What is considered "decent" experience along with

college degree (BS) and A+. I live in Florida and recently took a job doing tech support for an ISP. I also have roughly half a year experience as a technician installing pcs and laser printers. I have had a very rough time landing a decent IT job so I figured I would take a lower paying job to get experience. However, I don't even know if this is something an employer would even classify as good experience. It is a tech support position over the phone supporting customers with ISP problems. I just hope I am doing the right thing here and this isn't a waste of my time. I feel so low right now. You would think someone with a college degree at a major university, A+, and experience working as a tech could at least make decent money. But that is hardly the case. I could have made this money even if i didn't attend college.

I also plan on adding Net+ to my resume very soon. This site is awesome and there always seems to be great feedback. If anyone could give me advice here, I would greatly appreciate it. Is tech support for an ISP considered experience? Will adding Net+ and this phone support experience to my resume with all my other qualifications eventually land me a decent paying job so I could actually raise a family?

Just looking for feedback. Again, great site!

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Comments

janmike

Yes. The ISP support job is IT experience. It may help you land a job with some outfit with its own help-desk support department where you can advance within the organization. Too, most people starting in IT start at lower-paying positions to get the experience. Yours is a situation that is posted on these forums quite often.

Also, considering that you have a degree, if you continue studies with pursuing certifications, that is going to speak well on your resume. It should, to somebody along the way, say that you're serious about your career.

If you're going to do much in IT, you'll be involved in networking. Network+ will demonstrate a basic understanding of all that is networking.
In addition, security is a monster-size issue that cannot be ignored. And, wireless networking is here to stay. So, these seem to be the areas of concentration in IT, that is, besides assuring that fault-tolerant, recoverable data resources always be maintained.

If you haven't developed a definite direction that you plan on taking, then these are probably good to pursue. Once you get in and prove yourself
you should be given opportunities to advance.

Best of luck!

garv221

What I have found, experience is everything. Certs just sound good. I also feel Comptia exams do not do a whole lot, if anything. I actually feel they are a waste of time, except for security+ add to an MCSA/MCSE..The mass public knows mainly about the MCSE track. So, to get experience..Do just what your doing, keep looking.

ITjobsGOTuDown

thanks for the feedback! I missed getting a decent hands on IT job by the skin of my teeth, not once, but TWICE! I came that close to making decent money and gaining quality experience! It is so painful knowing what could have been

. Instead, I go to work feeling over qualified, sad, and poor. At this point I don't know how to better myself besides taking the Net+ so I can better my resume.

ITjobsGOTuDown

Also, are the technotes for 6.95 on this site worth it? What in addition do you get that you already don't get for free?

henkk

Man, I gotta say honestly something that isn't being said here often enough.

Work on your 'Soft Skills'. You sound unhappy, and I don't think higher pay is gonna fix that.

A BS in IT is more than enough to land you a decent job. I read an article at CNN.COM last year that said BS Computer Science graduates earned an average salary of about 55K a year. Now, that's a crapload of money where I come from.

If you're not able to land a decent job with your BS degree, you should be looking at developing your skills in getting the right job. Become a good communicator, if you can't speak in front of people, go join a drama society!

READ some books on jobhunting. I HIGHLY recommend 'What color is your parachute' by John Bolles, who also put up a website called jobhuntersbible.com.

Be enthusiastic! You've got some great skills! Monster.com told me about 260 jobs in Miami alone for networking. Most of those employers are waiting for someone young and enthusiastic to pick up the phone and CALL them and tell them how much they'd LOVE to work there.

Every person I've appointed to a job had LESS experience than another applicant, but MORE enthusiasm. I knew they would do the job better because they wanted to!

Good luck!

Ricka182

ITjobsGOTuDown wrote:

Also, are the technotes for 6.95 on this site worth it? What in addition do you get that you already don't get for free?

I used them, and passed. I thought they were very good. Check here for a comparison.

ITjobsGOTuDown

henkk wrote:

Man, I gotta say honestly something that isn't being said here often enough.

Work on your 'Soft Skills'. You sound unhappy, and I don't think higher pay is gonna fix that.

A BS in IT is more than enough to land you a decent job. I read an article at CNN.COM last year that said BS Computer Science graduates earned an average salary of about 55K a year. Now, that's a crapload of money where I come from.

If you're not able to land a decent job with your BS degree, you should be looking at developing your skills in getting the right job. Become a good communicator, if you can't speak in front of people, go join a drama society!

READ some books on jobhunting. I HIGHLY recommend 'What color is your parachute' by John Bolles, who also put up a website called jobhuntersbible.com.

Be enthusiastic! You've got some great skills! Monster.com told me about 260 jobs in Miami alone for networking. Most of those employers are waiting for someone young and enthusiastic to pick up the phone and CALL them and tell them how much they'd LOVE to work there.

Every person I've appointed to a job had LESS experience than another applicant, but MORE enthusiasm. I knew they would do the job better because they wanted to!

Good luck!

ding ding ding ding...you are correct I am unhappy with my current situation. I feel like a loser and know I am worth more.

The last interview I was very enthusiastic. I made it abundantly clear I wanted the position and would be the perfect candidate. I sold myself like a car salesman. It came down to me and another fellow. And of course, he was the one selected

garv221

henkk wrote:

Man, I gotta say honestly something that isn't being said here often enough.

Work on your 'Soft Skills'. You sound unhappy, and I don't think higher pay is gonna fix that.

A BS in IT is more than enough to land you a decent job. I read an article at CNN.COM last year that said BS Computer Science graduates earned an average salary of about 55K a year. Now, that's a crapload of money where I come from.

If you're not able to land a decent job with your BS degree, you should be looking at developing your skills in getting the right job. Become a good communicator, if you can't speak in front of people, go join a drama society!

READ some books on jobhunting. I HIGHLY recommend 'What color is your parachute' by John Bolles, who also put up a website called jobhuntersbible.com.

Be enthusiastic! You've got some great skills! Monster.com told me about 260 jobs in Miami alone for networking. Most of those employers are waiting for someone young and enthusiastic to pick up the phone and CALL them and tell them how much they'd LOVE to work there.

Every person I've appointed to a job had LESS experience than another applicant, but MORE enthusiasm. I knew they would do the job better because they wanted to!

Good luck!

I don't know about all that. 4 years experience would kill a 4 year degree BS.

KatanaSam

ITjobsGOTuDown wrote:

However, I don't even know if this is something an employer would even classify as good experience. It is a tech support position over the phone supporting customers with ISP problems. I just hope I am doing the right thing here and this isn't a waste of my time. I feel so low right now.

Don't! I did tech support for an ISP for half a year and hope to do more. I loved it. I am just finishing up at college and also have my A+. I've also done some web programming, systems analysis, and database work. The tech support work I did was fantastic experience. Not just technically but from the perspective of soft skills also. I think it counts big time with prospective employers because to be successful at it you have to have some decent people skills... a rarity in the world of tech. You can also pick up a lot of stuff they don't teach in the books.