How To Move Out of Helpdesk

Moon Child

I been in helpdesk for 4 years and had a hard time getting promoted to a higher position. Bachelors in Information Systems. Also have a Master's. A+, N+, S+,  MCTS, MCP. I am studying CCNA and I am taking classes to get a 2nd Masters degree(MBA). Everytime a promotion opportunity comes by I am passed by and told I look good on paper and that's it. I have learned a lot on the job, but I don't think that is recognized. I also previously worked as a programmer. I have stayed though since I get raises and need the money. I am not complaining about the salary, actually very happy with the salary. I just wish I had a higher position. Regardless I am going get my CCNA anyway even if I stay in helpdesk. Even with two Masters Degee's and a CCNA if I am told I just look good on paper so be it. If I can't advance in a promotion I can earn more graduate degrees and more higher level certs.. but I would really like to advance somehow in my career. I thought about combining IT with another profession.

Any Advice?

JDMurray

What is the "higher position" you are aiming for?

Moon Child

Like Jr Admin or Network entry level.

I mean even though my position is labeled Helpdesk Tech. I do a lot of networking on the job.Making Cat6 cables. Running cables. Punching cables down. Using cable testers to test pairs. Doing pings, tracert, wireshark, testing network speed, etc. Setting up many devices besides computers for network connectivity. Troubleshooting printers and network connectivity.Active Directory. Powershell, running scripts. Doing things in linux. Networking Apple devices. POA's, Cameras, POS, tablets, Phone system( updating numbers, transferring numbers), VOIP phones. Watched teammates configure Cisco devices. I got my own Cisco router and switch configured on my home network I use. Storage Area Units. Doing things on servers. Windows Server. Firewalls. Emergency virus/ malware removal & network security on campus, patching PC's, Mobile Device Management (MDM) and a lot more... I can go on and on..... but still "I just look good on paper"

I am going get my CCNA anyway though... always wanted the cert.

JDMurray

If you are looking to pivot into a new department with a new manager, you must get to know that team and the hiring manager(s). You can discover if your current skill set is a good fit (or not) for what the department needs. If the people on that team know you to be very helpful, knowledgeable, and able to do good work, it will be very beneficial to getting selected when they have a job opening.

If you have already done all this, and you are still not getting selected, there may be other factors at play that you can't change, such as the department favors external versus internal candidates, or your personality may be perceived as not a good fit with the existing team members, or there is some other negative factors at play that you are unaware of. (Your comment about "I just look good on paper" seems to indicate a personal, rather than professional, deficiency is being perceived.)

Moon Child

Ok thanks for the advise. Taking some time to reflection I should be really thankful where I am at in helpdesk... considering I came from a very poor income background where $12/hr jobs were hard to come by. Now that I am in a job that pays decent I shouldn't be gready to want a promotion and be happy with what I have, it is a lot better than what I had earlier in life. If I want a promotion someday I just got become a workaholic and learn more than anyone else. I am very happy with my current salary, I should be happy for that.  In some ways I think maybe I should use the same approach I used to get this job, being more qualified with degrees and certs than any other candidate. I should focus on obtaining much harder certs, which I should of been focusing on the 4 years I been at helpdesk instead of being just satisfied with the A+, N+, S+ MCTS, ITIL , Apple certs. I think instead of being so bummed about not getting a promotion I should make sure I know just as much if not more than those who are promoted above me. I will get my 2nd Master's Degree. I will work hard at getting a CCNA and harder higher level certs than what I have now. I always ask Sr admin's and Jr. Admin's all kinds of questions how they fixed certain issues, even though I don't have privaleges to do those tasks I still want to know what they know. I will continue working at my home on my Cisco router and switch after work. I will continue working on understanding Linux/ Win server stuff on my own at home with my home built servers that I use at my home. I will brush up on my SQL, Python, PHP,Perl, Ruby, C/C++/C#, Assembler books I have at home and old scripts I wrote when I worked previously as a programmer before I landed this job.

JDMurray

That's a plan weighted very heavily on the technical side. You may well need rounding-out in areas that you haven't yet considered. Try spending some time learning/practicing "softer skills," such as public speaking, personal presentation, salesmanship, and the fundamentals of business administration. Much of getting a job (or promotion) has to do with personality, presentation, and connecting with people rather than just knowledge/understanding and experience with the job-at-hand. You may end up correcting some deficiencies that you didn't know you had.

itdept

You said "I am taking classes to get a 2nd Masters degree(MBA)". Too be perfectly blunt, you are wasting your time and money getting into Masters level unless you want to go into academia or work requires it.
If I was hiring and I saw you had two Masters and only help desk only experience it would raise flags for me.
Get real, hirable skills like CCCA, apply those skills on the job, update your resume (leave off the masters unless you are India based) and find another job. Points made by JD Murray I completely agree. Develop those soft skills and learn to shake the right hands in life.

matt333

I've been working in the Networking field for the last 10+ years and I'd say get your CCNA if you want to move up in the IT field. It could be a desk side or networking roles. The concepts you learn are transferable to most IT positions aside from programming.

You will get the most value from having a CCNA vs the other vendor certification. Vendor neutral certifications hold very little value IMO. 

volfkhat

Moon Child said:

I been in helpdesk for *4 years* and had a hard time getting promoted to a higher position....

There's the obvious RED FLAG.
Have you been at the SAME EMPLOYER  during these past 4 years?
Or have you switched companies a couple of times?

I certainly applaud you for getting the Network+ and Sec+ certifications.
I got the N10-005 & SYS-401 versions (back in the day)... and they definitely made me a better IT professional.

But they're only "Level 1" certifications.
If you're serious about going far... then you should have been already working on higher level certs.

I'm gonna keep it real with you:

1) You need to LEAVE your employer  (i assume you've been working at the same place for the past 4 years).
You will NEVER be anything more than "helpdesk" in their eyes.

I dont want to hear nonsense about  "be happy with what I have, it is a lot better than what I had earlier in life."
That's weak, Loser Mentatlity.
If you Want more... then gather the Courage to Reach for More.

2) an MBA as your "2nd" Masters degree is mostly Irrelevant.
No one cares about an MBA if you're trying to be a Network Engineer. a Systems Administartor. a Programmer.
Most jobs in I.T. are akin to  "trades".
As such, you need to have a focus, and you need CERTIFICATIONS related to that specialty.
My 2 cents: Stop wasting your Time & Money.
(What was your 1st Masters Degree even in?)


3) What City/State do you live in?
Is it within an Urban hub? or more Rural?
You may need to relocate to a new geographical area (if you are currently living far from job opportunities).

Also, Rewrite your resume.
To be clear:  LIE .
Change your Job Title of your current job. Make it what you "want" it to be:
Junior Network Engineer,  Jr System Admin, NOC engineer,  etc.
Be sure to make-up/ Add details that complinent the kind of work that you WANT to do.

You said that you've studied a lot, and learned alot over these past 4 years.
Well Great!
Put that knowledge/experience down on your resume... and then go out there, pass a Techincal Interview, and Get that Better Job!

itdept said:

You said "I am taking classes to get a 2nd Masters degree(MBA)".
Too be perfectly blunt, you are wasting your time and money getting into Masters level unless you want to go into academia or work requires it.
If I was hiring and I saw you had two Masters and only help desk only experience it would raise flags for me.
Get real, hirable skills like CCCA, apply those skills on the job, update your resume (leave off the masters unless you are India based) and find another job....

^ Agree 100% with this guy.

matt333 said:

I've been working in the Networking field for the last 10+ years and I'd say get your CCNA if you want to move up in the IT field.
It could be a desk side or networking roles. The concepts you learn are transferable to most IT positions aside from programming.

You will get the most value from having a CCNA vs the other vendor certification. Vendor neutral certifications hold very little value IMO. 

~I mostly agree with this.
The CCNA aint what it used to be...  but moonchild needs start somewhere

matt333

I agree, CCNA doesn't hold as much value as it used to.

It is still the best bang for your buck as far as certifications go unless the company you are at or interviewing at has Juniper or another vendor. In that case getting their certifications may hold more value. 

There are a ton of resources on the CCNA, you will just need to put the time in. 

E Double U

volfkhat said:

Moon Child said:

I been in helpdesk for *4 years* and had a hard time getting promoted to a higher position....

1) You need to LEAVE your employer  (i assume you've been working at the same place for the past 4 years).
You will NEVER be anything more than "helpdesk" in their eyes.

I dont want to hear nonsense about  "be happy with what I have, it is a lot better than what I had earlier in life."
That's weak, Loser Mentatlity.

This should be a TED talk lol

Basic85

I'm on similar boat, can't escape help desk.  I'm working some certs like Security + but I want to get out as soon as I can.  

volfkhat

Basic85 said:

I'm on similar boat, can't escape help desk.  I'm working some certs like Security + but I want to get out as soon as I can.  

You need to pick a specialty and go for that certification.
Networking, CLOUD, etc.

COMPTIA certifications alone won't cut it.