Blagged IT Job :)

Toms88

Toms88

Toms88

Associate
Joined
21 May 2011
Posts
150
Location
Addlestone, Surrey
Howdy!

Ive just this last week started my new job in IT as Desktop Support Analyst for an office of 140 people plus remote users. Was working in Logistics at my company for 4 years, (im 23 and have only done IT at GCSE level) and the IT guy quit and recommended me for the job. Ive helped out when we moved offices patching up the server room etc and pretty much do the majority of IT issues in the Logistics department (only local issues nothing network side).

Always been interested in PC's and networking and thought it was worth applying for and see what happens. So here i am now with the Job which i pretty much got based on the merits of my work in Logistics over the last 4 years. My boss knows that im not qualified in IT at all, and that ive had absolutely no work experience in IT so i havent really blagged it as such but still find myself responsible for a lot of users, a very complex network and lots of critical and confidential data at my disposal.

Im being trained remotely by some guys in a Europe HQ in Switzerland on using our HelpDesk system, MDT, LANDesk and a little in Active Directories. I wont really be doing much network/server stuff as we have a guy for that in my office. Ive got more training coming up in our technology center in Belgium next week on a few other systems as well.

What id like to know is, what courses do you recommend i start looking at? Ive very keen to try and carve a path into the network/server side of IT as for some strange reason i am constantly amazed with networks and how they work. Online courses or evening college classes recommended?

Ive started work on building a small corporate network at home using VM ware with Microsoft Server 2008 so i can get some practice in at home which is helping well so far!

P.S Im the only IT guy in our UK office(other than the network dude). My boss works from the Swiss office so im on my todd if the **** hits the fan!
 
Screw courses, just learn in workstation, use google a lot. Learn like every other IT admin I have ever met. on the fly, and as and when needed learn something new!

Courses never really appealed to me. Also, you only need to know more than everyone else in the office to be secure in your job :p

I have no IT qualifications (bar GCSE IT), and now manage Pre-Sales for 17 regions in Europe in a cloud/VDI business.
 
Thanks :D I hope that was sincere :rolleyes: Too many sarcastic comments on the internet these days i usually assume the worst!

On a 6 month probation period though (usually 3 but they thought it only fair to give me a good chance) if it doesn't work out i can go back to Logistics so im not completely screwed if the worst happens.
 
So lucky! Happy you got a job! I with a degree in Computer Forensics can't seem to get a job even in 1st Line IT Support!
 
Well done :)

The most important thing to have is a desire to improve, both the business and yourself. Sounds corny I know but you'll need to learn quickly to progress.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
Screw courses, just learn in workstation, use google a lot. Learn like every other IT admin I have ever met. on the fly, and as and when needed, learn something new!

Courses never really appealed to me. Also, you only need to know more than everyone else in the office to be secure in your job :p

I have no IT qualifications (bar GCSE IT), and now manage Pre-Sales for 17 regions in Europe in a cloud/VDI business.
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Well that was my thought to be honest and so far into my second week thats pretty much how its gone. The training was awful from my Swiss team and i got a 1 day hand over from the guy that left.

I was really interested in getting MCE qualifications though so in a few years time, i can leave and move into a bigger job that pays better. I very much doubt i would be able to blag this job if it had been another company, its only because they know me, and i know the company and a bit of elbow grease the last 4 years. Surely most places would want to see that you have an MCE or something similar to let you handle their business systems?
 
Toms88 said:
Well that was my thought to be honest and so far into my second week thats pretty much how its gone. The training was awful from my Swiss team and i got a 1 day hand over from the guy that left.

I was really interested in getting MCE qualifications though so in a few years time, i can leave and move into a bigger job that pays better. I very much doubt i would be able to blag this job if it had been another company, its only because they know me, and i know the company and a bit of elbow grease the last 4 years. Surely most places would want to see that you have an MCE or something similar to let you handle their business systems?
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Experience is key.

Get a few years on your CV, show some progression, and take note of your achievements. Dress them up a bit in the CV. If you can get well know, or respected companies on your CV for a decent length of time, getting jobs becomes a lot easier.

Oh, and i have never applied for a job that was within my existing knowledge. Be confident, and learn on the job, once you are in its hard to get rid of you, provided you keep on top of things, and keep learning. Its the best way to learn. I know a load of MCSE peeps who were quite simply inept.

I never even talk about qualification anymore, and no one ever asks. They just want to know where I worked before, what I did, and if I was any good.
 
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mrbell1984 said:
But if you are no good at diagnostics then forget it.
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Never really done any diagnostic work before. Having said that i think one of the topics im covering in Belgium next week is diagnostics so should have that covered soon enough.
 
Toms88 said:
Never really done any diagnostic work before. Having said that i think one of the topics im covering in Belgium next week is diagnostics so should have that covered soon enough.
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Diagnostics isn't as easy as you think for certain areas depends what you are dealing with. You have to be able to walk before you can run. You also have to crawl before you can walk.
 
In a very similar position to the OP - only for a smaller company. No qualifications (currently doing a course part time).....they didn't care. They just wanted somebody who was a good fit for the company and could do a whole range of stuff - one of which was looking after all their IT requirements. Like the OP, I'm also getting a VM environment up and running at home to play with before I go and bring the company to its knees :D

I start in 2 weeks \0/

Oh Christ....I start in 2 weeks :eek:
 
In 10 years of support I learned that 99% of problems have simple solutions, also make your life easier and document every single problem as it will occur again.
 
mrbell1984 said:
Diagnostics isn't as easy as you think for certain areas depends what you are dealing with. You have to be able to walk before you can run. You also have to crawl before you can walk.
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Rubbish...

Dive into the problems, and just break them down into work-able chunks.

There are a shed load of resources out there to read on issues, and even if there is nothing exactly like the problem you are dealing with, you will be able to adapt from similar issues, and figure out the right direction.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
Rubbish...

Dive into the problems, and just break them down into work-able chunks.

There are a shed load of resources out there to read on issues, and even if there is nothing exactly like the problem you are dealing with, you will be able to adapt from similar issues, and figure out the right direction.
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Yeh, rubbish indeed this is why you see thread after thread of posts on these very forums unanswered and full problems not resolved.

Stop thinking Google has every answer because it doesn't.
 
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