job that I'm looking for?

Last edited by therock6336 on 01-26-02 at 02:04 AM

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You are going to have to pound on doors. Just putting your resume on the web and answer internet job ads isn't typically enough, especially for entry level jobs where the competition is fierce. With 400 resumes on their desk, why would they go looking for you?

Companies you might contact:
Large corporations
ISPs
Consulting or outsourcing groups
Software companies with telephone support

Good luck!

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Nicole is correct.

During the job boom, I would regularly get calls at least from recruiters seeing my resume on web sites, but I also am thankful to have few years experience, education, and certs. Now I don't get many of those phone calls, so an entry-level position is going to be tons harder just by posting your resume.

However, even as you continue to look, keep studying and certifying. That opportunity will come. I was looking for a year and a half when I first tried breaking into IT.

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Having an A+ or N+ is nothing that impressive to many employers. Those certs are dime a dozen, you need to have something differnt from the hundreds or thousands that apply for the same job you are seeking.
I have always seen A+ folks working either at bestbuys,circuit city or compusa.
go to one of those stores and apply in person, you have a decent shot.
All jobs that are on those job engines get from 1000 to 10,000 applicants.
I have been in this business for 11 years and i do know how the market works and how it does not.
You have to work on certs or degrees that are not dime a dozen.

MS certs are so saturated , try the RHCE = redhat linux tracks.
Try the security tracks, pix, checkpoint.
Try going for an oracle cert, maybe go for an citrix certification.

Cisco exams are top and respected by all, go for the ccna and get to higher levels like the ccnp,ccdp, ccie.

You will need to get your foot in the door and get experience.

the market will not improve and 20% of all techs in the world are unemplyed, so make sure that you are worth the emplyer's time.

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Let The Games Begin!

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First of all: The upper end certs is where your focus should be. You should pick one of the following (your interest) to start:
CCNA - Cisco intro
OCA - New Oracle 9i entry cert
Sun Java

No bones about it: as posted above, if you are in the masses, competitions ROUGH. These will start you on a path to what I call "4 DITS" (4 decimal digits, or less than 9999 in the world). This positions you as one of less than 9999, which means you have more market appeal.

The next thing you do is build experience. The most expedient way to effort this means that you get creative. Here are two suggestions:

1. Start working for free for any kind of Not for Profit company. Often you can work in that they buy you equipment, you get the old, or whatever. This gives you a tax break (donations with receipts for time), maybe a little cash, and a great deal of experience (often you're the only one doing the work).

2. Take a job for a small company that has an office and has nothing to do with IT, but has computers or needs computers. This is somewhat harder to fit right, but what your objective is is to become the employee who knows a whole lot about computers that everyone goes to with problems. Eventually you add it to your list of responsibilities, you can even do projects that you run the budget for, etc.

Both of these also move you toward a very tasty certification that is well sought after (because it's do d***** hard to get:
Project Management Professional from PMI. After 2 years, you get an OCP, CCIE, or ACE coupled with a PMP, you will have challenges with managing your consulting time, not breaking into IT.

Hope it helped.

Cheers!

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Psydefx
Luck:
Laboring Under Correct Knowledge
-Robert T. Kiyosaki

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Thanks for all the advice you have given me. First off, I have been repairing and troubleshooting computers for over 2 years now and I set up a computer workshop for a non-profit afterschool program last year. It's not that I don't have the experience. All I want to do is to get into the IT field. But I will continue to study and get my certifications. I have faith that I'll get the job that I'm looking for.

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That being the case, you are in the IT field. Charge for your time accordingly, build a client base, and get the nifty certs. Then charge more..... repeat as necessary.

__________________
Psydefx
Luck:
Laboring Under Correct Knowledge
-Robert T. Kiyosaki

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{{{Well, I've had my A+ cert for over 6 months and I still haven't found a job in the IT field. I'll be taking my Network+ exam on the 5th of Feb. and I'm also have my CNA cert as well. }}}

You should also try to get a BS degree in CS as well for an entry level position. I don't think certs alone with limited experience is going to cut it anymore.

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Nick

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quote:

---

I don't think certs alone with limited experience is going to cut it anymore.

---

__________________
Psydefx
Luck:
Laboring Under Correct Knowledge
-Robert T. Kiyosaki

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{{{Know what you know
Know what you can do
Know what your prospect is asking for
Know how to get them the result they are looking for
Highlight why you are their answer. }}}

You are correct But you are going to have a total of nineteen certifications. Isn't this a bit too many? What exactly is your future goal in the IT field?

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Nick

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