Career progression ideas

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 10:47

Hello all

Yes, I know these threads are annoying but hey, I thought it was time I made one myself

Basically, I have been in IT pretty much since I left school at 16, started off with the build side of things, then got involved with setting up / distribution, then went onto projector work installing server cabinets and setting the cabinets up ready for equipment on large sites.

I was then made redundant and there was a period in my life where I couldn't get any decent work, so ended up in speaker assembly and eventually working for wickes for a bit after I did my first sole helpdesk job which taught me a lot during my brief stay there.

Currently I work in a school...So yes the technical issues aren't everyday but there are the odd issues that tax your mind...Generally I am happy there but the pay is the main issue as I don't work the academic holidays which cuts my pay some what...

Now, I was just wondering what people would do for career progression from here? I love sorting issues out, I love learning on the job in general, but helpdesk stuff really takes it out of me and I can't deal with people shouting at me when something isn't actually my fault. So you would probably say i'm in the wrong job

I don't have qualifications as such, and I have no money to actually get them, I also have a house to pay for (rent / bills etc) so I can't save much to even contemplate anything like that...What would you do? I have always had issues with knowing what I want to do work wise, it's just that fixing computer issues is something i've always known, and I am kind of stuck here!

Any views / direction pointers are appreciated

Admiral Huddy · 6 Jul 2011 at 10:59

May I ask how old you are?

It's amazing the amount of IT people who want out. The promised "lifelong" career that is anything but; centralisation, cheaper oversees outsourcing, rapid development, economy etc have all taken their toll on the industry.. Our IT team used to be 60+ strong but are now just down to a dozen.. if that. Things are dead and have been for awhile so I've been thinking the same for years.. Still.. good pay, pension and convenient.. I'd have to take a whooping pay cut elsewhere so I might as well make the most of it. I've asked most of the staff about when the inevitable happens and they say they wouldn't return to I.T. Sorry I've got no suggestions for you.. just wanted you to know you are not alone.

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 11:01

Admiral Huddy said:
May I ask how old you are?

It's amazing the amount of IT people who want out. The promised "lifelong" career that is anything but; centralisation, cheaper oversees outsourcing, rapid development, economy etc have all taken their toll on the industry.. Our IT team used to be 60+ strong but are now just down to a dozen.. if that. Things are dead and have been for awhile so I've been thinking the same for years.. Still.. good pay, pension and convenient.. I'd have to take a whooping pay cut elsewhere so I might as well make the most of it. I've asked most of the staff about when the inevitable happens and they say they wouldn't return to I.T. Sorry I've got no suggestions for you.. just wanted you to know you are not alone.

Aye, I lost my first job in 2008 due to the recession, been on and off jobs since then.

And i'm 25 now, on less money now than when I was building PC's and servers for a living at 18

...And that's when I lived at home!

EDIT: It's not that I want out as such...I'd love a job where I can just build and test systems all day of varying kinds and sorting out issues that way...Or alternatively supporting a small company internally would do me really.

It's just unless you have 'x' amount of qualifications you can't get in to much, that and i'm not the leading type

Garee · 6 Jul 2011 at 11:02

What do you enjoy doing? Do that

K.C. Leblanc · 6 Jul 2011 at 11:12

Admiral Huddy said:
May I ask how old you are?

Have you considered going to uni. If you're over 25 you won't need to meet all the academic requirements and (if you're single) you get the highest level of financial support (it's assumed you're too grown up for your parents to contribute).

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 11:27

Garee said:
What do you enjoy doing? Do that

God knows at the moment...I like building/testing/tinkering with stuff and sorting issues out

K.C. Leblanc said:
Have you considered going to uni. If you're over 25 you won't need to meet all the academic requirements and (if you're single) you get the highest level of financial support (it's assumed you're too grown up for your parents to contribute).

I am 25, however I do have a partner, and as said in the OP a house to pay for...She is actually wanting to go back to Uni as well to do a Vet course.

I tried to go to Uni when I was 18, and they never got back to me, even though I had the funds to pay it out right then.

Rroff · 6 Jul 2011 at 11:36

TBH I'm not sure moving away from a job in a school (which is relatively padded against the economy) is such a good idea atm if it pays enough to live on. I'd ride it out for a year or 2 personally and maybe look at learning/courses if possible on the side with a goal towards future employment.

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 11:40

Rroff said:
TBH I'm not sure moving away from a job in a school (which is relatively padded against the economy) is such a good idea atm if it pays enough to live on. I'd ride it out for a year or 2 personally and maybe look at learning/courses if possible on the side with a goal towards future employment.

True...I can just get by, problem is over half my wage goes to bills and rent...Then the rest just about pays for petrol and food...And the occasional bit of fun with friends in my life

I get issues when I need to fork money out, ie car tax, or insurance, or tyres...I just cant do them without using an overdraft, which at the moment i can't get out of...I have managed to get a slight increase in my wage so I'll have to add up expenditures etc again

Puzzled · 6 Jul 2011 at 12:37

How about doing some IT work on the side, just general pc maintenance and setup for the public for a bit of extra cash.

It won't bring much in, but considering places like PC World charge £90 just to setup a wireless network I'm sure you could make a bit of cash to top up your wages.

sHo0sH · 6 Jul 2011 at 12:42

Delvis said:
Aye, I lost my first job in 2008 due to the recession, been on and off jobs since then.

And i'm 25 now, on less money now than when I was building PC's and servers for a living at 18 ...And that's when I lived at home!

EDIT: It's not that I want out as such...I'd love a job where I can just build and test systems all day of varying kinds and sorting out issues that way...Or alternatively supporting a small company internally would do me really.

It's just unless you have 'x' amount of qualifications you can't get in to much, that and i'm not the leading type

Apple Genius?

Big company, good benefits and pretty well paid

moss · 6 Jul 2011 at 12:42

You don't really to spend much to take certain IT qualifications. Most of the common Cisco and Microsoft certifications can be self-studied with info downloaded from the internet. You then only have to pay the exam fee's.

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 13:09

MonkeyMan said:
How about doing some IT work on the side, just general pc maintenance and setup for the public for a bit of extra cash.

It won't bring much in, but considering places like PC World charge £90 just to setup a wireless network I'm sure you could make a bit of cash to top up your wages.

Yeah, just I like to have my evenings, don't fancy working for 8/9 hours a day only to go home and help someone else out that just sits there moaning at me because there PC died or something =/...It's something to toy with though thank you

sHo0sH said:
Apple Genius?

Big company, good benefits and pretty well paid

Meaning? Working for Apple? Would love to, no idea where to start or where they employ though

moss said:
You don't really to spend much to take certain IT qualifications. Most of the common Cisco and Microsoft certifications can be self-studied with info downloaded from the internet. You then only have to pay the exam fee's.

Well...I don't have any spare money at the moment, that is my predcament, I can't even by tyres for my car at £40 a pop, let alone get it serviced for the first time in 3 years.

sHo0sH · 6 Jul 2011 at 13:22

http://www.apple.com/jobs/uk/

HamZilla · 6 Jul 2011 at 13:25

Why not a part time job to cover the costs you're struggling with, especially useful during the school holidays. Otherwise use your spare time to do IT courses at home which has little expense other than the exams themselves when you are ready to take them.

adam_castell · 6 Jul 2011 at 13:28

take an evening coarse in another field that you are intrested in, very hard to make decent money in IT

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 15:04

HamZilla said:
Why not a part time job to cover the costs you're struggling with, especially useful during the school holidays. Otherwise use your spare time to do IT courses at home which has little expense other than the exams themselves when you are ready to take them.

I'm trying, got the 6 week holiday soon coming up and hopefully can get something with a friend of mine as he is a manager

...You say little expense, but as I have said I can't even get tyres for my car at the moment...Or anything else for that matter

adam_castell said:
take an evening coarse in another field that you are intrested in, very hard to make decent money in IT

Possible, need money...No idea what I want to be doing, problem is i'm not exactly going to go and course in carpentry, only to qualify and then hate the job

Delvis · 6 Jul 2011 at 15:43

sHo0sH said:
Apple Genius?

Big company, good benefits and pretty well paid

Just looked at this actually...Sounds interesting (Even though I hate the look of the Apple store

May just apply for funsies

Delvis · 7 Jul 2011 at 09:18

Hi guys, if I upload my CV somewhere could a couple of people skim over it? I need to add a few bits with regards to key skills and software packages but im stumped at the moment

Also, where is the easiest to upload?

Haggisman · 7 Jul 2011 at 09:51

If you enjoy most of the aspects of your job (which it sounds like you do, except for maybe the shouting part!!) you could maybe consider doing the same thing but in a college or uni? I worked on the helpdesk at my old college for a couple of years after I finished my HND there, and although I was officially 1st/2nd line, I ended up doing a lot of project work, and covering for the 3rd line and systems guys when they were off. Lots of on the job learning, troubleshooting (and all the good stuff you're used to, possibly at a slightly more complext level than in a school?).

Also, the summer was one of our busiest times of year (getting everything refreshed for the next year) so no worries there!!

Delvis · 7 Jul 2011 at 09:57

Haggisman said:
If you enjoy most of the aspects of your job (which it sounds like you do, except for maybe the shouting part!!) you could maybe consider doing the same thing but in a college or uni? I worked on the helpdesk at my old college for a couple of years after I finished my HND there, and although I was officially 1st/2nd line, I ended up doing a lot of project work, and covering for the 3rd line and systems guys when they were off. Lots of on the job learning, troubleshooting (and all the good stuff you're used to, possibly at a slightly more complext level than in a school?).

Also, the summer was one of our busiest times of year (getting everything refreshed for the next year) so no worries there!!

Thanks for the input

True, it's a possibility, to be honest though I kind hate the school aspect of things, everything is the same, you occasionally get something random to deal with

...Good thing about where I am is the scenery funnily enough

I'll have to have a think, and I couldn't deal with arsey kids/teenagers either, luckily the kids here are more 'upper class' so to speak. So it's nice on that front