Next step after Desktop Tech?

Hi,

I have year of IT experience. I don't have a degree. I only have 1 certificate, the A+.
I was doing laptop hardware repair for six months. I'm super fortunate I got hired as a Desktop Support guy for a pretty large company. Although my team is only made up of 3. We support three floors. Anyways.

What is the next step after Desktop Support? I see Desktop Support and Help Desk I as equivalent experience.

I'm going to get my CCNA by the end of the year. Plan is to get CCNA Security afterwards.

With the CCNA, and CCNA Security and one to one and a half years of experience, what kind of salary/job titles should I expect?

Thanks,

Jack Ellington

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

Trucido

I would say get some Help Desk experience and once you get your CCNA go for Entry level NOC / Jr network engineer / ect. Help desk jobs around here are paid less than desktop technicians FYI. ($15-18/hr compared to $20-25+/hr)

TechnicalJay

Wouldn't help desk be a step back? I would assume getting your Network+ and than looking for a NOC position or grab your MCSA also and apply for a sys admin.

volfkhat

You have No degree and (basically) No network experience.
Honestly... i wouldnt have too high expectations.

But thats okay; getting certifications works well.

How certain are you that you will have your CCNA by the end of the year? have you already based your CCENT?
Before doing your CCNA:Sec, i would STRONGLY recommended watching the Network+ course from professor messer.
Don't worry about the Cert... just retain the knowledge. (It covers lots of areas that the CCNA didnt.)

It sounds like you have an interest in Networking... so start going after NOC positions.

I got no clue on salary.... you didn't even mention what city/state you live in :]

EANx

I'd say focus on certs and experience relating to entry-level networking and entry-level sysadmin. So your studying over the next two years would be related to the CCNA and the MS MTA Server exam.

byron66

I'm in a similar position as you with 1 1/2 year of IT experience with an A+. I started working for Dell and now IT support for a large company with a 3 man team. Working on a degree right now with WGU for IT security. I'm shooting for a noc position with my next job.

zdx

same here. 5 years desktop support/sysadmin stuff/some networking.

I'm looking for another job with no degree or certs but I'm going to WGU for school. I really want to leave but I need to suck it up here before I can go.

Quench24

What are those NOC jobs?

tmtex

Quench24 wrote: »

What are those NOC jobs?

You sit and monitor, look at screens, report if something goes down