IT work....what am i qualified for?

gs39t

I came out of college just over a year ago with a CompTIA A+, Network+ and MCP 70-210. I wasnt pushed for a job in IT at the time so after a bit of lazing about a took a menial job away from IT, and now im getting pretty tired of it. At this stage, i would like to go back to IT but REALLY want to avoid any telephone support crap.

Realistically, what kind of work can i expect to look for in IT with my quals. Dont really care about the money too much, just want a half decent job.

Gary

RicardoSmith

Why did you do those courses?

Cake Fiend

You'll get bugger all with those qualifications and no experience. One way or another, you're going to have to start low and work your way up. Phone support, although soul-destroying, is a good entrance to the real IT sector. AFAIK Dell are hiring support technicians at the moment, it would be worth checking them out - I'm sure plenty of boardsters started there.

Otherwise, maybe see if you can get a job in an internet cafe, you might be able to help out with tech stuff, and possibly work your way up to sysadmin. From there, you'll be able to get proper hands-on experience which would lead you on to a proper job. Another think you could think about to keep money flowing is doing maintenence and odd-jobs nixers - fixing home computers, disinfecting viruses, etc.

IT, she be a harsh mistress...

RicardoSmith

Hes obviously lost interest already?

gs39t

RicardoSmith wrote:

Hes obviously lost interest already?

Then again i might have been just busy ...

Seemed like a good idea at the time, certainly not something i regret, but as happened to most everyone else, when i came out of college the IT bus was in a collapse and jobs of any kind were impossible to find, so i just took something else to get some cash together. Now ive realised that it might be worth looking to put my quals to SOME use, plus im getting bored with my other job.

I'm not looking to walk into an administrator job, even anything in desktop support would be of interest to me, but as i said, im not sure exactly how high to aim

RicardoSmith

3 days? on holiday or a serious bender?

The money in IT is up and down. I'm doing a support contract at the moment and getting a better rate than I did as on my contracts as a programmer. I've been struggling to get a steady run of development contracts as I have too little experience, and I can't get support contracts as I've too much experience! Mind you all the contractors I'm working with at the moment seem to be an experienced bunch and very level headed. Not the usual freak show you get working in IT.

Seems to be luck of the draw as to how good a role you get. Just apply to as many as you can and eventually you'll get something. The money varies enormously though, 16k-35k for essentially the same job.

gs39t

RicardoSmith wrote:

3 days? on holiday or a serious bender?

Forgot where i lived there for a couple of days ...

Thanks, again, it certainly wouldnt be the 35k end of it im going for. I know telephone tech support jobs are plentiful, but i HATE that kind of work. Its more the idea of getting my foot in the door and moving from there that im looking at

Thanks

Gary

Tenshot

Might be worth looking for a job in software testing, especially with some of the smaller companies (networking or otherwise) that probably aren't as fussy about exactly how many qualifications you have.

This can also be a useful springboard to other parts of the industry.

Do you have any scripting skills (VB, Perl, etc?) All that stuff comes in handy if you're testing...

nadir

man, im in the same problem, its a real pain.
I finished college about 3 years ago, and I still havnt found IT work. My primary degree is in physics, but I have gone in the computers direction, doing all my extra modules in networks, OS .etc
I worked factory work in the netherlands for nearly 2 years, all the time applying for proper work there and back at home. Im thinking about going to London now to see if I can get a job, but im not sure.
The whole problem of course is experience, I dont have any, I can program competently, c, c++, perl, and all the web stuff, html, css etc. I know my way around assemby as well and more recently trying my hand at java. I know unix(debian, gentoo, slack, redhat type distros .etc) inside out.
But in the end of the day if you dont have experience it doesnt matter, recruitment agencies dont even consider you for positions.
what to do?
For no im just working on some little opensource projects to keep me going, Id almost rather just draw social welfare than do tech support, maybe the IT secor will pick up over the next few years.

Kell

Sico wrote:

AFAIK Dell are hiring support technicians at the moment, it would be worth checking them out

AFAIK Dell have outsourced their entire support function to India or thereabouts.

Gs39t- you've few real IT qualifications, and no experience, yet you "dont want to do some support role". Sorry to be harsh, but what planet are you living on and why are you afraid of some grafting?

Is it any wonder most low to mid level jobs in this country are filled by non-nationals with an attitude like yours.

K-

ando

RicardoSmith wrote:

The money varies enormously though, 16k-35k for essentially the same job.

yes thats right, I think it depends on how you present yourself at the interview or how good your communication skills are. For instance my tech director is not as upto speed on Active Directory or windows 2003 as me but yet he can bull$hit his way with clients better than me so he gets more dosh. iT :eek:

drane2

Kell wrote:

AFAIK Dell have outsourced their entire support function to India or thereabouts.

Wrong. Dell recently had an ad up on their website looking for support technicnians in Ireland, and pretty much all of their corporate support is still located in Ireland.

Johnny Versace

Dell don't really take on anyone with no experience.

You will not get a testing job nowadays with no experience, even though testing should be a special olympics sport.

You really are limited.

If you're as hungry as you say you are and simlpy want experience tgo pad out the CV a bit, start here -

http://www.scriptlance.com

There are tons of projects you can bid on. Bid low and get some experience under your belt.

At the same time go work for eircom as tech support... there's really not much else going.

And remember this - IT in Ireland is an incestual community. Join ilug.ie, go to their meetings, hang out with the freaks (although this is not something I could do... they annoy the **** out of me with their arrogance based on their networking skills) and maybe one will get you a job.

Flukey

Approach some of the small networking companies or support companies. A lot of these will have work out on the field or repair work at base, so you would not necessarily be doing telephone support. There are a lot of these small companies about. Grab a Golden Pages and have a look.Many of the large companies use these small companies to support their IT.

You could ask them would they take you on. If you find it hard to get work, what you could do to get experience is offer yourself for a period of time, about 4 to 6 weeks, free or at a low rate to these companies. This will give them a chance to see what you know without having to employ you. If you were doing a FÁS course, this is what the last 4 to 6 weeks consist of. At the end of the period they may employ you and even if they don't you will have gained some work experience. They may be able to give you some contacts of other companies to contact if they are unable to take you on themselves. I know this may sound like slavery but it is actually a good way of getting experience and possibly a job. You have nothing to lose. Basically explain to them that you finished a course and took a year out and now want to start into work.

Johnny Versace

Flukey - I hate to say it, but the industry is so bad at the moment I don't even think he will be able to get work for no payment.

RicardoSmith

Johnny Versace wrote:

Flukey - I hate to say it, but the industry is so bad at the moment I don't even think he will be able to get work for no payment.

I have to agree with Jonny. Though I have noticed it has picked up a bit more in the last few weeks.

gs39t

Probably should have mentioned that i DO have almost a years experience in software testing; but the way it is, im looking at the situation, asking myself do i need to go to college for another ten years to get enough IT qualifications just to get a minimum wage IT job, or cut my losses and try another career!

Thanks everyone

Hobbes

You need experience. Qualifications help, but generally they are ignored over experience first. Except when looking for say grads/low level jobs.

QE (which what you have) is certainly good experience, and is a good stepping point into development.

But in development you generally have to keep studying about new stuff and keeping your skills up to date. Sounds like that doesn't appeal to you?