how to get out of technical support

sirio

Hi all,

i am not the first and I am not going to be the last to ask this question: how do I get out of tech support??

I have a degree in Computing - Cyber Security, programming wise I know Java, HTML, CSS, MySQL, I am CCNA certified (current), i have 3 years experience working with Linux, VMware, Windows Server, Exchange, Active Directory, Wireshark and networking troubleshooting in a security corporation environment. Now I moved in support for a CRM company.

Despite all that, the only interview I can get are tech support, and I have now 6 years experience in total.
Not even that is enough for me to get an interview for Junior positions like SysAdmin or Linux Engineer or Network engineer or Infrastructure engineer, and obviously not even junior roles such as software engineer or test engineer.

Is not a CV issue as it is well done and I get weekly contacts by LinkedIn by recruiters obviously exclusively for other Tech Support positions.
It looks like recruiters do not look at your experience and skills, but only look at your job title: if you started as tech support you work only tech support.
What is the right step to put the word END to this madness?

Thanks in advance.

TallGlass

I'd defo look at your CV. Why are you saying tech support BTW. Tech support to me is a call centre reading from a script (don't mean to insult anyone). But your work sounds more like helpdesk/service desk?

I'd be aiming for desktop support as the next step, level 2 support or you could try level 3 but you'd need a few years of the more serious end of things. Junior Sys Admins roles exist but usually a fancy name for level 1 support doing the stuff the Sys Admins don't want to do mixed with stuff level 2 guys dont want to do and answering phones and we user admin.

I'd look at desktop or a level 2 role, and look at your job title see if you can tweak it too sound a bit more appealing.

Failing all off the above, I would try get into a company that you'd enter on better pay, has a good chance of promotion etc.. you'd find it easy to move up. Or just go straight for a Junior Dev role or Junior Programmer if that's your thing.

You pitch the CV to the job. From cover letters to making sure you show them the skills you have and remove the ones that are irrelevant, IE. Junior Dev role wouldn't need any networking stuff etc.. People want quick an snappy CVs, see what you have, looks good and then they'll chat more in interview.

TheIrishGrover

Are you just applying for jobs that recruiters suggest for you via LinkedIn? Or do you actively look for jobs online yourself? It seems all I get are similar posting from them.

You may want to have a look at your CV. Tailor it for the jobs you are looking for. Not give everything equal weight. Might come off as "Jack of all trades". Have your Sec CV focusing on your sec background/networking experience. Have your sysadmin CV focusing on your Linux, VM and AD experience.

Have all the info in there but focus it.

Looks like you have chosen to cast your potential net as wide as possible: Networking, Sys Admin, Linux engineering etc. Maybe choose a particular direction and focus harder on that given path, get more qualifications etc (CCNA Sec, Palo Alto or Checkpoint training if you want to go down network security for example)

Also, many places are going to be looking for L1 people first until they get to know their work environment and expect them to progress as they get more confident and knowledgeable in their infrastructure.

Tom Dunne

One thing that you seem to be missing: certs.

Get yourself some professional certs in areas that interest you and it should open some doors.

ohnonotgmail

Is there any possibility of an internal move to an infrastructure or dev role? That is usually easier because you are already a known quantity.

Musicman2000

As others have mentioned get more certs such as the MCSA , you have one of the CCNA Certs which is good. Your degree wouldn't really matter when it comes to desktop support most of these positions are focused on certs and experience .

Normally its start off in a level 1 position and go from there .

RainMakerToo

Have you tried applying for ant DevOps positions?
You seem to have a lot of the skills they require in those roles, plus in a lot of companies, they haven't clearly defined what DevOps is to them really, so it would seems there's plenty or room to grow into it. Even Ops positions that might lead to DevOps would be worth considering.
(No, i'm not in DevOps )

B00MSTICK

What areas did your degree cover?

Dohnjoe

Also if you have to take a helpdesk job, target a large company or industry, e.g. a financial institution, in that way you can use the helpdesk job to get your foot in the door, then once inside you can branch out to a particular field of your interest

WacoKid

Tech support would be viewing as BAU activity whereas development is more project-based.

The are very different working environments to work in so educate yourself on SDLC's, working in a team delivering together etc.

If I was hiring for a Java dev, for example, these are the things I would look for. I would not hire a Java guy who has 20 certs but has no actual software engineering experience.

sirio

here we are and meantime something happened...
I had a full offer for a security engineer position but still in a support environment. The contract is not super (not so many holidays, restrictions for pension, ZERO paid sick leave). I had no alternative than accept it, and I am happy for it.
Obviously, the same day I had confirmation for a final interview for another security role... am I going for the interview or I will pass?

The problem is: it happened to me already to have an offer from a company and I accepted it (my current role). 1 week after I had the feedback from another company, slightly better, and I declined as I already signed another contract and I did not want to dismiss the company for which I already signed in in order to keep good relationship for the future.
After 2 months turned out that I did a big mistake and I contacted the recruiter of the other company as the position was still open and despite I was already been selected they preferred to progress with their recruitment process and select somebody else and when they did reopen again the same position (they were hiring a lot) and I applied as instructed by the recruiter, they just sent me the standard "goodbye" template.

Now... what is the best way to deal with my current situation? Will I go to the interview and then decide? Or I just inform the recruiter that is better to avoid the interview as I already have a job offer accepted?
What is going to be the smartest move in order not to close doors, or is it inevitable?

Thanks everybody!!

edit: one thing that I am happy for is that my title is no longer going to be technical support engineer, but security support engineer... which is maybe better than a security analyst... (i applied to a SOC analyst - ultra technical - once and I was asked by the hiring manager at the onsite why do you want to change for an engineer position to an analyst position and I was not taken...)

arccosh

Have a look in the UK.... it's only when you move from Ireland you realise how small it is, and how they have the pick of the bunch....
I'm in a job over here I wouldn't a hope of even getting a sniff at in Ireland unless I was masters educated with 2 or 3 years of experience...
They're very big on training people up, look at graduate programs, even some higher apprenticeship schemes will have you starting at 25K moving to mid 30's within a year...

sirio

@arccosh: I cannot move until may 2018. I was considering UK, but Brexit now plays a big thing here. Here you have a news I found this morning, I think many companies are going to follow this strategy:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-lloyds-of-london-insurance-market-brokers-move-eu-base-business-2017-a7476566.html

I think in 2018 is going to be more clear what impact will have Brexit in the economy... but we are going a little offtopic here... what I am going to tell to the recruiter?

Thanks!

ED E

Where's your degree from?

Also are you a non native perhaps? Some grammar in that post hints to it. At the lower rungs that wouldn't have an impact but in trying to advance you might want to iron out any kinks.

sirio

@ED E
my degree is irish and yes I am a non-native. If I was applying for VP of Engineering or CTO, I am sure at that level some little imperfection could have an impact, but for technical roles not really. My position is not a language one, so it means that at least on that specific position I was better than all other applicants, including native english speakers...

I think was a mistake replying in this thread as my question now is:

what I am going to tell to the recruiter?

I will open a new thread. Thanks!

@Admins, if you can please close this post. Thanks!

ED E

Topics should be preserved, its frowned upon to open multiple threads on roughly the same issue.