How do i know if I can handle a HelpDesk job?

How do I know if I can handle a helpdesk job? I have zero job experience. It's been over 2 year since i work on this goal. I been working real hard so i can make IT a career and earn a good living. I started with nothing and now have Comptia A+, N+, Sec+, and CIW site development certification. I work over halfway through WGU IT degree program. I don't even know if i can get a help desk job or even handle it, it seem a little complicating then just get a A+ and get a helpdesk job. The last round that i apply for internships and help desk job I didn't even get an interview. It seem so hard to get a job that now i am thinking of changing career. What do you think?

Comments

  • Daneil3144Daneil3144 Member Posts: 152 ■■■□□□□□□□
    You've been here for 2 years and never had a job in the tech world?!

    You'll never know if you can handle it, if you never try. You have more certs than me, so why aren't you applying?

    I got a help desk job with just an A+, making 40k a year
  • majorpaynemajorpayne Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Comptia certs will help land a Desktop/Helpdesk position. I don't even hold any certifications but working on MCSA/VCP and i am a Jr. Sys Engineer. Like Daneil said before, you wont know until you try. Also regarding your applying, i applied for 100 jobs, got a 10% response rate due to competitiveness over multiple states 10 interviews and 1 offer because of lack of experience just got to keep trying,
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
    I didn't try to apply for like 40 jobs last round. I think I have to try harder and keep trying to land a help desk job. So help desk pay 40k starting? When can should i expect 50k? With 50k I can start feeding my family with less stress and ease.
  • majorpaynemajorpayne Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thats close to what i make, took me about 3 years of IT experience to get there.
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
    Thanks Majorpayne. I will work my way up to that salary and then move on to Networking role. What are your plans after helpdesk?
  • EANxEANx Member Posts: 1,077 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Remember, pay is very dependent on location. Don't assume equivalent salaries without knowing where the other person is.
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
    Is payscale a good way to pin point salary range in different areas?
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
  • sillymcnastysillymcnasty Member Posts: 254 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Your certs will easily land you a helpdesk position, you're probably over qualified for it. Entry level jobs probably won't deal with security, from what I can tell.

    Everyone is qualified for helpdesk. Prior to that is just tinkering at home.
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
    Should i remove it from my resume than? I don't want to be overqualified I just want to fit right in the helpdesk role.
  • majorpaynemajorpayne Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Currently my job is a mixed of help desk/system engineering so I will probably do that for a few years then finally move up in a higher role. Keep your certs listed I think it’s fine for help desk , they may say since you have them you could do Level 2 help desk but regardless it should get you a job . You might even look for a junior system administrator job , junior positions might help you since you already achieve a+ and network plus
  • sillymcnastysillymcnasty Member Posts: 254 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Should i remove it from my resume than? I don't want to be overqualified I just want to fit right in the helpdesk role.


    I didn't mean that literally - you have no experience. But what I meant was you're likely to be able to hand any problem you come across.
  • NetworkingStudentNetworkingStudent Member Posts: 1,407 ■■■■■■■■□□
    How do I know if I can handle a helpdesk job? I have zero job experience. It's been over 2 year since i work on this goal. I been working real hard so i can make IT a career and earn a good living. I started with nothing and now have Comptia A+, N+, Sec+, and CIW site development certification. I work over halfway through WGU IT degree program. I don't even know if i can get a help desk job or even handle it, it seem a little complicating then just get a A+ and get a helpdesk job. The last round that i apply for internships and help desk job I didn't even get an interview. It seem so hard to get a job that now i am thinking of changing career. What do you think?


    A couple of things:

    1) You can get a help desk job! You have the certs and education companies are looking for!!

    2) If you're not getting interviews, then there is something wrong with your resume. You need to have your resume reviewed. This can be done on this forum or through your school!


    Keep applying for help desk/IT jobs once your resume is polished. Apply for as many IT jobs that interests you.

    Also, practice your customer service skills:

    Here is a link to some videos to get you started:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY0YVj4LroU&list=PL58D8B118DED1097A



    While you're going to school do you fix computers for family or friends? Do you do any sort of IT volunteer work? These things can go on your resume and certainly help you get an interview.
    When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened."

    --Alexander Graham Bell,
    American inventor
  • MuddlesMuddles Member Posts: 16 ■□□□□□□□□□
    As others have stated, you should not have any problems at all landing a help desk position.

    I am curious to know your general location to see what the job market is like.

    As "NetworkingStudent" had mentioned above - it very well could be your resume if you are not even getting interviews. It needs to be well formatted, easy to ready, and you need to be sure to include keywords that might trigger the HR filtering process.

    I remember there was one position I applied to, I knew I was qualified as it was just an entry level networking position - I bugged them enough to where they finally decided to interview me.. however they were surprised because my resume was poorly formatted. Still ended up turning down the position though when offered due to salary negotiations.
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
    Hey guys it's been about a week now and i applied to 84 jobs on ziprecruiter. I got an interview soon what should i expect?

    This is my first interview.

    I'm from Orange, CA by the way.
  • NetworkingStudentNetworkingStudent Member Posts: 1,407 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Hey guys it's been about a week now and i applied to 84 jobs on ziprecruiter. I got an interview soon what should i expect?

    This is my first interview.

    I'm from Orange, CA by the way.



    The Job Interview

    https://mn.gov/deed/assets/interviews_tcm1045-259790.pdf

    Interview Preparation

    Here's an introduction on looking good:


    Get a good night's sleep

    Take a shower the morning of the interview

    Shave

    Brush your teeth

    Comb your hair

    Clean your fingernails

    Wear clean and pressed clothes

    Wear proper clothes and shoes for the job

    Clean and shine your shoes

    Do not wear flip-flops or sneakers

    Conceal or take out body piercings

    Avoid smoking before the interview

    Do not chew gum during an interview

    Do not wear sunglasses

    Do not wear fragrances

    Knowing the kind of information the employer is seeking will help you prepare for the
    interview.

    What do employers want to know?


    • Your motivation for employment

    • Your ability to do the job

    • How you’ll fit in

    • How much you’ll cost them

    Before you walk in the door, cover these topics on your own:

    • Do your research – Ask about the interview process, who’ll you meet with, how long it
    will take

    • Match your skills to the job – Be prepared to show how other skills will compensate
    for weaknesses

    • Prepare to win the job – Be positive, truthful and realistic

    • Look good – For the big day, try to be the best-dressed person to visit the employer’s
    office or plant

    Here are some interviewer Preparation Links:

    Preparing for the interview from an IT manager's point of view:
    http://mikenation.net/files/Preparing_for_the_Job_Interview.pdf

    If you prefer a video you can use this link:
    the Ask a Manager guide to preparing for job interviews

    Including things like:

    An easy 4-step process for interview prep
    14 tips to get your mind in gear
    15 questions that I would ask you in an interview
    A supplemental video version of the guide, in case you’d rather watch than read

    Individual links:

    interview Preparation
    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/prep.jsp


    The time before your interview should be spent preparing. Start with a list of anticipated questions.
    Practice your answers.

    Types of Interviews
    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/types.jsp

    Three common types of interviews are telephone screening, in-person screening and the selection interview. Learn more about each of them here.

    Communicate Your Best Image
    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/best-image.jsp

    Put your best foot forward in an interview arriving on time, being organized and prepared, and sending the right signals.

    Key Interview Questions
    https://mn.
    gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/interviewquestions.jsp

    Employers use all kinds of interview strategies. Let's look at some typical interview questions and the implications and motivations behind them.

    The Tough Questions
    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/toughestquestions.jsp

    Guidance on tough-to-answer interview questions, things that might touch on past work difficulties or personally delicate or embarrassing matters.

    Illegal and Legal Questions
    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/illegalquestions.jsp

    There are certain kinds of questions that are off limits for employers during an interview. We cover the things they can and can't ask about.

    Reasons You Didn't Get Hired
    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/job-interview/reasonsnothired.jsp

    When you don't get the job, it's only natural to wonder why. What went wrong? Was it you? A few things to think about.

    Finishing Touches

    https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/job-guide/finishing/

    Every job search needs finishing touches - those often overlooked actions likely to impress potential employers even if you don't get the job this time around. They show attention to detail, admirable and non-irritating persistence, and may lead employers to keep you in mind for future jobs.

    Good Luck!!
    When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened."

    --Alexander Graham Bell,
    American inventor
  • technogoattechnogoat Member Posts: 73 ■■□□□□□□□□
    you should be able to work helpdesk

    most of the work is ticketing and just escalating problems to the appropriate support

    you're basically a ticket monkey

    the field has high turn over rates since the job is absolute **** and no sane person would have helpdesk as a career

    if you have no IT experience and cannot land an actual/real IT job then get into Helpdesk

    you will need work experience regardless

    expect low pay since you are basically a pleb in the IT world
  • szasza Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
    The certs you’ve earned should easily qualify you for a help desk and or desktop support position. If you are not getting interviews you need to work on improving your resume. I’m glad I started off at the help desk since it teaches you soft skills which you can apply throughout your entire career.
  • cbolarcbolar Member Posts: 34 ■■□□□□□□□□
    If you're attending WGU I think you're more than qualified for help desk. Believe in yourself and continue learning. I spent 2 years there and 2 years prior to that doing break/fix work at a shop. My enthusiasm and eagerness got me into a security engineer role. Push yourself, you'll get to where you want to be.
  • faintingheartfaintingheart Member Posts: 256
    Hey guys I finish the Helpdesk technician interview and score 4/6 technical questions. It's been a year since i did the a+ so kinda foggy in my brain. But I am trying to freshin up my technical skills for the next interview. I tried to talk nice and smooth but I still studer no matter how much i tried not too. I don't know if i got the job. But good news is recruiting agency call me for a different role and interviewing for that soon.
  • TechGromitTechGromit Member Posts: 2,156 ■■■■■■■■■□
    How do I know if I can handle a helpdesk job?

    I think if you don't at least try, you will never know. If you can't handle it, then try something else. Unfortunately far too many people have college degrees and are working as Janitors, clerks and waiters. Some are just plain unlucky, others graduated College with nothing better than a C average and can't apply what they learned in school in the real world. Spending 100k on education doesn't magically make you good at something.
    Still searching for the corner in a round room.
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