Getting into I.T.

[darrenwis]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a bit of advice to help me get my foot into the IT industry.

I graduated in 2007 with a BSc in Business Information Systems but that haven't really seen me progress into anything!

I'd like to get into the support side of I.T. and I am looking to self study towards the following certificates:

CompTIA A+® Certification

CompTIA Network+® Certification

Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification.

When these are complete, do you think I will be able to make a serious challenge for these kind of positions or is the support side becoming more and more saturated by the day? I want to get into an entry role where I can really start to progress and push on with my career.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Darren

 

[YODspica]

I recommend the new qualification 70-649 Microsoft Server 2008

 

[estwig]

Why???

Isn't everyone else getting out and you wanna get in!!!

 

[YODspica]

Why???

Isn't everyone else getting out and you wanna get in!!!

As most of the manufacturing is about to close, where should the country invest ?

= Information Technology.

 

[darrenwis]

Why???

Isn't everyone else getting out and you wanna get in!!!

Why is everyone getting out? Everyone needs IT support don't they?

 

[Mat_D]

Why???

Isn't everyone else getting out and you wanna get in!!!

Getting out?

 

[extremedistro]

get yourself some basic MCP's like the MCDST and then get your CV on cwjobs.co.uk, jobsite.co.uk etc.. - browse the jobs for 'junior roles and app lyfor as many as poss!.

Be willing to start at the bottom (say 1st line tel support) just to get your foot in the door. Then work your way up... Thats what I did a few years ago, worked for stupid money doing crappy support jobs - however it paid off, I eventually got to the be IT Manager there....

 

[DBMark]

You may find the current economic climate difficult, if you're trying to get into support. Why not teach yourself some web skills (php, java or flex) and then help out those start-ups who are always advertising on Gumtree? With your networking skills you may find you're suddenly in demand once you've done your first development job or two. Don't rule out making contacts and building your reputation - it's a business, same as any other. Perhaps you could contribute to relevant IT forums - thus making contacts and improving your rep. Good luck - but keep trying! It's not your IT skills that will eventually get you work (although they are essential), it's perseverance and tenacity.

 

[estwig]

Surely as the World moves on and the World of IT moves fast. I.T support will become less and less necessary, if it is broke, don't fix it, throw it away and buy new.

I.T will by it's very nature become more and more user friendly, with less and less need for support from professionals.

Hardware and software will become more and more disposable, look at the rise of saas, <cue Duane>.

I.T development, implementation and design, yes, support, No!!

To say nothing of the large number of people already offering I.T support.

Surely IT support is a dying trade, am I wrong???

 

[darrenwis]

Surely as the World moves on and the World of IT moves fast. I.T support will become less and less necessary, if it is broke, don't fix it, throw it away and buy new.

I.T will by it's very nature become more and more user friendly, with less and less need for support from professionals.

Hardware and software will become more and more disposable, look at the rise of saas, <cue Duane>.

I.T development, implementation and design, yes, support, No!!

To say nothing of the large number of people already offering I.T support.

Surely IT support is a dying trade, am I wrong???

Hi Estwig,

Thanks for the reply.

I can (sort of) see where your coming from saying support is not the way to go but getting into the I.T. industry really isn't easy.

To become something such as an Information Systems Manager you require technical experience so surely this would come from an entry level role such as 1st line/2nd line support?

Im desprate to get into the I.T. industry and as a result trying to improve my chances with additional qualifications. As a entry level job support seems to be the way to go as this is what i believe i do best.

 

[estwig]

Fair enough mate, I was just being awkward.

Still think by it's very nature it is a dying trade, that will over the years be less and less valued.

 

Tell me about it K, they now try to barter with me for gawds sake

If I counted up the rate people are actually prepared to pay for IT repairs and worked out an hourly rate, it would be difficult to reach the minimum wage (thankfully I can deal with a large number of repairs at once here though).

 

[ASpencer]

I think it's prudent for all of us who are running computer repair businesses to look seriously at our exit strategy. There are many macro forces that are coming together in the next 5-10 years that will destroy many of our businesses if we are not planning now for them.

1. The younger, more technically adept generation coming into the workforce - less overhead and can undercut our prices.

2. The move toward Auto/Self repair - a la youtube.com/watch?v=198okcxeF74 will marginalize your value and undercut your prices.

3. The move to cloud/saas will also marginalize your value as apps, services move off the pc, off the premise and into the browser. Microsoft is moving hard in this direction with hosted exchange/sharepoint. Expect hosted Word, Excel, PPT as part of the next release.

4. The move to more and more disposable computing. Why spend $100 to fix a computer when you can buy a new one for $100 (not today but in 5-10 years for sure).

5. The rise of the Mac - as the Mac becomes more mainstream, so much of the work that we are called on for today becomes moot. Virus cleanup? Spyware removal? Application install? It's literally drag and drop. OS reinstall or upgrade? No.

6. The more technically adept generation in the workforce as potential customers will have less and less need for a technical "specialist" since they've been tweaking with computers their whole lives to get better performance in WOW or BioShock, etc.

Maybe it's longer than 5-10 years, but I'd not give it too much more than that. The generation who thinks computers are somehow magic is moving out of the workforce and into retirement. As long as email works for them or they can iChat with their grandkids, they are fine. They have more disposable income and are using Macs or they have little disposable income and don't want to spend it on you.

The thing we have to focus on to remain viable as businesses is to move up the value chain - away from break/fix, away from install and maintenance and into the more consultative realm of technology planning, strategic use, etc. If you are not operating as your (business) clients CIO and directing the course of technology to either impact the top line or the bottom line, you will be a commodity and the key differentiator of a commodity is price.

In the home market, you should be switching your focus to home automation, home theatre, security integration.

Overall, I'm planning to sell my business out in 5 years and focus on another industry as this one will be totally commoditized shortly after that time frame.

Just a couple more of my $.02

..To quote Doug Hawk (hawk systems) speaking on a sort of related matter.

That's what made me seriously think twice about the CompTIA A+.