help desk or desktop support?? (help! D: )

hexported

My bf now has a desktop support job and loves it. However, he lives out of sate from me and has been wanting to move. After many moths of looking, he finally has been offered a help desk job but it's not what he wants to do. He doesn't want to sit all day and would rather do in-person computer fixing rather than over the phone. I fear if he doesn't take this job, it will take him a long time to get a desktop support job that he wants. He has no degree or certs (no--> ) but has over a year of experience. Is it hard to find a desktop support job with that experience or should it be easy? I have no idea so please help! Thanks

networker050184

Having no qualifications and only one year of experience is certainly going to limit his opportunities. So I wouldn't say it should be easy. There are also many other factors location of course being one of the big ones. If there aren't many jobs to be had that is going to make it harder obviously.

Talonize

I've been looking for a help desk or desktop support job myself with no experiene and only in progress degree and certs. I've gotten nothing but rejection emails. So tell him to take it and work through it. He will learn some new stuff anyway.

Kimura410

based on my experience with job hunting in my area....experience>education/certifications.

i have an associates and a security+ cert and have only had 1 interview in 7 months. i look for jobs everyday online....which is probably my problem.

hexported

Well he would be looking in a somewhat large city. He said he saw a lot of jobs to apply for and therefore thinks it will take him 5 months or less to get a that kind of job. Is that unrealistic? Is a year experience much? Would not having certs hurt his chances?

networker050184

No a year isn't much and yes not having certs will hurt his chances. He will be going against people with degrees, certifications and more experience gunning for the same jobs. That doesn't mean it's impossible, but I'd suggest he get to work on strengthening his qualifications.

Ukimokia

I would probably suggest that he starting working on some certifications. With no experience and no ceritifcations it's hard to backup any claims of being able to do the job.

I would suggest starting out with A+ and then maybe do Sec+ and that should open him up to a lot of possibility of jobs. Should be able to get those two within 5 months of good studying.

tkerber

I would have to pretty much say what everyone else has said--one year isn't much at all, especially with no certifications or degree. I'm surprised your boyfriend even got an IT job in the first place. He should take what he can get and not be too picky until he gets some qualifications to back up his name.

I would suggest he look into a local community college or maybe WGU? Everyone here seems to have really good things to say about WGU.

As far as certifications go, since he does have a year of experience I would suggest maybe skipping the A+. When I worked as a desktop support tech I did a lot of hands on work and a lot of profile building, active directory, and imaging computers. I would maybe suggest the Microsoft route with an MCSA.

AnthonyG

I worked on a help desk and desktop support. My feelings were the same as your bf when I took the help desk job... I'd highly suggest he spend a few weeks studying for his A+ or an MCSA and passing the test. It will give him some certified professional education and boost his resume tremendously for desktop support. His current job might even be willing to pay for the exam, usually you just have to ask your boss.

markulous

The MTA exams are super cheap and are not very difficult. That would at least give him something. He might be able to still snag a job without one, but it would be easier with a cert on there.

Preflux

I personally prefer helpdesk > desktop support. Mainly for the reason that when I have downtime (no support calls/emails), I can study for certs. Not all workplaces are like this but just keep the studying relevant to your current role and it should be fine.

I understand the problems in finding work without certs though, I was in a very similar situation although I had experience working with a lot of technology which is probably what saved me.

Having his foot in the door in desktop support will probably help him get a job if he decides to look around.

I'd highly recommend doing certs though, or at least mentioning that he's studying towards them in interviews.

hexported

If he had some certs, should he be able to get something before the end of the year? I just have no idea how long these things can take and what people are looking for. I worry that companies most of the time hire people already in the company. That's how he got the job he has now. Will taking the help desk job hurt his chances of another help desk job later on or is it worth waiting?