How do I advance my career?

Currently I am working part time providing help desk support. This is a job I got in 2004 when I was in university. I finished university in same year 2004 and I have been working part-time ever since. I thought about a full time position, but the wages for the position will not make me financially indepedent.

In between 2004 and 2008, I have been taking courses towards MCSA and looking for a full time job with better pay.

In 2007, I worked with an associate as a sub-contractor doing the odd jobs. (E.g. Repairing computers) The largest project that I got was about a 2 month project on-site proving support for computers. The problem is I could go several months before getting the next project.

So this is my situation:

I have a part-time with constant work, but low pay and a part-time contract with decent pay, but no constant work.

I need to have a way to find a full time position with decent pay (25,000 or higher), but I am puzzled as to how to get it?

Who do I turn to for help?

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dynamik

Do you have a resume? Are you on the big job sites? Have you been applying places? What degree do you have?

Try finishing up your MCSE as well. That's much more recognized than the MCSA.

darkuser

they still have MCSE ?

Gundamtdk

dynamik wrote:

Do you have a resume? Are you on the big job sites? Have you been applying places? What degree do you have?

Try finishing up your MCSE as well. That's much more recognized than the MCSA.

1) I am reconstructing my resume since my previous resume didn't land me any jobs. I might post it up here.

2) I have tired monster.ca and workopolis.ca. I feel that when I apply to those sites it is like throwing my resume in a black hole, because I never hear from those positions.

3) I have college diploma in Computer Programming, but I also have a programming certificate from university.

I was able to obtain my MCSA in June 2008, and I was hoping that would be enough for HR to take notice.

astorrs

Where abouts in Canada are you?

Sie

I would second the MCSE idea, MCSA can be seen as a halfway house by some companies and MCSE is looked for more by recruiters etc (wrongly sometimes but it is none the less)

[Hijack - 1001 Post! Woo! /hijack]

Gundamtdk

astorrs wrote:

Where abouts in Canada are you?

GTA.

blargoe

Gundamtdk wrote:

I thought about a full time position, but the wages for the position will not make me financially indepedent.

What does "financially independent" mean to you, so we're all on the same page?

So this is my situation:

I have a part-time with constant work, but low pay and a part-time contract with decent pay, but no constant work.

How does the pay for full time positions you've looked at over the past 4 years compare to what you average between the two contract gigs?

There are things that you can do to increase your market value. You have verifiable experience, which is great... but experience with what? What does a helpdesk professional do at your job?

You can do things like certifications... finishing your MCSA is a great start. You should really consider just jumping to a different job even if it's another contract part time, so that you can get outside of the box that you're used to, maybe broaden your skill set even by just a tad by taking a job where you would be doing a little bit more than you do now. Maybe even have a chance to move up. You have to change things up, obviously what you've been doing for the past few years isn't working.

I wish you the best of luck. I know it's hard getting started out there.

Gundamtdk

blargoe wrote:

Gundamtdk wrote:

What does "financially independent" mean to you, so we're all on the same page?

Financially independent means the ability to pay for gases, taxes and own a house by myself.

Currently I don't live by alone, so expenses are not a huge burden to me.

But in the future I will get the point where I do have to support myself.