Am I looking in the wrong places?

I am in a career change from the military and trying to get my foot in the door in the IT industry. I have completed the A+ cert and I have 10+ years personal experience with computers, although no job experience. The job I did in the military is unrelated to the IT field.

I am also pursuing a AAS in computer & inter-working technology at a local community college but I will be transferring to a university next fall and focusing on a BS in computer science. I tried applying for a few help desk jobs thru craigslist and monster.com and have had no luck. Is there other outlets I could try for entry level help desk, technician work? Also is it unrealistic to find a job that's at least $13.50/hr?

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Comments

MentholMoose

It's really tough out there, especially at the entry level from what I've heard. You can post up your resume to get comments and critiques. Since you are a student, you can look into internships, or IT jobs on campus. I was able to do both, and it helped a lot. Once you have the AAS, your resume will be even stronger, so you'll have better chances.

SteveLord

With prior service, you get a slight advantage with government jobs...from city up to federal levels. I always recommend those, along with colleges and hospitals. They all typically employ larger staffs so openings are more common and you'll already know all the names of them in your communities.

Don't rely on the likes of monster or careerbuilder. Get out to individual sites looking for open positions.

Where are you located and what areas are preferable?

mikej412

jotto wrote: »

I tried applying for a few help desk jobs thru craigslist and monster.com and have had no luck.

That's a start, but what did you do for the 2nd 1/2 hour of your job search?

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/59556-i-need-help-i-really-have-absolutely-no-job-getting-skills-all.html#post466395

tomahawkeer

A few good places to start looking, to just get your feet wet, would be Best Buy, local mom-and-pop computer shops, as well as your typical help desk / desktop support roles etc. If you don't have the experience, then setting up your own lab to do stuff is essential, you will learn a LOT just by doing that. You can also volunteer your time for a local church or what not. Yes the volunteer work doesn't pay you, but it gives you something more to put on your resume.

Also, with your military background, I would be looking at places that are requiring clearance, as they will like not having to pay to go through that process with someone else. Even if your not completely qualified for the position, it wont hurt to try! Like others here have said as well, help desk and desktop support roles currently, are hard to come by, and there is a LOT of competition. Just keep your head straight, and stay focused, and it will happen!

Nomad505

As for online job boards, check Dice.com and Indeed.com and see what they have as well. As for the salary, it all depends on what area you are in. Major metro areas will generally pay a little more. A+ is a good start but hard to land a job with just that.

ehnde

I was in your shoes in 2006. Believe it or not, being a veteran doesn't help very much in getting a job. I wish this weren't the case, but it's life. Coming out of the military is a serious shock when you hit the job market.

You're doing the right thing going to school. Just don't goof around like I did, you've started it. Make sure you finish it as quickly as possible. Some people will tell you school is optional, but I say it is not. It's more important than certifications. A B.S. in IT will take you places!

In the mean time, try looking up your state's job website. I was able to get a job working in corrections and my military background DID help get that job. State agencies are good about putting veterans first. It pays more than McDonald's, but not much more.