IT and entry level jobs

Talic

You guys weren't kidding about how hard it is to get an entry level job in IT. I was hopping to start up on a Help Desk job this summer and so far, I can't find a thing.

After posting a resume on Monster, going to a job recruitment/temp agency, and sending my resume to the instructor in charge of my school's internship program, nothing came up. I even applied for computer lab assistants at both my school and library, both came up empty (now thats lame that crappy jobs like that weren't interested, if you ask me).

I'm pretty much out of ideas for places to apply for now, any that are close to IT related that is. I have applications at both Best Buy and Circuit City (two of the closest retail tech stores, Fry's is to far across town) both haven't called and both seem to be really hard to get in touch with the manager in charge of HR. Recently I decided to go ahead and apply for computer sales but I'm still waiting for that call.

I can understand starting from the bottom and working your way up but I would hardly consider Geeksquad or Firedog a job you should work your way up to (obviously the managers think its a position you need to work up to). But those don't piss me off, its that any entry level jobs at other companies that do so. They expect experience for entry level positions is what pisses me off. Computer Techs - they want experience, answering phones they want experience, then they wonder why they can't fill enough higher level positions. Which there happen to be plenty around, the Job Agency had plenty open but no entry or even temp.



Sorry about the long rant, but I would expect at least something for my A+ and Network+, I'm starting to look bad after the money/time I've put in for them.

Btw, that Help Desk position that I got the suit for passed me up, thats the only place that called me for a interview, everywhere else ignored me.

You could probably say that its because of a bad resume, that was probably true when I first posted on Monster but after making a resume for my internship I'm pretty sure I have the best resume someone can make for not having any professional experience.

jryantech

Hang in there!

I've been looking for an Entry Level position as well and just like you I have been shooting my resume off everywhere.

I also might apply at GeekSquad, Firedog and Staples but those are very hard jobs to land if you don't know anyone who works there or can't get in touch with a manager. Unless they're very desperate which is normally not the case, especially during the summer.

Look at it this way... Once you get that Entry Level position keep it for a year and your leg is in the door, not just your foot!

vistalavista

If you're not even getting interviews, then there's a problem with your resume. Post your resume and we'll critique it for you.

Talic

Theres nothing wrong with my resume, if there was, I'm sure the women at the agency would of said something, she told me to get a suit, I'm sure she wouldn't stop there if my resume didn't look right. I had my family look it over and they said it was fine. I went over plenty of resume examples in writing it, so I'm pretty sure its fine. I really don't trust uploading to public forums even after a edit.

I think it also has to do with the city, Las Vegas was hit hard when the mortgage thing hit (we were the fastest growing city in the US I believe) and Gas prices aren't helping either. The state is bleeding cash and I would assume most companies hunkering down too.

Only thing I can think to do is upload my resume file to Monster rather then using their built in resume system.

ladiesman217

Try to get some certs and let's see how it help. I also experience the same thing as you. I've worked in an internet caffe before an it's really hard for me to get a call and even an interview. After I got my first cert I received some calls and it makes me think it really helps.

jryantech

ladiesman217 wrote:

Try to get some certs and let's see how it help. I also experience the same thing as you. I've worked in an internet caffe before an it's really hard for me to get a call and even an interview. After I got my first cert I received some calls and it makes me think it really helps.

He says he has his A+ and Network+, should be plenty to get an Entry Level job.

Daniel333

Lotsa jobs on the strip when I was there, there is a HR department north strip.

I hate to say it, but A+ will get you Geek Squad or help desk if you are lucky. I've never seen Net+ help anyone get a job.

Can you post your resume for us? What's your volunteer work look like? Try applying at Best Buy's audio department etc. rather than directly to Geek Squad. From Best Buy's point of view their Geek Squad agents are a promotion, sad as that may sound.

Trick to Geek Squad, let them know you are an amazing sales person and don't care who you over charge.

vistalavista

Talic wrote:

Theres nothing wrong with my resume, if there was, I'm sure the women at the agency would of said something, she told me to get a suit, I'm sure she wouldn't stop there if my resume didn't look right. I had my family look it over and they said it was fine. I went over plenty of resume examples in writing it, so I'm pretty sure its fine. I really don't trust uploading to public forums even after a edit.

I think it also has to do with the city, Las Vegas was hit hard when the mortgage thing hit (we were the fastest growing city in the US I believe) and Gas prices aren't helping either. The state is bleeding cash and I would assume most companies hunkering down too.

Only thing I can think to do is upload my resume file to Monster rather then using their built in resume system.

Feel free to PM it to me with your personal info removed. I get contacted back for almost all the resumes I send out, so I may be able to give you some pointers.

ladiesman217

jryantech wrote:

ladiesman217 wrote:

Try to get some certs and let's see how it help. I also experience the same thing as you. I've worked in an internet caffe before an it's really hard for me to get a call and even an interview. After I got my first cert I received some calls and it makes me think it really helps.

He says he has his A+ and Network+, should be plenty to get an Entry Level job.

ooopps! i didb't see that.

Maybe trying to write another MS cert would help. Here in my place they give more value on MS certs than Comptia. You can prepare for a new cert while finding job and it may even help you if ever you encounter a technical interview.

blargoe

Talic wrote:

Theres nothing wrong with my resume, if there was, I'm sure the women at the agency would of said something, she told me to get a suit, I'm sure she wouldn't stop there if my resume didn't look right.

Ever think there might be something wrong with the agency instead?

Only thing I can think to do is upload my resume file to Monster rather then using their built in resume system.

This is never a bad idea. My current job found me because of something I put out in Monster. You'll get probably 3 crap solicitations for non IT sales positions for every 1 IT position, but you should get something.

How long have you had your resume with the agency? It seems like you just posted here about the "get a suit" advice just last week. You have to give it more time than that.

I hope that you're also considering contract or temp positions. That greatly increases the pool of potential jobs.

Mishra

If you have certifications and degrees then don't forget to browse on usajobs.com for a government job.

undomiel

Definitely go in for contract positions whenever you can grab them. That's what got me into my first full time permanent entry level position. I never could get an interview for the Geek Squad either. The tech support jobs came in after they saw several different contract jobs on my resume. They low balled me for sure but it got me a job and I've just been building up and up from there.

dan87951

Economy is in the crapper so getting a job is hard. Keep your head up and you will find one sooner or later. If you can let all the contract people know you wouldn't mind working for them as well. I would also post up your resume for the people here to look at. A lot of brilliant minds who have already been in your shoes that can provide some good feedback.

pLuhhmm

i think if your gonna get a cert get an MCP one, that way you can spell it on a resume, then if you get an interview with someone who doesnt know computers, they will be like WOAH, hes a Microsoft Certified Professional!! its how the guy at circuit city sound like when i told him.

Talic

Well what worried me about the law firm (actually it was an accounting firm ) was they said they had 7 other people (or more) that they were interviewing. So that really got me worked up, if that many people with experience are out of work and looking in my area I probably won't have a chance with anything at this part of town.

There were a opening from Tek systems but their office is a pretty good drive from where I live. I'm not sure if they are a recruitment agency or not. The one I recently signed up for was called Appleone and they mostly have jobs that require experience, most of the entry level help desk were quickly snatched up from what they told me.

The internship might pay off sometime, the instructor was ill, so I might hear back soon, hopefully.

For now I'm going to be bugging Best Buy and look into charity work, I haven't done any of that, so that should look good on my resume. I just need to find out where I can get a list of charities that aren't across town. But I still need to make money though, so that's the downside for doing charity work, gas isn't cheap.

Thanks for the MCP tip, I'll look into it but it'll be tough to do Unix and MS at the same time. I got a summer intro Unix online class and it looks like I got my work cut out. About 500 pages, 12 chapter text book and I need to have it done by August 2nd.

blargoe

Talic wrote:

Well what worried me about the law firm (actually it was an accounting firm ) was they said they had 7 other people (or more) that they were interviewing. So that really got me worked up, if that many people with experience are out of work and looking in my area I probably won't have a chance with anything at this part of town.

Seven people isn't that many. And you shouldn't let it worry you too much. You go in, be yourself, present yourself as someone that can bring them value, and let the chips fall. You won't win all of them, but then you only need to win one to land your first entry level job.

Please don't go writing yourself off as not having a chance. You really don't have any idea what a company may be looking for. Some people are going to try to get the most experience for the cheapest money, some may be looking for a really solid person to stick around for a while, and some may be looking for someone that is inexperienced that they can take and grow into whatever it is they need for their company. You go in there expecting to get the job, and you might not get disappointed. It's not always just about skills, personality, team "fit" and other things can weigh into the equation heavily.

Either way, you get IT interview experience, which is a good skill to work on.

networker050184

Only seven? As blargoe stated, thats not bad. I went for my interview for my current job and before we started they told me they would continue interviewing for the next two weeks and let me know then. The next day they called and asked me to come in for a second interview when I was hired. Either I knocked them out of the park and made them forget about interviewing other people or maybe they where just bluffing to keep me on my toes.

The point is just worry about yourself and how you do and forget about eveyone else and how they might do. Just keep at the search and you will eventually land something if you work hard. Remember, everyone started somewhere.

Mishra

Nice post blargoe

undomiel

As others have stated seven people doesn't mean anything. You made the cut for the actual interview after all. It could be seven people that they wouldn't even give a second glance after bringing them in because perhaps they could discover that the resume was all talk, the person doesn't have any social skills, another has bad personal hygiene. Plenty of ways they could be eliminated even if they have more experience than you on their resume. Meanwhile you could go in and knock their socks off with your professional presentation in your dandy new suit and your eloquent speech. It's not just about skills, it is a popularity contest as well.