IT support, 1st line & 2nd line

aim higher perhaps... your degree probably is of limited use in a generic IT 1st line support role - it is probably a signal that you ought to know enough to handle such a role (though quality of grads can vary so that isn't a given for employers)

if you really want to do 1st line support then perhaps spell out your skill set explicitly - tailor it to the ads you've seen

one thing a friend of mine did about a decade ago when finishing uni without a job lined up was to set up a small computer shop website, wasn't completely fake, he got a couple of actual orders from random people and also built some computers for friend/relatives too... point was he could - without telling a total lie - put down actual work experience

frankly if you've got a degree I'd suggest aiming higher than generic 1st line support roles... though you've not mentioned institution or grade - below a 2:1 and at a institution with a lesser brand name and you could struggle more
 
also while you're unemployed you're creating a gap - this is something you will be asked to explain - a useful thing to talk about in terms of what you've been filling your time with is online courses

coursera, edx etc... register for a few even if you are playing xbox most of the day in your parent's living room
 
Strife212 said:
I don't really get the appeal of recruiters and agencies, isn't it better to apply yourself for jobs that you actually want?
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some recruiters can be useful and have good connections, some have jobs which you might not have otherwise found.... plenty of others are a waste of time and know nothing about your industry, skill set etc..
 
tkilo said:
That's interesting, when you were hiring graduates, what type of degrees were you looking for ?
And did you look for certifications?
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It wasn't me personally hiring, but the company, something in IT is a must, ie a geology grad, erm probably not, someone whos done a computer science degree or a IT systems and networks degree, or what ever, and can demonstrate knowledge in interviews, even base knowledge! We have seen some grads come in who couldn't tell us what an ip address or subnet mask was for

Some grads that iv seen have had the education, no working experience bu have taken the time to sit and study for certs, like cisco ccna, or a microsoft cert, so take that in to mind when thinking about competition

For an grad they generally are looking for someone who has the education, knowledge learnt outside of education through self learning. Can apply that and demonstrate answering a good amount of what I would say are base knowledge questions and scenarios in interviews and have the ability to pick things up quickly.

And be eager! There is nothing worse that a grad application who doesn't seem eyes on keen and eager, for their first proper IT role

Get the guys on here to critique the CV and help it reach out and grab their attention, and then work on interview skills
 
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Can you travel? I was bombarded by agencies when I applied for jobs in Leeds (and lived in Doncaster) Places like Leeds and Sheffield are a pretty close train ride away.

When I looked in Doncaster there were hardly any IT Support jobs and if there was they were very poorly paid
 
Caged said:
Nobody who is worth employing would do a 1st line role and then move to another. 1st line is all about getting people with good customer service skills and teaching them the technical bits. The clue's in the name - it's 1st line. If you don't have a 2nd line to escalate a thoroughly described issue to then what you are looking for isn't a 1st line tech.
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We don't have your "typical" 1st line service desk really, Yes most of it is simple diagnostics and workstation stuff but we have a much broader range of issues that can't really be done by someone that has never worked in that kind of industry before.
 
Definitely get your CV checked you should be getting some interest. Tell agencies you are interested in temporary work as well, I started temping on a support desk and it led to a permanent role. In the mean time you could study for some Microsoft (or whatever area your interested in) certs.
 
Wizzkidy said:
We don't have your "typical" 1st line service desk really, Yes most of it is simple diagnostics and workstation stuff but we have a much broader range of issues that can't really be done by someone that has never worked in that kind of industry before.
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Exactly. Some companies are literally call centers, 40 or 50 calls + a day. Others are <10 a day and do involve a fair amount of investigation rather than just pass on to 2nd line / 3rd line.

When I was on 1st line some of my calls would take half a day or longer to resolve. Investigating with multiple 3rd line teams and more than one user. If you show you are willing to learn something and can do it, you usually will be given access to do it. Why would a company want waste valuable 2nd / 3rd line time with an issue when it can be resolved by 1st line instead?

My stats were always terrible compared to most of my team but I was attempting to resolve problems rather than issues which was noticed
 
Strife212 said:
I don't really get the appeal of recruiters and agencies, isn't it better to apply yourself for jobs that you actually want?
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You have to play the game, some companies only go through recruitment agencies too.

Guest2 said:
My stats were always terrible compared to most of my team but I was attempting to resolve problems rather than issues which was noticed
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Your equivalent colleagues probably hated you because they thought you weren't pulling your weight, I used to be the guy clearing the highest amount of tickets with the best closure rate and correct diagnosis but someone else took on other responsibilities and was offered a position to move up, I was annoyed at the time but looking back I can see why he was offered the position and I was just left as the ticket sweeper.

I agree though, if you're 1st line and take the change to follow through the escalation process you will learn a lot and gain a lot of respect when you can deal with your own projects and faults without needing to escalate.
 
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If you get some info through a recruitment agency of a position, try to undercut if you can, employers usually pay an extortionate fee for taking on someone throuhh an agency, hence why some companies offer a referal bonus scheme of anywhere up to £1-2k in some instances if you know someone who could fill the position, so they don't have to use the agency

So no harm in approaching the company first hand, you will be saving them money

But also don't disuse them,agencies can give you a lot of the running around work and search results, instant notification when roles become available
 
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Janesy B said:
Your equivalent colleagues probably hated you because they thought you weren't pulling your weight, I used to be the guy clearing the highest amount of tickets with the best closure rate and correct diagnosis but someone else took on other responsibilities and was offered a position to move up, I was annoyed at the time but looking back I can see why he was offered the position and I was just left as the ticket sweeper.
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There does need to be ticket sweepers as you put it but I always went for the quality over quantity theory. Stats where I work have now been abolished (at least shared knowledge of stats)

Some people also enjoy nothing but 'logging and flogging' and are probably happy doing it for years to come. No great responsibility but no great reward either. I suppose you could say the same about warehouse pickers or a factory line. Do your work, leave work at the door, get paid.

Back on to OP advice - Check with family/friends/anyone you know in the industry. If companies are looking for new people they often offer £1*** or a % of the wage for recommendations and that pass their 3 month introductory period. Get 3 or 4 people are you soon have yourself a nice little pot of money - especially if the job position higher up the ladder. It saves them paying extortionate rates to recruitment companies
 
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Guest2 said:
There does need to be ticket sweepers as you put it but I always went for the quality over quantity theory. Stats where I work have now been abolished (at least shared knowledge of stats)

Some people also enjoy nothing but 'logging and flogging' and are probably happy doing it for years to come. No great responsibility but no great reward either. I suppose you could say the same about warehouse pickers or a factory line. Do your work, leave work at the door, get paid.
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I used to enjoy it but after a few afternoons of having to log 100+ tickets for a school that would wait a month to report all their hardware issues I decided enough was enough, 5 years later and I'm a network ops centre team leader and I wish I had the freedom from responsibility I had back then :D
 
Janesy B said:
I used to enjoy it but after a few afternoons of having to log 100+ tickets for a school that would wait a month to report all their hardware issues I decided enough was enough, 5 years later and I'm a network ops centre team leader and I wish I had the freedom from responsibility I had back then :D
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Firstly congrats.
Secondly if you really wanted your freedom you would go back to doing something similar... I guess the salary isn't the same and it gets boring fast!

Same could be said for 1st line IT work, why take grief from people when you can tip boxes of tomatoes onto a conveyor belt all day? The pay is better, you are allowed to go to the toilet when you like and can take the odd tea break pretty much when you want
 
tkilo said:
Hi folks,

I've got a few questions regarding the above IT jobs mentioned.
I have recently been applying to a lot of 1st line/2nd line support jobs and have not been receiving no responses.
I have come to the conclusion that the lack of responses I'm receiving is a result of my lack of experience in IT support.
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Honestly not being mean OP, but if the above is an example of your grammar then you're in trouble :) Get your CV thoroughly checked and set up a really well written cover letter template. Lots of places will look for good communication skills when hiring L1 positions, for obvious reasons.

Local IT firms told my technical college that they wanted to see a dramatic increase in graduates with good communication and customer service skills. They're getting sick of computer nerds who can only grunt into the phone or barely string a sentence together :) With your qualifications it's a given that you'll have the technical skills, so make sure to dazzle them with your "soft skills" as well.
 
Unfortunately the roles you are looking for have a fair number of applicants applying for them as its the entry point into the career path. I know when I used to interview in the UK I would be snowed under with applicants (annoyingly also by senior support chaps looking for a temporary job whilst looking for the role they want :( ).

I am actually interviewing today for a desktop engineer role ($60-$70k + super for those who are wondering what the pay is like here) and the quality of the CV's I received were shocking, in the L1 (and early L2) role it all comes down to selling what you will be able to give the company in your covering letter - and make sure its close to the top, otherwise you will just be passed over for someone else who's CV does shine.

Message me in trust if you want some help looking at your CV and covering letter - You are sending a cover letter ... yes?

Stick with it, as once you get something, with a bit of effort and the right manager you can go far .. I started on L1 15 years ago :)
 
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I suggest OP upload his CV, address and name missing of course and let the OcUK wiz kids work their magic on it.

A good CV makes a lot of difference. My first CV looked like something a 5 year old made in Art Class and it got me nothing. My Dad re-wrote it for me and 1 week later I had a job doing Desktop Support.

That was 6 years ago and I still use the same CV and very recently I got a new job so it does work!
 
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