call center

iSkate

hey, what's up ya'll! just started working for AT&T DSL call center (tier 2 tech support), just wanted to know if this is good experience for say a help desk position (i've had the hardest time finding a help desk job because of my experience)? Worked for Geeksquad for about 8 months- didn't help land the job(s) i wanted. So, my question, do you think the position i'm in now is valuable?? What we deal with is everything you can imagine with internet troubleshooting (pop, smtp, pppoe, ip configuration, antivirus, yada yada)- good position, yea or no? Also, what else should i focus on in terms of skills/certs; I have my A+ and Net+ but I feel like i'm wasting time if i go for any other cert that doesn't fit my job (i.e. mcse) (heard it's better to have experience than a piece of paper)? I do have my associates degree, perhaps, i should work toward a bachelor's degree rather than trying to get certified?? only thing is, that's hella money...and i'm starting to ramble. haha. but my questions: is the job i'm in now, in your opinion (s), worth it and what should i try and focus on (degree, certs) if i'm looking to be net admin, help desk, desktop support? thanks!!

undomiel

Call center experience is great for getting help desk/desktop support jobs. I would recommend sticking with it for a year (at least 6 months if you absolutely can't stand it) before you go trying to find yourself a help desk position. I'd also recommend getting at least your MCP and if you're really wanting to focus on help desk/desktop support then go for your MCDST. Of course if you're wanting to go for more of an admin position then MCSA/MCSE and Cisco certifications would be a boon. Certifications and especially experience generally count more than getting a degree.

Aquabat [banned]

yes that will help you alot. I would think just working for a company like AT&T would help you alot too.

This is definitly a step up from best buy you'll want mabye a year or so of this experience, then apply for desktop support. when you nail a desktop support job, then you can escalate within that company to some admin position

filkenjitsu

MCDST is two tests and it is easy, especially coming from a DSL troubleshooting environment (that is where I started) and it will be helpful in getting onto help desk.

System administrator will not come from Tech support, but it can come from help desk.

iSkate

once again, thanks to all those that replied!

oo_snoopy

Go too school.

Smallguy

oo_snoopy wrote:

Go too school.

how is going to School going to help him

lots of people with IT degrees still can't land there first IT job he now has his foot in the door somewhere I think he should learn what he can from there and continue to grow

maybe pick up a vista or XP cert along the way

sprkymrk

Smallguy wrote:

oo_snoopy wrote:

Go too school.

how is going to School going to help him

But it cerainly won't hurt, either.

x_Danny_x

lol dudes, i think the "Go to School" remark was a trolling post!

haha, it made me LOL out loud.

famosbrown

Smallguy wrote:

oo_snoopy wrote:

Go too school.

how is going to School going to help him

lots of people with IT degrees still can't land there first IT job he now has his foot in the door somewhere I think he should learn what he can from there and continue to grow

maybe pick up a vista or XP cert along the way

I've said it before, although not in a long time , I'll say it again...most of the college graduates with I.T. related degrees are unemployed because they don't want to use what they learned in college. Most C.S. or M.I.S. majors learn how to program/code and all of the high level math concepts. Most colleges aren't teaching them how to be a Systems Admin and certainly not a Help Desk Technician. If those college graduates would just start off doing development, software engineering, programming, etc., then they would make good money right out of college. I was one of those college graduates that didn't like programming, but that's all I was taught. I had to take my fisrtst job after graduating doing just that because it was VERY good money. After a few months, I found my niche and where I wanted to do in I.T. Went from managing a Tier 2 Desktop Support team, Systems Administrator, to Systems Engineer. I had to take a small pay cut after changing I.T. focus but it was expected as I was a noob in this particular field.

In short...get your education. Go to school...it will definitely pay off in the long run and compliment your hard work. Wait until it's time for you to compete for a leadership role like management, supervisor, or Lead...you will see it places you above others in the eyes of non-technical, business-minded decision makers.

Mrock4

famosbrown wrote:

Most C.S. or M.I.S. majors learn how to program/code and all of the high level math concepts. Most colleges aren't teaching them how to be a Systems Admin and certainly not a Help Desk Technician.

Very true. This is the sole reason I have been working on my associates, because there is hardly any BA/BS programs out there in networking..there's a ton offered as associates. Just something for those out there to consider. Even then..you still need experience.

filkenjitsu

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