Anyone work in IT/Technical Support?

Jimz said:
degrees mean NOTHING in IT support, its all about how you handle situations and if you can do the job right. Having a degree normally means your a cocky just out of Uni Student who thinks he knows everything about being a IT tech

However all Network Managers/Admins always look for Experience rather than just someone with a fancy degree
Click to expand...

Yeah because the skills in taught in a degree are HIGHLY technical, not general I.T support. That's why. Difference between a technician and a engineer. You are not going to writing software in support... which is what most universities expect graduates to do.

If you want to configure(admin) things, and set up things(Servers, Exchange... etc) than yeah it's properly best to go direct entry. If you want develop software, or work on the more theoretical side than degree is normally required(Although "Higher Apprentices" exist for software engineers, not sure how good they are. They probably just teach some java/c sharp and some design patterns...). You can earn good money doing both sorts of things though. Although the entry level for developers tends to higher than the entry level for support. You will probably earn more money as a developer for a first job, but the higher end roles in both types of job tend to be of a similar salary.

Oh and Manager and Technical jobs are completely different roles. Nothing to do with having a degree... Highly technical people end as consultants in specific technologies, people on the management root hopefully end up in senior management. Consultants can earn more than management.

IBM used to have it so their were two routes, technical(Phds..), and management(MBAs). Both roots had the same salary.
 
Last edited:
I'm studying for an MCITP atm, (70-640, AD configuring) got my exam in just over a week, although finding it pretty tough so far :S
 
Stat1c said:
Right so I'm in the same place as before, though got a VERY good performance review. Where do I go from here though?

Seems to be that an MCITP is the best route but the MS website says you should be in tier 2 employment before doing it? So what do I do? I feel like things are going nowhere and there's not any chance of me getting anywhere

PS - You know the worst part? I wrote this topic almost 6 months ago and have achieved nothing since then. And it feels like I made this topic only a yesterday
Click to expand...

During your review did you say you want to move into second or third line support? What did they say?

If it's not possible or they are reluctant to do it then move to a new job. Plenty of jobs out there looking for low level 2/3rd line support people to get started.

Use MS transenders, you can get the answers to all Microsoft exams and walk in and pass them all with very little effort. People in here will slate me for advising this, but i don't think you can really learn all you need to without actually doing the job. Creating your own lab will only get you so far.

You will be starting a new job as a junior so any new job will let you settle in and learn on the job. Also most employers these days know the MS exams and certification means very little.

/flameon
 
Showboat said:
During your review did you say you want to move into second or third line support? What did they say?

If it's not possible or they are reluctant to do it then move to a new job. Plenty of jobs out there looking for low level 2/3rd line support people to get started.

Use MS transenders, you can get the answers to all Microsoft exams and walk in and pass them all with very little effort. People in here will slate me for advising this, but i don't think you can really learn all you need to without actually doing the job. Creating your own lab will only get you so far.

You will be starting a new job as a junior so any new job will let you settle in and learn on the job. Also most employers these days know the MS exams and certification means very little.

/flameon
Click to expand...
I said I wanted to go far and that 2nd line was something I wanted this year. I didn't really get much feedback on that, other than it was a valid goal that was put on the sheet.

Do I need to be 2nd line before doing an MCITP? I don't want to attend some course that I lack the skills for and make a fool out of myself. I'm pretty sure a lot of MCITP is you attending a group.

PS - I should clarify that the certification I was looking at MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7, it seems most inline with the job I do
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
I went from:

Big salary jump was going from post-sales to pre-sales, and again from Systems engineer to Hardware Manager. However, you do need to work harder, and pressures are higher.
Click to expand...

+1 -about to do the same thing and the jump is - well - decent :D
 
Hmm, I've an IT degree and a years support experience, plus loads of years with BT previously but I'm struggling to get another job.

I suspect my age might be against me as I'm mid 40's and employers seem a bit scared of taking on older workers.

I'm wondering if studying for a CCNA or MCITP while looking for a job is worth it.
 
Ive gotta agree with what everyone else is saying like, Ive just got a job this week doing 1st line support for a massive company and at the interview they didnt even take into account any qualifications I have against my name so that degree seems very much on the useless side.

It really does seem like a case of show you can be consistent, useful and swift to resolve any issue before you will be considered for promotion. The guys I work with have to be very very good at what they do before they even will be looked at for a move.

Stick with it, or if you feel you are never going to get anywhere then go somewhere else and start again with the hope things happen quicker.
 
I learnt most of my stuff on the job, some of it was learnt from cbt nuggets and trainsignal courses and i partially read a book on n+ and some of what i know was learnt as i went a long. When i was asked to do something that i did not know how to do, i usually said ok let me try do that, then i would google and try and find out how to do it.
 
Last edited:
Stellios said:
Ive gotta agree with what everyone else is saying like, Ive just got a job this week doing 1st line support for a massive company and at the interview they didnt even take into account any qualifications I have against my name so that degree seems very much on the useless side.

It really does seem like a case of show you can be consistent, useful and swift to resolve any issue before you will be considered for promotion. The guys I work with have to be very very good at what they do before they even will be looked at for a move.

Stick with it, or if you feel you are never going to get anywhere then go somewhere else and start again with the hope things happen quicker.
Click to expand...


They won't take qualifications into account because it's 1st line, I'd imagine?

I'm sure it becomes more pertinent for 2nd and 3rd line, although obviously secondary to experience and being chums with the boss
 
Don't need any quals for first line.

Demonstrate excellent customer service ability and you could literally get the job not knowing the difference between a VGA and DVI cable.
 
Well yes, but when people generally talk about 1st line jobs they mean a certain technical level. The first line means first point of contact, in some environments the first person of contact is the system admin. So in that way they can have 1st point of contact who is also the sysadmin. ITIL sucks and realy confuses people, they get on to these big support desks where they have these crazy logging ethics. That is such a waste of time.
 
groen said:
The first line means first point of contact, in some environments the first person of contact is the system admin.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what I do. Telephone support for all users and products, system builds, software role outs, domain administration and infrastructure planning etc.
 
groen said:
Well 1st line roles can be varied, from people that only log the fault to third line level people doing 1st line.
Click to expand...

In my last job, I took all the initial calls, ran remote desktop, talking customers through reinstalls or downloading patches, solved the ones that I could (about 80%), hands-on bench work which often involved disassembly of desktops and laptops, RMA off any equipment if it was hardware issue, final testing when we got it back. I wrote or re-wrote most of the department procedures too. The only thing I didn't do was call-outs as I can't drive. My job title though was 1st line, but were there any 2nd line elements from list I've written here?

What I said on page 1 about the Christians was true btw.
 
Experience is king from what I have experienced.

Worked up inside the organisation I worked at doing loads of work outside my grade for 3 years, moved onto 1st line IT desk and did that for 6 years (Too long!) and now I'm in another part of the organisation doing just about every aspect of IT for about 1200-1500 staff.

1-3 line support matters, networking, Digital and VoIP and just about everything that customers can throw at staff that go out into the customer estate.

Best is that my week sees me traveling all over Scotland to our sites some weeks and others I can be office based processing new stocks, making new software builds or solving a hardware/software problem.

Beats logging and fixing calls at a desk all day long :D

I tried looking at University at the start and to be honest for support you have more ways to enter and gain ground without Uni time. I think often its whos hungrier!
 
So has anyone here done any courses and can anyone recommend what ones to do?

Another couple of weeks gone with no progress!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom