Would studying and passing MCSA give me a better change to become Helpdesk analyst?

faintingheart

Would studying and passing MCSA Windows 10 give me a better "chance" (typo in tittle) to become Helpdesk analyst? I don't have any experience in IT field yet (accept for a few certs). let me know what ya'll think. Thanks!

Nik 99

I guess it would. Though I think getting ITIL foundation would up your chances too. Every helpdesk position wants ITIL knowledge from what I've seen.

greg9891

Nik 99 wrote: »

I guess it would. Though I think getting ITIL foundation would up your chances too. Every helpdesk position wants ITIL knowledge from what I've seen.

Yeah I agree, ITIL along with MCSA Windows 10 would give you an excellent shot at Landing a help desk position.

faintingheart

What would happen if I learn these 2 certs and then forget it a couple month later? Would the job manager give me a shot since my certs are valid? Because I forgotten a lot of information i learn from past certs (A+ N+ S+).

yoba222

The certs in your profile are already more than enough to land a helpdesk analyst role, though adding two more wouldn't hurt.

As far as forgetting stuff you learned studying for the certs--this is part of the idea behind the continuing education program. To stay sharp, you earn 50 CEUs over three years (50 for the Sec+). Perhaps you should do a cybrary.it course. It's free and you can then claim it for 5 or 10 CEUs, all the while reviewing stuff that was covered on the certs and improving your chance of nailing the tech interview questions.

faintingheart wrote: »

What would happen if I learn these 2 certs and then forget it a couple month later? Would the job manager give me a shot since my certs are valid? Because I forgotten a lot of information i learn from past certs (A+ N+ S+).

faintingheart

I thought I can't get CEU until the new exam comes out? Is that correct?

yoba222

Nope. Though probably better to spread the CEU activities over the three year period. You do have to pay the toll fee which I think is $50 per year before you can upload the CEUs IIRC.

https://certification.comptia.org/continuing-education/ceu-assessment

faintingheart wrote: »

I thought I can't get CEU until the new exam comes out? Is that correct?

faintingheart

Thanks you for your advice buddy! I'm going to start collecting CEU starting today.

soletek

I would go with A+, N+ and look into MCSA 2012. You could potential land a good starting role supporting servers and doing some admin work or starting out with clients. I never wonder why so many people want to get a MCSA but with client systems. It pretty much handicaps you to client support.

markulous

It's beneficial, but I would study while you're looking for work. Having an Associate's and those certs is more than enough to get a job, so I would concentrate or your resume and analyze why you're not getting hired yet.

DatabaseHead

[h=2]Would studying and passing MCSA give me a better chance to become Helpdesk analyst?[/h]
Yes

NetworkingStudent

@fainting heart I had the same certs you when I was looking for a help desk job several years ago.

With the certs you have you should be able to get a help desk job.

If you're not getting any interviews, then there is probably an issue with your resume/and or experience.

I would have your school go through you resume. Then I would post your esume on DICE, you're sure to get some hits there.

Here's what I did to get experience:

I found a volunteer position through the website: voluntermatch.org

Also, I did an internship at a computer repair shop.

I fixed computers on my own, while working full time.(in a non IT position)

faintingheart

I applied to 7 help desk jobs last night (I couldn't sleep had a terrible heart burn, but that's off topic). I man up and had the courage to start applying. If I don't getting replies back in 3-4 weeks, then I'll have to let you guys check my resume for errors. For now I'm going to apply for Help desk every 3-4 days when there's a new listing on Indeed and monster.

Slowhand

You're going to forget things, that's a fact of life. Not every single thing you read, lab, or watch in a video for an exam is going to stick unless you work with that technology on a daily basis. Don't be afraid to pursue bigger and better skills, it will only improve your career. Go for that Windows 10 MCSA, (and the ITIL as well, it's a relatively easy intro exam with very good ROI,) then keep going after that. It'll help you land that helpdesk job, and both it and future certs will help you leap out of that same helpdesk sooner and into bigger (and better-paying) sysadmin, networking, or desktop engineering* roles.

*(Yes, there is a difference between desktop support and desktop engineering.)

faintingheart

Thanks so Slowhand that was very helpful.

Quench24

Its possible to get a help desk job with just your A+. I did it. Although I had 1 year of desktop support experience.... MCSA will definitely help.

ande0255

If you have an associates degree in anything, you can get a help desk job, honestly don't wait to start applying.

I was teaching people with absolutely no personal or professional experience at my last IT job, and I mean like people who's experience was bartender or daycare worker as their last job, you just need to wow them in the interview.

The bartender didn't even get the ITIL cert, he was just personable, and google'd or was coached how to talk ITIL and got a promotion to "Incident Manager" which basically deep dives into issues to discover root cause and proactive solutions.

So don't NOT apply for help desk jobs because you don't have certs, if you are personable or even know your way around your computer, you are a trainable help desk monkey that will be underpaid in bananas just like everyone starts out

faintingheart

Ande0255 - That is really helpful thank you for that info. I hope that one company will give me a chance to launch my career.

So it's been 3 days and I applied at 8 company. I haven't heard from any of them yet. So I joined CBT nuggets and started to study for both ITIL and MCSA Windows 70-698 simultaneously. I'm aiming for 3 month to finish these 2 certs.

ande0255

One more bit of advice I give everyone looking for the break into the industry, make a good looking linkedin and find every IT staffing agency in your area, and go meet with a recruiter at each one and get their business cards.

Then find them on linkedin and send a connection request, and then send connection requests to all their connections, and before you know it you have recruiters posting jobs on your linkedin news feed like a job bulletin board that you can contact them directly via linkedin mail to inquire!

I mean, I cannot recommend that enough if you're not already doing that, that is how I got my first real break into a heavy networking / voip job role was a random connection via linkedin.

And I mean I went from all 3 month contract Helpdesk jobs + a 2 year help desk stint somewhere, to 100% pay raise and working on everything from VMWare to Cisco and every vendor in between!

faintingheart

Ande0255 That information is ground breaking for me. Man I can't thank you enough. Now I know how to use LinkedIn correctly.

ande0255

I don't know if you're mocking my suggestion to help find a job, but if you're just starting out, that is what worked for me to break into the IT field.

It was EXTREMELY difficult for me to get into the IT field with any consistency in jobs, and took me a very long time to catch a break, and not even recruiters I'd meet with in person told me about LinkedIn because they didn't want me connecting with their competition.

Once my eyes were open to how many connections I could make with strangers that would lead to opportunities, a lot of doors opened to career choices, and I still get weekly interest checks in engineer level interviews but I don't want to throw myself back into contracting at this stage in my life unless necessary.

If you are being sincere, you are welcome!

faintingheart

No I'm serious, that information was really helpful.

kiki162

It would, but why stop at 1 exam? MCSA 2016 is only 3 exams, and getting your MCSE 2016 requires 1 more exam.

ande0255

Ah cool, glad to help, good luck on your path into IT!

NetworkNewb

ande0255 wrote: »

I don't know if you're mocking my suggestion to help find a job

LOL, that is funny. The "now I know how to use LinkedIn" did seem like it could've gone either way.

Best of luck faintingheart!

faintingheart

kiki162- that's a good point. I should do that.

ande025- I added 23 IT technical recruiter added to my LinkedIn so far. Thanks to you, now LinkedIn is 100% more useful.

NetworkNewb - thanks!

anhtran35

Location is probably the issue. Where in California are you looking for jobs???

faintingheart

anhtran35- I am in Garden Grove, California (County is: Orange)

advanex1

What the heck is a Help Desk analyst? New title? Genuinely curious.

faintingheart

I think it's a fancy name for HelpDesk Support.

SweenMachine

advanex1 wrote: »

What the heck is a Help Desk analyst? New title? Genuinely curious.

My title was Customer Support Analyst in 2002.. When I went to Abbott Lbs, I was a Helpdesk Analyst from 2007-2014. I didn't think tying 'Analyst' to support roles is that uncommon.....