Passed my 70-680 but need advice on what to do next.

drew726

So anyways, I've in technical support for two years and want to switch to IT Desktop Support. I never did help desk before so I left my job and started studying and got my network+ and 70-680. Should I be taking the 70-686 Enterprise Admin or 70-685 Desktop Support next?

Basically I've been doing IT volunteer work for the past month because its nice to get references. I just go there do some RAM upgrades, in-house desktop support, and image deployments.

I haven't found a new job with just A+ and Network+ and 2 yrs exp in 2 months, although I guess I can put MCTS on my resume now. I haven't put my volunteer work on my resume yet because I've only done a month and about 6 hrs per week, not sure if its applicable. I just hope I can finally get a job with an MCITP. I'm a college dropout because I didn't know the difference between Computer Science and IT when I was younger and I really think that is what is hurting me right now.

Cisco Inferno

drew726 wrote: »

So anyways, I've in technical support for two years and want to switch to IT Desktop Support. I never did help desk before so I left my job and started studying and got my network+ and 70-680. Should I be taking the 70-686 Enterprise Admin or 70-685 Desktop Support next?

Basically I've been doing IT volunteer work for the past month because its nice to get references. I just go there do some RAM upgrades, in-house desktop support, and image deployments.

I haven't found a new job with just A+ and Network+ and 2 yrs exp in 2 months, although I guess I can put MCTS on my resume now. I haven't put my volunteer work on my resume yet because I've only done a month and about 6 hrs per week, not sure if its applicable. I just hope I can finally get a job with an MCITP. I'm a college dropout because I didn't know the difference between Computer Science and IT when I was younger and I really think that is what is hurting me right now.

hey congrats on the pass. what materials did you use and how long did you study for? how did you study and how hard was it compared to net+?

sorry but im very interested in taking it too and wish to take the 685 afterwards to break into helpdesk.

drew726

I used Testout videos, Sybex e-book on my kindle, and practice exams (lots of them). Don't study from a Kindle, it sucks. I should have got a hard copy.

Repo Man

70-685 and the XP equivalents map out very well to actual work you would do in a desktop support/help desk role. I'd definitely suggest doing that next.

Cisco Inferno

drew726 wrote: »

I used Testout videos, Sybex e-book on my kindle, and practice exams (lots of them). Don't study from a Kindle, it sucks. I should have got a hard copy.

haha i bet. did you do alotta practicing within windows?

drew726

I did get to tinker around with the active directory at the volunteer work place but they use windows 2003 and windows xp. I didn't get to do as much windows 7 as i would have liked but i was able to mess around with Windows PE and DISM at home because I use w7 at home.

tomahawkeer

I guess it depends on what direction you really want to go in. Im working on MCITP:EA and from what ive heard, the next best / logical step is 70-642, so, thats what im starting off with in this term at WGU. Apparently the information in 70-642 kind of eases you into the inner workings as opposed to the others.

drew726

yea I suppose so but I just figure it's more important getting my foot in as Desktop Support. When I was doing technical support i was only providing support for a specific software we sold over the phone to customers. I will get my MCITP:EA one day because in terms of a career that is my goal, but because I haven't done help desk, I'm willing to do that first.

drew726

So anyways heres an update if anyone cares. After reading this forum I've decided to apply for WGU. I didn't know about this school until last week when I started reading about the posts here, shortly after starting this thread. I said I was a college drop out and I think my resume is basically getting thrown in the trash because I don't have a degree.

After talking to the enrollment counselor it seems as though all my certifications are transferable and I also completed all my general education courses in college already. (Took way too much Math and Physics than I would have liked in college) I don't want to pay my student loans every month and see it amount to nothing. I really hated programming and couldn't see myself coding for the rest of my life.

Now that I'm out of my job and have been self-studying anyways, I might as well apply for WGU and do both concurrently. Requested my transcripts from my prior schools and sending them in this month, hopefully before the 25th. Although it doesn't really matter when I start because I've already started studying for my 70-640, purchased a Prometric Voucher from ebay prior to applying to WGU, and scheduled the exam 1 1/2 months from now. I always schedule the exam ahead of time so I don't procrastinate. If I need more time, I just reschedule. Maybe this is why I do better self-studying than attending classes...who knows?

Does anyone know if internships will accept students from WGU?