career advice/progression

Mr.Robot255

I have my first role in the IT world , its a mid size (w1rel3ss and fiber) ISP. My current role is frontline customer support so basically making sure everything is plugged in correctly, checking signals Tx/Rx on Access points etc, also taking sales calls for people wanting service and also accounts where i check billing issues take payments.
Alongside this i am the person who who helps the installers when installing a new service i.e w1rel3ss CPE, i pre-configure all the routers hAPs etc and on day of install i give bands and frequencies to installers and then assign IP addresses etc
This also includes fiber installs where a 3rd party installs and i then configure it on our end (IP addresses tariffs etc)

Also i am responsible for paperwork being scanned and added to the system , from contracts to direct debit forms and service call forms.All information on the paperwork must match/be added to the system. All this is done at the same time as taking calls from customers.

I also am responsible for keeping several spreadsheets up to do date a weekly thing.

Also now cos of my background i am the person who fixes any PC in the office or reinstall windows etc , also implementing a migration to office 365....





Now my question is first of all what would you all call that role. I am called customer support i would prefer tech support or better still customer network support or anything with network attached to it for that matter.

I am currently in talks with my manager about my workload, pay and generally where am i heading within the company. The company itself is a nice place to work at. The majority of the people there are good to work with too. My real issue is i work alongside someone else who does a similar role as me but in which i think i do more of the donkey work where i could be rushed off my feet and i see him on his phone texting while i'm trying to juggle several things at once. Admittedly he knows the systems much better than me he knows the network and where all the sites are (hes been there 4.5yrs).
I have been there 9 months exactly now and some passwords /access to certain routers have not been given to me. Now thats one of my main issues because sometimes i take a call where i need that access and i am then the piggy in the middle i am blind to what i am meant to see as i simply can't log in to see it. My colleague then sits there and relays messages me to tell the customer. I then relay a message back to colleague ....this call can go on for 5-10 mins.....he won't even say transfer call through to him so he can deal with it. It is highly frustrating to say the least. There are lots of other similar scenarios to the one i just pointed out (half rant half letting you know)

Now the thing is my colleague has no certs at all but has the experience on just their network (its a crazy set up i can't go into it)
He asked me the other day what is a vlan even tho he assigns certain clients to a vlan.....he basically has been taught on the job and just knows what buttons to press without any real knowledge of what it is/does/how it works etc


Last week i asked my manager for a meeting to discuss certain things i do /pay /future, i did not mention my colleague or what he does/doesn't do. That's not my business to point out i don't think and my manager is in same room as me all day every day few feet away so he sees it anyways, i just pointed out what i do and what i want for my future. I didn't get the answers i wanted that day he said he would have to take it back to the owners who are two nice fellas both very talented with IT/networking.
I asked where he sees me in 6 months time and i basically could tell he still sees me doing exact same thing. Certain training days have come up in the last few months with fiber and some other things and i am never chosen to go i am left to man phones alone for the day.So i know if anyone is to step up to NOC position or move higher up it doesn't look likely to be me, as i know my colleague wants to do so too. He has told me he does and i have also told him i do too thats what i have been training for.


tldr:
9 months at first IT/network/support role
several IT/networking certs(Certifications:A+, MTA 98-366 ,Net+,CCent,CCNA R&S)
Bad pay for what i do
1 hour drive each way
i am 40
currently studying ITILv3 and sec+

should i just start applying now for other positions elsewhere i was trying to wait til i got a full 12months purely for CV purposes. What should i be aiming to do, should it be another customer support role ? or NOC? i am lost in that sense as i don't really know 1st line 2nd line 3rd line support what each one entails.


sorry for extremely long post i literally know very few people in the IT world who i can ask/vent to. Thanks for any advice given.

networker050184

If nothing else you're getting some varied experience!

It sounds like there is room for advancement at the company but you don't think you're next in line? That's a legit reason to leave your first job at a small company after a yearish in my opinion. It may take you months to find a good job that is a step up anyway. That's the luxury of finding a new job while you're employed. You can be picky.

On the other hand if you like the company and they work with you on pay it might be worth waiting for your chance to move up. You should take the initiative and stand out as well. Ask for the more complicated issues, be the go to guy. It can be hard to be happy with the company you're working for. The grass isn't always greener and all that jazz.

To sum it up, nothing wrong with shooting out a few resumes while you continue to try to move up where you are now.

mikey88

In my opinion, go for a job where you can utilize more of your CCNA skills such as configuring routers/switches, troubleshooting networks and less of phone support/sales calls.

No issues with starting to apply now and it could take you 3 months or more to find the right gig.

Mr.Robot255

Thanks for replies will update when i have an update