Blagged IT Job :)

Toms88 · 11 Jul 2012 at 23:14

Number_25 said:
Haha, reading this before embarking on a 4 year university course on Computer Science and the debt which comes with it.

Nice one mate, I'll wish you all the luck in the world!

Haha sorry dude. It will take me a few years to get to that level of knowledge im sure anyway. Thanks though, was an opportunity that doesn't come round very often!

groen said:
Toms88: Were you always in to computers as a hobby though? Do you know what xvid is, without looking it up?

Yeah, first pc was a win 95 Dell machine. Didnt start really playing with them until XP though when i started building my own machines and ran a simple LAN setup. Cant say that i do mate. I learn quickly which im finding pretty much crucial in this job.

TNGL · 11 Jul 2012 at 23:22

groen said:
Toms88: Were you always in to computers as a hobby though? Do you know what xvid is, without looking it up?

Very tough question for you there!

Yes, that was sarcasm.

FoxEye · 11 Jul 2012 at 23:28

Toms88 said:
Haha sorry dude. It will take me a few years to get to that level of knowledge im sure anyway. Thanks though, was an opportunity that doesn't come round very often!

You'll learn an awful lot on an Comp Sci degree that will give you insight into how computers do what they do, but not all of that info is crucial, some is just interesting for those who like to dig a little deeper. You'll also do some stuff like AI and graphics work that isn't relevant at all unless you want to become a programmer.

A degree doesn't make you suitable for a job. It just shows you are capable of getting a degree (which entails hard work). That's why some employers take graduates of any subject, just because it demonstrates the ability of the individual to motivate themselves and learn stuff.

But you can quite happily perform many IT jobs without a degree. Even programming.

Guile · 11 Jul 2012 at 23:40

You will get found out.

triggerthat · 11 Jul 2012 at 23:42

FoxEye said:
You'll learn an awful lot on an Comp Sci degree that will give you insight into how computers do what they do, but not all of that info is crucial, some is just interesting for those who like to dig a little deeper. You'll also do some stuff like AI and graphics work that isn't relevant at all unless you want to become a programmer.

A degree doesn't make you suitable for a job. It just shows you are capable of getting a degree (which entails hard work). That's why some employers take graduates of any subject, just because it demonstrates the ability of the individual to motivate themselves and learn stuff.

But you can quite happily perform many IT jobs without a degree. Even programming.

Computer Scientists surely don't go into technical support?

FoxEye · 11 Jul 2012 at 23:49

triggerthat said:
Computer Scientists surely don't go into technical support?

in an ideal world, no. in reality, that's where some of them end up for lack of other opportunities.

Ev0 · 12 Jul 2012 at 00:21

For support roles experience can play a big part in securing a role but it really depends on the company.

I could waffle on about this sort of thing all day, have had reasonable experience with IT job stuff over the years. I know what works for me in the areas I work in, it won't be the same for others.

Vita said:
I couldn't agree more with you. It is a shame that some study really hard to get the grades they deserve only to not have a job at the end of it. I guess it does take time, but then there is taking time..and taking the urine.

Where abouts in the uk are you, what sort of thing have you been looking at that's been related to your degree, is that the area you want to work in?

groen said:
Toms88: Were you always in to computers as a hobby though? Do you know what xvid is, without looking it up?

Hah makes me laugh whenever you bring that old question up

In corporate IT no one gives a stuff about that sort of thing, nowhere I've ever worked anyway. Being a hobbiest as such with IT has rarely helped career prospects from my own experiences and people I know. Not saying you don't need to be interested, just you don't necessarily have to be ubergeek about things to do well

Again does depend on the area of IT you are in.

decmatt · 12 Jul 2012 at 00:45

If you get any course offered by the company I would take it, it is always good to formalise what you know, especially in this field!

Vita · 12 Jul 2012 at 09:58

Ev0 said:
Where abouts in the uk are you, what sort of thing have you been looking at that's been related to your degree, is that the area you want to work in?

I'm in Yorkshire, I'm just wanting to get in I.T. I can't go into forensics straight away as a lot of companies ask for years of experience which I do not have. I do regret not going for a placement while I was in Uni as that would have helped more so, but my circumstances at that time didn't help so I had to finish my studies asap.

Djwayne · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:13

Vita said:
To someone who sent me a trust message just now regarding my previous comment in this thread. I am not kidding. Seems experience is much more vital then having a degree in this economy.

I have a computer forensics degree which i sat as a mature student I had the experience but qualifications were letting me down getting the jobs i wanted.

Straight out of uni first job(although a contract) was with one of the world's biggest semiconductor companies have been here almost a year.

Put yourself out there get contracting for experience, I went and did my RHCE and it helps to open doors and don't be disheartened by the job adverts most will ask for a list of skills they are never going to find as long as you have the core ones they want put your CV in you have nothing to lose.

neil_g · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:18

youll be fine, any monkey can do IT*

*the average opinion of non IT staff

funguST · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:33

google is your friend

Ev0 · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:36

Vita said:
I'm in Yorkshire, I'm just wanting to get in I.T. I can't go into forensics straight away as a lot of companies ask for years of experience which I do not have. I do regret not going for a placement while I was in Uni as that would have helped more so, but my circumstances at that time didn't help so I had to finish my studies asap.

Take a look at pen testing companies if you haven't already, or even graduate intakes for the big auditing companies, as they usually have requirements for forensic people and can be open to training people up.

cHk4 · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:38

Google knows everything, I was forever googling stuff when I worked in Tech, you should be able to find a fix to everything just depends how good your google-fu is.

Ev0 · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:40

It doesn't always provide you with an answer, but can put you on the right track to work it out

Hamish · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:48

Well done for getting the job...

Don't mean to be a **** but I wouldn't call someone 5 years out of school getting an entry level desktop support position without a degree 'blagging it'. TBH it sounds at the right level for you, most stuff at thlis level can be learnt on the job and doesn't need a degree if you're motivated.

edscdk · 12 Jul 2012 at 11:51

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.

but you need the experience to know what the chunks consist of.... and if its somethign other than a home setup you should not really "try stuff" unless you know the possibly implications...

Taken to teh extreme - A hardware engineer who knew some IT went out to look at a faulty hard drive, by the time he left both servers were down - (only one was broken when he arrived) he sent the hard drive back to hte office and I have to drive 100 miles to get the hard drive - it was a virus issue there was nothing wrong with the hard drive.

anything I don't mind · 12 Jul 2012 at 12:11

The amount of non IT jobs that I could blag is a lot. Most finance jobs I could blag easy. They don't do much anyway. What jobs realy couldn't be blagged. I am not saying i am like that guy pretender. But realy some of these people with degrees that have jobs think there job is not possible without the degree. Sure some jobs like electronics for example requires specialized knowledge. But psychology or many other jobs, I could do it without even the help of google.

FoxEye · 12 Jul 2012 at 17:57

neil_g said:
youll be fine, any monkey can do IT*

*the average opinion of non IT staff

monkeys can and do work in first and second line IT *support*.

I was given a second line job despite the manager believing I had no qualifications or experience in IT.

the kinds of problems we face daily are so basic, so un-skilled, that a monkey could do them. swap this hdd, add this person to this user group, call out an engineer to fix this (in warranty) laptop.

if you can drive, you can do 2nd line.
if you can answer the phone, you can do 1st line.

this post is irrelevant to non-support IT roles.

Deleted member 77746 · 12 Jul 2012 at 18:03

FoxEye said:
monkeys can and do work in first and second line IT *support*.

I was given a second line job despite the manager believing I had no qualifications or experience in IT.

the kinds of problems we face daily are so basic, so un-skilled, that a monkey could do them. swap this hdd, add this person to this user group, call out an engineer to fix this (in warranty) laptop.

if you can drive, you can do 2nd line.
if you can answer the phone, you can do 1st line.

this post is irrelevant to non-support IT roles.

I don't drive and I do first, second and third line support.