How to get the first job in IT?

I volunteered for 3 months and worked a second job to pay the bills. Got me a decent first job with training
 
Develop apps for iOS and Android and have them in the app store so you can show them off at interviews.

They can be simple apps, but it shows you are interested and have some experience.

This is how i got a job as a software developer.
 
Suppose you could find an Application Support role where they let you do some SQL and some .NET - see a lot of them around here, more help-desk oriented but supporting the applications.
 
Application support is a good call. One of my first jobs in the IT industry i noticed the app support people were situated next to the developers. Some of which were trying to get a developer role
 
I started doing first line support in an insurance company for 500 staff, after running a shop in Canterbury with my father. Did 3d animation at uni and been building PC's since I was a kid.

Actually got let go from there due to constant arguments with the manager who was 65, had no idea of what a PC was, buying end of line stock, outdated ideas of how to do IT and generally a bully.

I then went to work for a company doing IT in a crappy call center, which they mugged me off. BUT, and here's the but.... The guy who I took over from went to work as a consultant for hedge funds. He approached me after about 6 months and then I went to work in London for hedge funds. 18 months later, I was burnt out from the city and looked for another job locally, a sharp suit and a lot of confidence gets you a long way. They forwent a 2nd interview and hired me.

Moral of the story, you wade through crap to get a good job. But looking sharp and ALWAYS do some research into things like DNS, DHCP, Raid, trace route, Active directory, how fileservers and permissions work.

*Edit*

I should have said now I am THE system admin for a large company who lease PDQ machines and I am now god lol
 
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DJMK4 said:
Application support is a good call. One of my first jobs in the IT industry i noticed the app support people were situated next to the developers. Some of which were trying to get a developer role
Click to expand...

^^^ tis prob the next best thing

especially if you've got access to the code when investigating issues

write good specs for things that do have to get sent to dev and get yourself noticed

you might find that some people in that sort of role merely replicate an issue and put together some sort of poor excuse for a document - don't be one of those people, try to add a bit more and spend some time figuring out the cause of the issue + document it properly
 
kierenharrold said:
Develop apps for iOS and Android and have them in the app store so you can show them off at interviews.

They can be simple apps, but it shows you are interested and have some experience.

This is how i got a job as a software developer.
Click to expand...

Do you already need to be a developer to get a job as a junior dev? I guess you're supposed to teach yourself then? (Or obviously go the uni route).

The idea of having a portfolio is daunting for me, because although I've played around with various bits of code over the years, nothing ever got completed (:p) since I lost interest in all these projects somewhere along the line :p Plus no employer is going to be interested in a hentai browser game :p (jk)

Seriously tho, it seems that unless you've already become a developer and released some app, you don't have a chance of landing even the most junior role?
 
Get help to write a good CV
Work on your personal statement bitty
Work for free with a local IT and get some feedback, good and bad, practice some interviews with a few folk, you can even write them the 'usual suspects' to ask you.

Are there any qualifications you can do online?
Make something - a project you can demonstrate.
Best of luck
 
I studied computing at college for 2 years, then had a 1 year apprenticeship in IT, and now have a permanent position at another company in IT. :)

A good CV, a good interview, and a good understanding of the role you are being interviewed for are all you need. I was told that I secured the job because I wasn't afraid to have a laugh and a chat with my future boss, even in the interview - rather than being a nervous wreck. :D
 
Find your local .net user group and go along to your meeting. If there's not one near, then make the effort to get to one even if it's a bit further away. You will meet people that are in development roles and the networking will be invaluable. Equally, Microsoft organises a few conferences in the UK, so get along to one of them.
 
FoxEye said:
Do you already need to be a developer to get a job as a junior dev? I guess you're supposed to teach yourself then? (Or obviously go the uni route).

The idea of having a portfolio is daunting for me, because although I've played around with various bits of code over the years, nothing ever got completed (:p) since I lost interest in all these projects somewhere along the line :p Plus no employer is going to be interested in a hentai browser game :p (jk)

Seriously tho, it seems that unless you've already become a developer and released some app, you don't have a chance of landing even the most junior role?
Click to expand...

I studied Computer Science, and during my final year i started to learn Objective-C in my spare time. I just picked up a book and went through the exercises. I only got about half way through before i started to develop some small apps.

A degree is not going to help much, you need experience.

My CV has my education right at the bottom of the page, and i barely mention i have a degree. I just focus on the apps I've created and experience i have gained.
 
Got an email from the college I finished earlier that year saying that they had a job opening at a local company within the IT department. Learnt everything I know on the job :)

Quite lucky I suppose
 
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