I've been working for the last year and a half for the same company doing an IT technical support (Systems administrator) role on three six month contracts and now i find my self facing the end of my contract on the 31st December with no news to if they will extend my contract, things look good but it still has got me thinking about what if! what would I do next?
I have read a lot of threads on this forum about IT careers and they are full of posts about how qualifications can mean nothing without experience. So I thought I would share my thoughts about developing my career if my employment comes to an end (my first enterprise IT experience) for the people who are also reading the posts about switching careers or seeking advice after getting their certificates.
I know what your thinking! and yes I would also appreciate the advice from anyone who has something constructive to contribute
Qualifications: GNVG Intermediate IT. BTEC Certificate in IT Service and Support
Background: I work in a small two person IT department supporting 30 local users running Windows XP, 4 office users in Paris linked via VPN/Citrix and 12 remote users who travel internationally. So practically doing 1st,2nd and 3rd line support for our 13 windows 2003 servers.
Before me it was a real one man IT department. He was bogged down with too many managerial tasks to service the local users fully. After the first few weeks being there the hole backlog of support tickets for the local users (XP/Office 2003/Printer) was cleared.
I picked up a few things about the server/network set-up while solving user problems. So with the local users happier it was time to learn more about the network and its services running on the excessive 13 Windows server 2003 servers.
I worked my way around the network trouble shooting problems with services such as Citrix/AD/CRM/Opera/Exchange 2007/Mail Marshal to understand more about how it worked within the network and to add more functionality to the users. I learned a lot about how corporate networks operate with fail overs, backups and GPO's etc.
Something you will find hard to simulate on a virtual test network: expectations and demands.
While this was going on I was solely providing the day to day running of the operation as the IT manager was also the property manager and was organising a hole building move. So he spent many hours managing/organising telecoms and contractors while I mapped the server rack taking into account any changes that could be made (UPS/Links) when we get the downtime during the building move.
On the weekend of the move I was responsible for setting up the building office layout of desks and workstations, so it made sense I should patch the hole network/telecoms. What I wasn't expecting was to rebuild the hole server rack my self, I really want someone to check my work as I had never done this before but he was configuring the firewall/fibre/ADSL links.
After many screwdriver cuts later I was happy to say everything powered up without a hitch! I was so happy because I really felt like I achieved something under pressure.
Now in the nice new building with a network I was happy able to do more project work such as championing the WebEx online meeting centre training and administration and developing a Joomla based community website to provide communication and file sharing for the 200 self employed global consultants we hire ( we don't support them for tax reasons )
And here I am now, waiting to hear my fate with my last day at work being the 10th instead of the 30th as I had a lot of holiday remaining they wont pay me for.
Aim:
If my contract is not extended I aim to get Microsoft certified while working any job I can get when looking for my next IT Job.
I really liked working with the servers but I knew I was limited by my experience/knowledge. I had never set-up a complete network from scratch or rebuilt a DC/Exchange server as everything was reliable and backed up correctly for minimal downtime.
I'm hoping that getting Microsoft certified will help full in them gaps as well as give me more of a career direction that can make me more money in the long run than say second line support. My current work environment would never require that level of dedicated support if they kept me on.
Sorry:I'm aware that I have gone on for quite a bit but got to the point where it was turning into more of a personal story about my experience in IT.
Question:
Can anyone recommend any server qualifications to go for? im having a hard time working though all the different courses trying to find the best ones that actually have practical and career prospects.
Im even tempted to do support qualifications as Im aware that I will have more necessary experience ahead of me and this will beneficial to my short-term career aims
(stay in IT!!!!)
Is a year and a half enough to break down that experience barrier for employers
I have read a lot of threads on this forum about IT careers and they are full of posts about how qualifications can mean nothing without experience. So I thought I would share my thoughts about developing my career if my employment comes to an end (my first enterprise IT experience) for the people who are also reading the posts about switching careers or seeking advice after getting their certificates.
I know what your thinking! and yes I would also appreciate the advice from anyone who has something constructive to contribute
Qualifications: GNVG Intermediate IT. BTEC Certificate in IT Service and Support
Background: I work in a small two person IT department supporting 30 local users running Windows XP, 4 office users in Paris linked via VPN/Citrix and 12 remote users who travel internationally. So practically doing 1st,2nd and 3rd line support for our 13 windows 2003 servers.
Before me it was a real one man IT department. He was bogged down with too many managerial tasks to service the local users fully. After the first few weeks being there the hole backlog of support tickets for the local users (XP/Office 2003/Printer) was cleared.
I picked up a few things about the server/network set-up while solving user problems. So with the local users happier it was time to learn more about the network and its services running on the excessive 13 Windows server 2003 servers.
I worked my way around the network trouble shooting problems with services such as Citrix/AD/CRM/Opera/Exchange 2007/Mail Marshal to understand more about how it worked within the network and to add more functionality to the users. I learned a lot about how corporate networks operate with fail overs, backups and GPO's etc.
Something you will find hard to simulate on a virtual test network: expectations and demands.
While this was going on I was solely providing the day to day running of the operation as the IT manager was also the property manager and was organising a hole building move. So he spent many hours managing/organising telecoms and contractors while I mapped the server rack taking into account any changes that could be made (UPS/Links) when we get the downtime during the building move.
On the weekend of the move I was responsible for setting up the building office layout of desks and workstations, so it made sense I should patch the hole network/telecoms. What I wasn't expecting was to rebuild the hole server rack my self, I really want someone to check my work as I had never done this before but he was configuring the firewall/fibre/ADSL links.
After many screwdriver cuts later I was happy to say everything powered up without a hitch! I was so happy because I really felt like I achieved something under pressure.
Now in the nice new building with a network I was happy able to do more project work such as championing the WebEx online meeting centre training and administration and developing a Joomla based community website to provide communication and file sharing for the 200 self employed global consultants we hire ( we don't support them for tax reasons
) And here I am now, waiting to hear my fate with my last day at work being the 10th instead of the 30th as I had a lot of holiday remaining they wont pay me for.
Aim:
If my contract is not extended I aim to get Microsoft certified while working any job I can get when looking for my next IT Job.
I really liked working with the servers but I knew I was limited by my experience/knowledge. I had never set-up a complete network from scratch or rebuilt a DC/Exchange server as everything was reliable and backed up correctly for minimal downtime.
I'm hoping that getting Microsoft certified will help full in them gaps as well as give me more of a career direction that can make me more money in the long run than say second line support. My current work environment would never require that level of dedicated support if they kept me on.
Sorry:I'm aware that I have gone on for quite a bit but got to the point where it was turning into more of a personal story about my experience in IT.
Question:
Can anyone recommend any server qualifications to go for? im having a hard time working though all the different courses trying to find the best ones that actually have practical and career prospects.
Im even tempted to do support qualifications as Im aware that I will have more necessary experience ahead of me and this will beneficial to my short-term career aims
(stay in IT!!!!)
Is a year and a half enough to break down that experience barrier for employers
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