Think I'm going backwards if I accept something that is "mostly desktop support?"

unnamedplayer

Hi all, just want some opinions.

I've worked at a small business as a one man IT shop for about 4 years before being laid off. It was a small environment ~60 employees but we had a couple Windows Servers and an Exchange Server. This is really my only professional IT experience ( got hired through college :woot: ). I've been looking for more full-time work and have been working with one of the big recruiter firms.

I really like doing the server and sysadmin stuff, currently working on my MCITP:SA, but it seems like a lot of the sys admin positions around here are looking for a little more experience than what I've worked with.

My recruiter approached me a couple of days ago with a possible opportunity but he described it as being "predominately" "desktop support." So, I am wondering what you all would do? Do you think doing something like that would be a step in the wrong direction?

I know this post might be a little vague, just looking for some different points of view is all. Unfortunately I do not have any specific details about this opportunity my recruiter threw out there just yet.

Essendon

4 years is "enough" experience for a sys admin role depending on what you did in those 4 years. If your role entailed answering help desk phone calls and some troubleshooting, then desktop support would be a logical next step. If you worked on server and networking gear then desktop support would definitely be a step backwards. I'd recommend you keep looking and plug away at the MCITP. Not having an MCSA/MCSE/MCITP would set you back against folks that have these certs.

EDIT: I might also ask the recruiter for a job description, a recruiter (all of their ilk actually) doesnt know shite about what exactly a job entails. They just "think" it's desktop support when it might have a significant sys admin component.

unnamedplayer

4 years is "enough" experience for a sys admin role depending on what you did in those 4 years. If your role entailed answering help desk phone calls and some troubleshooting, then desktop support would be a logical next step. If you worked on server and networking gear then desktop support would definitely be a step backwards.

Hey thank you for the reply. I guess that's what I'm getting at. Being a one-man shop for a small business I did a little bit of everything, but nothing on a grand scale. We weren't running any virtualization or have any site-to-site vpns that needed to be setup (since we were only at one location), but I did things like replace our old firewall/router appliance with a new appliance, configured it for remote access VPN, transitioned to a new version of Exchange, locked it down, implemented a new backup solution, etc, etc.

EDIT: I might also ask the recruiter for a job description, a recruiter (all of their ilk actually) doesnt know shite about what exactly a job entails. They just "think" it's desktop support when it might have a significant sys admin component.

Yes I'm realizing this LOL. That's why I didn't dismiss it right away when he brought it up, but was a little discourage by his description.

mikedisd2

unnamedplayer wrote: »

Hey thank you for the reply. I guess that's what I'm getting at. Being a one-man shop for a small business I did a little bit of everything, but nothing on a grand scale. We weren't running any virtualization or have any site-to-site vpns that needed to be setup (since we were only at one location), but I did things like replace our old firewall/router appliance with a new appliance, configured it for remote access VPN, transitioned to a new version of Exchange, locked it down, implemented a new backup solution, etc, etc.

Well, it sounds like you did a respectable amount of sys admin work. If you can afford to, decline any desktop role and be sure to highlight your achievements and sysadmin skillset on your resume.

Essendon

Yupp, just like mikedisd2 said, ensure your resume highlights all your sys admin tasks. Why not post up your resume if you think it needs to be looked at.

mikej412

unnamedplayer wrote: »

he described it as being "predominately" "desktop support."

Is it a larger environment than the one you're coming from -- and does the company with the "desktop support" position have opportunities for job growth and promotions?

Is this a contract position? Contract to hire? Or is it a permanent job that's just going through a preferred staffing vendor?

I know someone who spent 5 years at a small company and worked their way up to being the IT Director -- and then left to become a junior programmer at a Fortune 500 and doubled their salary.

A small fish in a big lake can still be bigger than the big fish in a small pond.

Psoasman

Sounds like you have some solid admin experience. I'm sure you will find something along those lines. On the other hand, it would benefit you to have some desktop support experience and once your employer sees you have more knowledge, that could lead to higher positions.

Turgon

unnamedplayer wrote: »

Hey thank you for the reply. I guess that's what I'm getting at. Being a one-man shop for a small business I did a little bit of everything, but nothing on a grand scale. We weren't running any virtualization or have any site-to-site vpns that needed to be setup (since we were only at one location), but I did things like replace our old firewall/router appliance with a new appliance, configured it for remote access VPN, transitioned to a new version of Exchange, locked it down, implemented a new backup solution, etc, etc.

Yes I'm realizing this LOL. That's why I didn't dismiss it right away when he brought it up, but was a little discourage by his description.

You have good experience right there, better than many people more qualified than you presently sitting in enterprise level roles, and that's because you got the chance to *do* things without all the politics and change control. Running a small shop is one of the best hand ups you can have on your career prospects. I suggest you brush up your CV and get across all the responsibilities you had, the upgrade work, the hands on installation, the planning you did, the meetings you attended and ran, the projects you lead and then get yourself a start as a sysadmin in an enterprise. Your CV is golden if you put it together properly because with the amount of outsourcing these days and the division of labour and responsibilities in enterprise settings there are fewer opportunities to really *work* with infrastructure hands on.

N2IT

Personally I would hold out for at least a hybrid system admin role. Straight help desk would be a bad move from my vantage point.

Don't let those wonderful skills go to waste.

NinjaBoy

I'm going to say the following (it is my own opinion though) as Devil Advocate:

Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to go forward.

Yes with 4 years experience in a SMB, plus your qualifications a System Admin would be more up your street. However if you've been laid off (as you've implied) and now unemployed it's better to get your foot back in the door regardless of whether or not it's something that you want to do.

You've already said that:

...it seems like a lot of the sys admin positions around here are looking for a little more experience than what I've worked with.

I guess it depends on the type and the responsibilities of System Admin roles that you've been looking at.

So unless you're going to move and/or all the IT Pro's/System admin's out there out there that have been made redundant stop applying for jobs for whatever reason, you may find that you'll come across this again.

There's nothing stopping you from applying for this position and if you get it, continue to apply for System Admin jobs. That way you continue to get experience and money coming in, you may even find that you move up the ladder at that place (in a couple of companies I've worked at, they promoted people from within).

-Ken