Career in 1st Line support!

sreeve1993

sreeve1993

sreeve1993

Associate
Joined
9 Feb 2011
Posts
495
Location
Central London
Hello,

I'm hoping if someone can help me with this obstacle I've encountered.
Anyway, I'm very eager to get into a career with IT as I'm passionate about it and I enjoy it. The career I want to take is 1st line support, I have all experience at the moment but I've been told by an IT Recruitment agency that I'm being held back by not having COMPtia and COMPtia network and Windows 7 certificates. To get into this career pretty much every job requires these and it's the things I don't have.
Anyway they are trying to sell me an online course which is like £395. Is it a bit of a scam? Is there anyway to get these? Any guidance will help me :)

Stevan
 
No its not a scam.

But also you don't need them.

I don't and I'm a Senior IT Tech. Then again i have a degree :/

I would suggest taking the time to do the following:
CCNA, CCNP, Comptia and what ever else many jobs ask for.

Yes its going to cost you, maybe get a Loan to pay for them or ask your parents for some money to get some training.
Also some training with AD might help.
 
£395..... ask them what exam you'd be doing for those. Look up the price of doing just the exams. Then look at the cost of the course content (CBT Nuggets for example).

But I would think experience would be more beneficial. Look at maybe a temp position while the money won't be great but it'll give you a taste, then may turn into a full time position. Or even look at apprentice/junior positions.
 
Diagro said:
CCNA, CCNP
Click to expand...

He wants to do 1st line support and you're recommending he goes for CCNA/CCNP - are you serious? CCNA/CCNP is going to earn him a £45k a year minimum network engineer/network manager role, not a £15-20k 1st line helpdesk job.

CompTIA A+ and Comptia Network+ can be had cheaply and would give you a good introduction to a lot of the aspects of 1st helpdesk.

But seriously, 1st line support is the first stepping stone, get a few years of that under your belt and then start looking to progressing up the ladder, so to speak!
 
Terrier_Jimlad said:
He wants to do 1st line support and you're recommending he goes for CCNA/CCNP - are you serious? CCNA/CCNP is going to earn him a £45k a year minimum network engineer/network manager role, not a £15-20k 1st line helpdesk job.

CompTIA A+ and Comptia Network+ can be had cheaply and would give you a good introduction to a lot of the aspects of 1st helpdesk.

But seriously, 1st line support is the first stepping stone, get a few years of that under your belt and then start looking to progressing up the ladder, so to speak!
Click to expand...

Dont know if trolling.
CCNA/CCNP wont get you 45k :rolleyes:
 
Depends on what specific company you want to work in, but I've done what would be classed as 1st line support for nearly 20 years and have never done an official course.

However the companies I have worked for are not IT Support in themselves, so that may make a difference.


Have you tried yet just looking for 1st line jobs and applying, or only spoken to the agency?
 
Everything I know about computers is self-taught from age of 14 but my degree is in forensic science. Which I am not passionate about. When I was 16 and 18, I did not have a clue what I wanted to do. It's not until finishing university it's made me realise what I enjoyed the most and it's always been in front of me. When I learn about computers it just sticks with me naturally and once I start reading about it I don't stop.
So yeah I have no education within IT, just own experience. So I feel maybe this course will help me.

I just want to get my foot through the door because once I know I'm in, I'm confident that I will go a very long way. I'm only 22 and very eager to begin my career.


EDIT: I haven't properly applied for any IT jobs just yet but every time I look at the job specification it always mentions these certifications and no doubt I feel like I'm being held back for sure.
 
Last edited:
I got A+ and Network+ as part of my college years, but I don't think I really used either of those when I entered first line.

Definitely wouldn't get 45k on just CCNA/CCNP, that's the babys first steps into the Cisco world.
 
1st Line Support roles are often poorly paid but are great to get your foot in the door if you get in to a fairly large company.

I wouldn't say a qualification is needed but it does help!

I would start applying for jobs and see what happens. The 1st Line Support Team here don't have any formal IT qualifications so it's achievable.
 
A+, N+ and MCITP in Windows 7 should do you easily for first line support.

If you want to stump for a course for each, then that's your prerogitave. If you have the discipline to self study, then you can just grab books/CDs and DIY before taking the exams. They aren't hard.

Forget CCNA/CCNP until you've got actual experience under your belt. That's the next rung (if you want to go into network management, obviously... enterprise admin would be a different primary path).
 
Recently decided to do something similar to you op, decided I wanted to start in IT and a good start is working a helpdesk / service desk. You don't need any certificates or anything just gear your CV towards what you want to do and show some passion!
 
I was in first line support for a long time, I found that having my CompTIA A+, Networking A+ 3 Microsoft MTA's and training towards my MCSA/MCSE made it a lot easier to get a job in these fields.

The rest just comes down to getting your foot in the door, once you do that, It's easy!
 
My opinion: If you have a passion for it, apply for schools as an IT Technician role.

Pay isn't great, but we don't expect qualifications, just motivated people with the attitude to learn.
Stay there a couple of years then move your way up.
 
You don't need them at all if you have the knowledge. I'm an IT manager without a single IT qualification to my name, I just have the knowledge and experience instead. If I was recruiting, I'd be more interested in their passion for the field over what qualifications they may have, especially for 1st line support.
 
I got my first 1st line role with a GNVQ in IT. Comptia A+ and Network+ are good suggestions, although you can easily do it yourself via self study - buy the book or couple of books, Google Professor Messer A+ videos (if they still exist), and when you feel ready book yourself on the exam at ~£100. You don't NEED training or a course, but some people may struggle with self learning.

I would suggest an MCP qualification, look at the MCITP from Microsoft for something like Windows desk top support. It's usually 2 exams, I don't know the names off the top of my head. They will cost you about £100 each, plus a book of course and again you can self study.

Personally I would avoid CCNA or anything like that, as that is NOT first line in my opinion.

You don't need anything if you're competent and demonstrate your skills well on your CV or interview. But having the above will show you're serious, committed and overall good 'evidence' of your aptitude in the field. I wouldn't necessarily say they're compulsory though, just beneficial.
 
Wow! Thank you for all the responses. This is why I always come to these forums when I have an issue regarding IT, the support people give is unbelievable. Obviously I have a lot of mixed opinions but every each one of you has helped me to decide what to do.

I am going to phone back this recruitment myself and ask if I can directly talk to the manager who is supposedly interested In me for his company. I was told the company interested is a very large company based in London. I haven't asked for details but now I will, I will get all the info I need to make a careful decision.

Important of all, as I have no experience or qualifications in IT. This course will benefit me which some have said. It's not really needed but for myself I think I could benefit from it and be nice to have :).
But after seeing so many saying you don't need it and it's more about the passion for IT and learning it's made me consider and plan my route of action. I really hope I get something.
 
Terrier_Jimlad said:
He wants to do 1st line support and you're recommending he goes for CCNA/CCNP - are you serious? CCNA/CCNP is going to earn him a £45k a year minimum network engineer/network manager role, not a £15-20k 1st line helpdesk job.
Click to expand...

Probably around £35k is more realistic, but you aren't going to walk into a network engineering role with a couple of certificates and zero experience. Majority of the adverts I see for those roles are wanting 4 years minimum.

When I passed my IT apprenticeship years ago I was offered a helpdesk job for siemens and I only had my A+, Cisco IT essentials and a level 3 city and guilds IT qualification, the interview was a group one with around 40 people though and the tasks seemed to be looking for the most confident and outgoing people rather than knowledge of IT. There were some logical tests and a mock phone call to see whether you weren't a total cabbage, with these roles you often get a lot of people lacking social skills apply and on the helpdesk you need to come across like you care about peoples issues.
 
Last edited:
1st line support will gradually bleed you dry of any sympathy or belief in humanity. The number of inane, stupid and pointless questions and/or calls you will get will make your mind boggle. By all means get your foot in the door, but don't do it forever. And it recommend trying to get in at a large company only servicing their own staff. The general public are generally stupid or have unrealistic expectations. Far better to have a fixed 'client base'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom