Jobs in IT

Nightstalker

Nightstalker

Nightstalker

Associate
Joined
28 Feb 2004
Posts
16
Location
Norfolk
I just thought I'd ask advice as it seems a lot of you work in the IT area.
I currently work in retail but am involved with PC repair (mostly software based) but now I'm feeling that my job is just not enough (the normal bad hours and worse pay). I have looked on a few websites for jobs concentrating around the IT industry but everyone wants experience / qualifications and all I have is an A-level in general computing.
My question is where are good places to start? Any recomended websites?
I have no interest in programming language although I know some things may be needed (SQL/DOS/etc...) and I'm happy with that but I don't really have interest in PHP/C/Python... I'd rather have something more to do with network / repair / general hardware and am happy to work my way up.

So.... Where's good to look?
How didyou get into IT?

Cheers!
 
A+ is a start and so is the Microsoft certs. Networking would ideally be CCNA but can be very expensive. Don't get onto a course where the force feed you the entire thing in a week and you take an exam to pass it. You just won't have time to absorb everything.
 
joemc said:
ps Microsoft cert's can be expensive!
Click to expand...

Only if you do them via a training company. Do the learning yourself via books and then just do the exam at an authorised exam centre (about £90) and Robert is your uncle.

Of course a MS cert doesn't carry too much weight and one that is married to no experience carries even less.

My (cynical) advice to the OP is pick another career.
 
I'd start working towards an mcse or mcitp. Once you get the first exam out the way, usually windows client, you can look around for first line support roles (or better yet, try and find work in a small IT support company that will give you greater exposure). The Comptia a+ and n+ exams are pretty easy and wouldn't hurt to have either - although the MS stuff is what you want. There's no point studying towards a ccna now.
 
I looked into CCNA and came to the conclusion that there are too many ppl for not enough jobs so the experienced workers get priority and id be no better off.

I'm thinking possibly to start somewhere small so I end up trying my hand at many things and then I can find what I like and get qualifications to help me climb the ladder!
Cheers for the help so far!
 
The best start imho is Cisco Essentials Course, its simple yes, but its quick and easy, and proves you know the essentials to step into an IT Job. Then get something to start you off. I started in a School worked there doing tech for 2 years. Then moved on to better things.

People say you need qualifications in IT, thats not completely true, Show your not a tool and have the EXP to prove yourself, your get further than something wiht some piece of paper but no real world exp in IT. That paper only shows you have the knowledge to pass a test and doesn't prove you have the skills.
 
Nightstalker said:
I looked into CCNA and came to the conclusion that there are too many ppl for not enough jobs so the experienced workers get priority and id be no better off.
Click to expand...

But likewise you need the CCNA to get beyond that to your CCNP or CCVP and further.

You also need real world experience above all else, which the CompTIA A+ will help you get the foot in the door to achieve.

Get that done, get yourself a 1st/2nd line support role and build from there.

I went from that at the age of 21, to being the head of IT infrastructure of a relatively decent sized company in 7 years, it's easily do-able, but you have to work for it and not be afraid to start at the bottom.
 
LordSplodge said:
My (cynical) advice to the OP is pick another career.
Click to expand...

Don't listen to rubbish advice like this. Go for it, keep trying, apply for everything, try to get experience even if it's volunteering or working on open source projects. I've been all over Europe with work (plus lived in Germany for 5 years) and now have a fantastic job I love 2 minutes down the road. If you've got the motivation then you'll be fine.
 
My advice for anyone starting out in an IT career is to look for small local companies that need someone to come in and help with their computers, these sorts of places could never really afford a fulltime IT guy so you may need to work in a few places part-time (not as bad as it sounds, small companies tend to know other small companies and it's fairly easy to build up a network).

They'll appreciate having a bright young guy doing all the stuff they don't understand and you'll get a wide introduction to a lot of different areas which will help you get an understanding of what you want to pursue. At the end of it you should have enough experience to either make your own successful business, or land a gig as a sysadmin / whatever at a bigger company.
 
Wicksta said:
Don't listen to rubbish advice like this. Go for it, keep trying, apply for everything, try to get experience even if it's volunteering or working on open source projects. I've been all over Europe with work (plus lived in Germany for 5 years) and now have a fantastic job I love 2 minutes down the road. If you've got the motivation then you'll be fine.
Click to expand...

It needs more than motivation. Some talent would be nice. I've seen enough "Certificate Monkeys" during my career to make me very cynical. Hence why I said my cynical advice was to pick another career.

My advice isn't rubbish. It has as much weight as yours. Good luck to the OP in whatever he does.
 
I did a degree in Business Computing, and got a job in IT Support straight after.
It wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to get into development.

What I did was get my local yellow pages (this was 10 years ago), and do a mailshot to the first 20 companies listed under software house.

One responded, gave me an interview, and I got the job. That gave me my first experience, and I haven't looked back since.
 
You could try an entry level customer services related job that will have little resemblence to IT and eventually the more experience you get at that the more you can move towards IT support. This way you could get away with not having qualifications, but they certainly help, if at least to improve your knowledge. I started working for a head office that supported 700 retail stores in a team of 15 people and had no experience and realy no qualifications. I worked my way up and taught myself. I now work in corporate IT support/network admin. Where i have run the IT department for 50 users by myself.

If you can get a job in a managed services or outsourcing company doing the crap work, like moving pcs around and laying cable etc. This can be a low paid very good introduction to IT because you can get a lot exposure to corporate environments and IT industry in various sectors. I know that the managed services company that i work for hires graduates for low salary and they get all the crap work on sites. Unpacking boxes etc.
 
Last edited:
Get a job working for a school, as has been shown by the current crop of school IT techs around the country you don't need to be qualified, you don't even need to know what you're doing most of the time though there are the odd exceptions.

If like me you're quite interested in learning more and doing well, expanding the network and making it as good as it can be then you'll learn a lot, it's a good starting position for what you're interested in doing.

Just be prepared for poor wages, accept that you're the least of anyones concerns (senior mangement don't care about you, simple as that) most of the time you'll be working in the worst office space in the school and the people you work with are quite likely to be ***holes but apart from that....you can learn a lot.

If this sounds appealing to you then check here: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/educational-jobs/
 
Last edited:
I left uni and just applied for various jobs, ended up in an IT job and been doing it ever since :)

I'd say try and find a desktop support starter/trainee position, preferably one that's not solely first line, but might you not be able to be too fussy :p

Basically if IT is where you want to be, you want to get in any way you can through any role you can that's relevant to the kind of thing you want to be doing.

Here you go :)

http://www.cwjobs.co.uk/JobSearch/J...Txt=norfolk&Radius=5&distance=0.0&precision=2
 
Just to buck the trend in this thread I don't think you necessarily need any more qualifications straight away, if you are doing PC repair and can demonstrate a decent knowledge of software support you should be able to land yourself an entry-level support role - nothing special maybe not even earning a higher salary than you are on now, but a foot in the door and a step on the road to bigger things in the industry.

In my experience a lot of employers want to fill these 1st line support type roles with cheap dogsbodies who have experience of working in the workplace, rather than say recent graduates with qualifications coming out of their ears but no real world experience.

Obviously as you progress then certification will be useful/necessary but not necessarily to start with.
 
Where I am at the moment is because I went in low and worked up. I didnt go to uni as it just wasnt for me and enjoyed working life way to much.

I started at a low wage system administrator for a small start up. Did this for 18 months while studying for a HNC in Networking and hardware also doing Cisco CCNA.

I soon felt I could do better and decided to job hunt. Found a basic Analyst role for a big IT firm and got the job. Paid more and offered better benefits. I was told after my interview that they were very impressed and didnt see me staying there for long.

3 months later I became a engineer doing pretty advanced stuff. Enjoying it loads and have been here for 18 months now.

My advice is to start at a entry position gain experience and certs then start working up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom