Advice on starting an I.T career

apuk said:
I'm 34 and recently got a new IT job after the recession caused by last company to shed jobs and i took volutary redundancy after 17 years.

During that time though I had several roles, started off as a computer operator and finished up in server support.

My new job is a 1st line IT engineer but i'm rellay enjoying it as i am much busier than i was in my last role and its different and interesting work and the people/users are really helpful and nice.

My advice having been in industry a long time would be to do as much quals as you can (a levels or a degree are useful for younger inexperienced people and MCSEs for more experienced people) and then start at the bottom i.e. helpdesk 1st line. If you have motivation and drive you will progress through the ranks. its geting that first job thats important and the hardest part. once our in you can move around as i have done a few times :)

I hear what others are saying about being sick of working in IT but i meet people who work at the checkouts because they were sick of their career and i don't know how they can take such a soul destroying job! :confused:
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I've noticed this my self, and (I don't mean any disrespect to anyone, in case it comes across that way!) to some, like my self, job satisfaction is paramount. If I am bored at work, I am bored in life. However this is changing for me now, as my circumstances (and age!) change.

But to others work is merely work, and a means to pay the bills and to pay for their lifestyle, which is where they get their satisfaction. :)
 
Happy now...applied for a Monday night at like midnight...got a call back yesterday and arranged an informal interview for tomorrow where the manager is going to be telling about the job. They are one of the leading Telecoms and Broadband Suppliers in the UK - though I haven't heard of them before.

Only thing is though I haven't had a an interview for over a year but at the least it will be provide me with some good interview practice. :)

One question though, do I need to take things like Passport and the like to an informal interview or do you think that would be needed for the next interview process. :confused: :o
 
Mr^B said:
Why would you need to bring a passport?

Just take along a copy of your CV, that's all you ever should need.
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Have needed to in the passport for proof of id. But I am actually not so sure about this Company as I can't even find a website for it.

It's CCL Client Solutions. :o

Ocuk Detectives Activate! :p
 
Mr^B said:
Why would you need to bring a passport?

Just take along a copy of your CV, that's all you ever should need.
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It's probably to do with them wanting to check that you can legitimately work in the UK. We've had to bring in ours to work before now so that they can check our nationality/work visa status for legal reasons. I think it's to do with recent legislation, in the last couple of years, making companies more liable if they are found to be employing illegal workers.
 
Experience > All.

Just because you pass a CCNA does not mean you are going to walk into any non-low level Cisco role. On the job experiance is more attractive than paper qualifications.

Get your foot in the door somewhere and then train with an aim of specialising 5 years down the line. Do NOT go into IT unless you plan to get into some niche role. General IT/Support is complete and utter tripe.

I have been in IT 8 years, not in a role at the moment but I am SERIOUSLY considering a career change. I had no qualifications except an AS level IT (which is worth nothing in practical real world context) and went into an admin/support role in a financial with 1 other person. I learnt more in 12 months there than any degree would ever hope to teach you.
 
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