Customer service/employee IT work

I just talked with a friend who has his MCSE. He told me that the helpdesk people or those with an MCP would be the ones to do desktop support/assist those "on the floor" or within the company. Those with the MCSE would be behind-the-scenes, doing the server administration and would have little to no contact with the employees (generally speaking). Is this true? I had hoped that with an MCSE, it would enable me to have more contact with people than if I were in a pure Cisco NOC environment. It doesn't appear to be the case.

Is anyone aware of any certification which would entail more interaction with people and which would pay better than a helpdesk job? I don't mind working my way up, but I'd like whatever I go into to pay ultimately at least the average American wage (around $47k/yr).

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Comments

dynamik

You might want to look into project management or something like that. Training is something else you might enjoy.

However, just because you're not interacting with end-users, it doesn't mean that you're going to be working in isolation. You're probably still going to be working with management, other engineers, etc. It really depends on the environment and what your role there is.

Daniel333

We're a small company.

We have MCITP, MCSE, CCVP, CCNPs all on the phone when they are not on projects. But they will be pulled out of the service desk for projects leaving the CCNAs/MCSAs etc behind.

Bert McGert

If the people are more important than the technology, why not find a receptionist job at a company with Cisco phones?

BradleyHU

it all depends on the job function. you're worrying too much about certification titles and NOT job titles. sometimes the there might be a person who is the SysAdmin and he's in charge of support for the whole office.

drainey

@ Bert McGert Or then again he could find a job that let's him work with technology and people and you can continue to be a jack ass that most people will simply ignore.

@DR_Atomic I am a MCSA (will be MCITP:EA by end of the year) I work work a Managed Service Provider and go onsite and deal with clients (people) everyday. So do our MCSE's. We also have a CISSP, and a CCNP that deal with people everyday. It's all about the company you work for and your role within the company. Go for the MCSE if that's what you want and look for a job that allows you do work with technology and still interact with people. Those jobs are out there.

Good luck

networker050184

drainey wrote: »

It's all about the company you work for and your role within the company.

I agree with this. What your job role will be is not strictly tied to a certification as it seems you believe. There is no rule set in stone that says if you have an MCSE you will be stuck in the server room at all times. Just go for what ever certification interests you and then find a related job that allows you to deal with people. Sales Engineer would be a good position that comes to mind. You get to be both technical and work in the sales side dealing with the customers.

Why you want to deal with people still boggles me. I'll take a bunch of routers and switches over human interaction any day

dynamik

drainey wrote: »

@ Bert McGert Or then again he could find a job that let's him work with technology and people and you can continue to be a jack ass that most people will simply ignore.

Aw, do you have a case of the Mondays?

That got a laugh out of me

drainey

Not really a case of the mondays. Just a case of jackassitits (the inability to put up with unneccessary acts of assinineness):D

Glad you got a laugh

I did too when I reread it

Bert McGert

drainey wrote: »

@ Bert McGert Or then again he could find a job that let's him work with technology and people and you can continue to be a jack ass that most people will simply ignore.

Thank you! I like your suggestion and will most certainly continue to do what I do simply because I now know that it gets under your skin.

If it's not a case of the Mondays (aww), then perhaps he's puckered up over Favre.

Either way, I hope everyone's having a *STELLAR* day!

Rainbow%20Unicorn

djhss68

Pretty unicorn.