Some folks need a reality check....

L0gicB0mb508

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

Yeah, do something retarded and let some medical records get compromised. You'll find out just how big of a deal it is.

I'm offended.

erpadmin

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

You'll find out just how big of a deal it is.

LOL...Civil/Criminal penalities at the Federal level....lmao.....

Being fired from f'ing around with HIPAA will be the least of one's problems.

erpadmin

L0gicB0mb508 wrote: »

I'm offended.

I don't know if you're joking or not, but I really am as well.

Forsaken, if you could change the offending word, and be understanding about it, it would be very much appreciated it.

L0gicB0mb508

erpadmin wrote: »

I don't know if you're joking or not, but I really am as well.

Forsaken, if you could change the offending word, and be understanding about it, it would be very much appreciated it.

I was just joking. I have no soul.

L0gicB0mb508

Don't lie on your resume. However, if you cant dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullsh*t. I've met too many people that lie and I mean boldface lie on their resumes. I've worked with far too many MCSE's and CCNA's that couldn't handle the basics. I know exactly what OP is saying. Honesty is the key.

erpadmin

L0gicB0mb508 wrote: »

I was just joking. I have no soul.

I have a brother with a mentally debilitating condition. I won't have people crucified for using the "r" word, but it is a word I try to keep out of my vocabulary.

L0gicB0mb508

erpadmin wrote: »

I have a brother with a mentally debilitating condition. I won't have people crucified for using the "r" word, but it is a word I try to keep out of my vocabulary.

I have family members with mental disabilities myself, I just try not to be from the PC for everything crowd. I can understand this one though

erpadmin

L0gicB0mb508 wrote: »

I have family members with mental disabilities myself, I just try not to be from the PC for everything crowd. I can understand this one though

Believe me...this is the ONLY "PC" thing I actually respect and personally adhere to. But it will never be for "PC's" sake...I just wouldn't want to disrespect my brother/his condition/those like my brother.

That's actually the only thing I care about in the PC realm....everything else, not so much.

Forsaken_GA

erpadmin wrote: »

I don't know if you're joking or not, but I really am as well.

Forsaken, if you could change the offending word, and be understanding about it, it would be very much appreciated it.

Alright, alright!

chmorin

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

Alright, alright!

He has a soul!

Forsaken_GA

erpadmin wrote: »

LOL...Civil/Criminal penalities at the Federal level....lmao.....

Being fired from f'ing around with HIPAA will be the least of one's problems.

Yeah, the individual consequences are no fun. The problem is that it also reflects badly on the company, and can have a direct and immediate effect on revenue. (Not to mention the strain it puts on the people that have to work late/extra in order to put controls in place to make sure it doesn't happen again).

Forsaken_GA

chmorin wrote: »

He has a soul!

Lies!

nah, I just don't think it's worth turning a good thread into a debate over political correctness just because I don't like to watch my mouth. It wasn't an unreasonable request.

Forsaken_GA

And actually, while I'm thinking about it -

Forums like this are a wonderful place to practice for interviews. They say there's no better way to learn about a subject than to teach it, and I think that's pretty true. Some of the posts I've answered here and other places have helped me out when I have an interviewer sitting across from me asking me about the technologies, because I've already had the experience of explaining it, and gotten the benefit of seeing people respond to it with follow up questions, so I've been able to refine my answers and learn how to more effectively communicate.

So if you see someone ask a question, particularly if it's one that's left hanging, take a stab at answering it. If you can't answer, take some time to do some research into it, and if you can understand the answer, try and explain it. You'll be educating yourself, helping someone else out, and honing your social interaction skills. It's win-win all around.

ilcram19-2

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

Ok, we need to address this sense of entitlement you seem to feel.

The candidates that I interivew? I don't know them. They're not my friends. They're not my family. I'm not sleeping with them. So they don't automatically gain preferential status. If I recommend the hiring of the wrong person, and that person has a negative effect on the company or my department, that has a negative effect on my livelyhood. I take that very seriously.

We live in a capitalist society. Everyone is expected to make their own way. I'm willing to sit down and talk with anyone who's willing to step up and say they can do the job, but I'm going to make damn sure they can before I accept them as one of my own.



Yeah, do something mentally challenged and let some medical records get compromised. You'll find out just how big of a deal it is.

hahahha!!! what i meant was that it wasnt so hard to understand and create a proccess around it to cover our a$$e$ hahahha!!!

msteinhilber

ilcram19-2 wrote: »

no and the funny part if you do answer all the question right they get intimidated and would tell you that you over qualify for the position; im pretty sure whoever stared this thread wouldnt hire some that know as much as them or more; it bothers me when people think they are the big sh%$ when they arent any one can be as good as any one

Taking a lot of time to chime in on a thread with such a strong opinion yet you didn't even take a moment to see who the OP was. That's another thing that can lead to good interviews, researching and knowing your prospective employer...

Do you try to dumb yourself down when going into an interview? Here's the deal, if they are asking you questions - they are either instructed to ask those questions (and they may or may not know the answers to them) or they are the one's who prepared the questions (and know the answers to them - therefore the logic behind seeming over-qualified is pretty silly.

I can't imagine walking into an interview and fearing they will think I'm overqualified. If my resume and my knowledge within my head are enough to make me seem overqualified, I'm applying for the wrong job and doing myself a significant disservice.

ltgenspecific

ilcram19-2 wrote: »

no and the funny part if you do answer all the question right they get intimidated and would tell you that you over qualify for the position; im pretty sure whoever stared this thread wouldnt hire some that know as much as them or more; it bothers me when people think they are the big sh%$ when they arent any one can be as good as any one

I just got around to reading the whole thread instead of skimming it.

1. From my HR perspective, if you think you're over qualified for the position and are worried you're going to intimidate an HR person or hiring manager by stating your 1337 sk1llz, you've got another thing coming.

2. I get that this is a forum, but if this is a display of your relative writing skills (and your in-person attitude reflects the same arrogance) it's not you being really good at something that's not getting you the job. **Nothing personal here, I assure you.**

If you come off as good or great and eager to learn but not cocky and entitled you'll have more succcess in the market.

ilcram19-2

ltgenspecific wrote: »

I just got around to reading the whole thread instead of skimming it.

1. From my HR perspective, if you think you're over qualified for the position and are worried you're going to intimidate an HR person or hiring manager by stating your 1337 sk1llz, you've got another thing coming.

2. I get that this is a forum, but if this is a display of your relative writing skills (and your in-person attitude reflects the same arrogance) it's not you being really good at something that's not getting you the job. **Nothing personal here, I assure you.**

If you come off as good or great and eager to learn but not cocky and entitled you'll have more succcess in the market.

im doing very well in the market, i never been fired or rejected im usually the guy that gets the job and does it well, but id like to take in to consideration other factors of how people are, they way they are and what makes them to be that way, may be for some people it was really hard to be where they are or to get a certification; for me it hanst i was always first in school and i've always got lucky metting the right poeple and the right jobs to have a successful career but alot of people doesnt, some of them have the wrong attitud but the luck or good attitude but bad luck i just belived that we just need to cosider other factors
i cant really explain why they lie on their resumes but there is probably a reason behind it
i know there isnt jobs for everyone but sometime they just need an oportunity a moment to shine where they feel self fullfil rather then make them feel like sh$$# on a interview,
i've been working on IT since the age of 13 and the guy that gave me first job i ask him after a few year why he game that chance he responded that he wasnt going to cuz i was young and didnt have experiance but then he say why not? so look at me know after 13 years im now 26 and still in IT.

SharkyMarky

I agree that some people are crossing the line from looking good to just plain lying on their resume. I worked in a NOC for a period of time during the late nineties. Before going there, I had a few different interviews for various positions within the same NOC, and each one seemed to focus heavily on Linux and Unix experience.

I openly acknowledged during each interview that I had a limited background in linux/unix at that time, but I showed my aptitude for being a quick learner throughout the interview by providing information of some of the projects I had been on and various skills I had a lot of strength in. I was offered a position as an entry level analyst with the group that troubleshoots consumer connectivity via dialup or TCP/IP connection.

After working there for a few months, I found myself drowning in a sea of telecom issues I had no experience in whatsoever up to that point. While doing ticket reconciliations with vendors who provided the dialup modem facilities, I found myself frantically jotting down verbatim what the tech was rattling off as the fix action and not understanding a thing he or she said, and then typing this into a trouble ticket. Eventually through on-the-job training with coworkers, I got a better idea of what to expect, but it was initially very frustrating to come into that situation feeling so unprepared.

The use of Linux and Unix was by comparison a very small part of the daily routine and I only used a linux box occasionally to view network traffic graphs. I ended up leaving the employer, and found something more enjoyable. I came to realize during my interview with my current employer that I not only had solid technical skills for the job, but also that I would have a lot to contribute, which has proven to be the case year after year. Why can't all interviews be like that?

Since my NOC experience, I have learned to take some of these job description requirements with a bit of salt, especially when I see pie-in-the-sky experience/education requirements with an entry-level salary. I'm left to wonder what are the most important skills the hiring manager is really looking for, and how much the skills are really used. I think if both the employer and the candidate were candid about their expectations, more employers would be able to keep and retain talented employees, and candidates would know what they truly need to get the job they want.

wolverene13

erpadmin wrote: »

Yup...huge multi-national and/or one that supports the evil Rat and crew....lmao....


Nothing says money like Disney money....


(The wife doesn't want me feeding my anti-Disney rants on our kids, if we ever have them...I have made no promises.... )

Not multi-national, but it's the third largest Telco in the U.S., right behind AT&T and Verizon -- you'd be surprised though, most people have never even heard of us. We just bought Qwest, so that will probably change.

wolverene13

erpadmin wrote: »

Yup...huge multi-national and/or one that supports the evil Rat and crew....lmao....


Nothing says money like Disney money....


(The wife doesn't want me feeding my anti-Disney rants on our kids, if we ever have them...I have made no promises.... )

You'd be surprised (or maybe not) on how little those guys at Disney get paid. You have to be top dog to make anything over there, in any position. The only people who make any money are their "Imagineers." If I had to work there, I'd off myself immediately.

falcon101

Since i am moving up to a another great managerial opportunity, I had to interview few techs yesterday to fill the position of IT Technician. The company decided to "eliminate" the IT Manager position that I held and down size to a tech position to save money.

I am NOT a know-it-all guy and don't claim to be one EVER. I have my faults and tech areas where i need to work on (scripting, advance AD and Cisco knowledge etc.) BUT:

-If you are putting CCNA on your resume PLEASE know the basic interfaces on a router!!

-If you are claiming to be a server tech PLEASE know the BASIC requirements to set up a DC

-If you are claiming to be a networking guru DON'T call the Ethernet cable, "the blue thing"

-If you have experience with Windows 98, 2000 (OK, ill let this go for now since I'm a Win2K MCSA ) NO need to gloat about it!!

-If you are claiming to be professional customer support service rep, DON'T blame your past challenges on everyone else BUT you.


On the other hand, I interviewed 2 guys who might not be experts or had advance knowledge with Servers and Networks but their positive attitude, personality, communication skills and method of engagement got them high marks in my book.

wweboy

So I've worked help desk for almost 5 years now. All my certifications have been aimed at the help desk type of role but I'm tiring of help desk. I've always been under the impression if I work hard, do my job and if need to go above beyond (come early, fill in for folks etc) that I will get rewarded.

Is my line of thinking wrong? should I stop thinking like this? the only reason I'm studying is because I want to move into systems administrator type positions and I feel unless I get my certification in MCITP:EA or whatever proves I can do the job (even though a lot of stuff comes from learning day to day)

I was the most recent hire at the job I'm working at and my assistant manager showed me some of the resumes and man I can't believe the mistakes For example he turns to me and says hey your Microsoft certified aren't you? of course he knows he interviewed me he asks if I have my MSCE? it took a second to dawn on me what he was asking because I kept correcting him but wow.

I've never been in any kind of hiring manager or anything just a help desk grunt so seeing this stuff in person was hilarious.

MentholMoose

wweboy wrote: »

So I've worked help desk for almost 5 years now. All my certifications have been aimed at the help desk type of role but I'm tiring of help desk. I've always been under the impression if I work hard, do my job and if need to go above beyond (come early, fill in for folks etc) that I will get rewarded.

Is my line of thinking wrong? should I stop thinking like this? the only reason I'm studying is because I want to move into systems administrator type positions and I feel unless I get my certification in MCITP:EA or whatever proves I can do the job (even though a lot of stuff comes from learning day to day)

Doing your current job well isn't enough since it doesn't prove you can do a higher level job well. It's great you are doing a good job, and you should continue doing so since it shows you have good traits, but to advance you must show you can do more. Hiring managers want to be safe, and it is a risk to promote you to a higher level role unless they are reasonably assured you can handle the responsibilities. Certs can help with this, but having actual experience is even better.

When I was a jr. sysadmin, which basically was a mix of desktop support and help desk, I took care of my responsibilities, but I made every effort to do any higher level task I could. The sysadmin team found that they could delegate more and more responsibilities to me, and I helped them with projects however I could. Furthermore, I found some tasks that would be beneficial but weren't being done at all, and took on the responsibility of handling them. When a position on the sysadmin team opened up, I got promoted. I had proven that I could handle the job by doing a lot of stuff that was previously handled by them, and having experience with much of what they were still doing.

Unfortunately, I don't think this path is possible in every environment. It may be difficult to be allowed to take on higher levels tasks, for various reasons. If that is the case at your work, I suggest looking for a job elsewhere.

Forsaken_GA

wweboy wrote: »

So I've worked help desk for almost 5 years now. All my certifications have been aimed at the help desk type of role but I'm tiring of help desk. I've always been under the impression if I work hard, do my job and if need to go above beyond (come early, fill in for folks etc) that I will get rewarded.

Is my line of thinking wrong? should I stop thinking like this? the only reason I'm studying is because I want to move into systems administrator type positions and I feel unless I get my certification in MCITP:EA or whatever proves I can do the job (even though a lot of stuff comes from learning day to day)

I was the most recent hire at the job I'm working at and my assistant manager showed me some of the resumes and man I can't believe the mistakes For example he turns to me and says hey your Microsoft certified aren't you? of course he knows he interviewed me he asks if I have my MSCE? it took a second to dawn on me what he was asking because I kept correcting him but wow.

I've never been in any kind of hiring manager or anything just a help desk grunt so seeing this stuff in person was hilarious.

It's not enough to just do your job satisfactorily. That just keeps you the job you've got (and sometimes, not even then). You have to go above and beyond. Volunteer to help with things, actively seek opportunities to involve yourself. Smile. Dress nice, even if you don't have to. What you want is for people to remember you, and to remember you in a positive way. That is how you advance within a company.

Now, there's a couple pitfalls there - Never miss an opportunity for self promotion (but try not to do it at someone elses expense). Don't just volunteer for any little thing and then go do it, make sure someone KNOWS you did it, and that you'd be interested in taking on a larger job role. Otherwise you'll just end up setting yourself up for exploitation. You need to recognize whether that's the case or not. You also need to make sure that there actually *IS* opportunity for growth. If the company has one guy doing the job you want to do, and he's been doing it for 10 years, and there's no expansion plans to where he might could use some help, and your only possibility for career advancement is for him to quit or die, then you might want to focus your efforts on finding a place that actually has some upward mobility.

And finally, this is the most important part - it's a game of inches. Unless you are blessedly lucky, or know the right people, your rise to power will not be meteoric. Seek to try and improve your lot a small bit each day.

Oh, and when you actually get there, don't sit on your laurels. You actually have to maintain. You set a certain standard of performance to get there, so make damn sure you keep it.

staub81

wow,
This has got to be one of the greatest threads I have read on this board.. maybe anywhere. So much helpful information.

I have a degree, a couple certs and 10 years experience, but still feel incredibly insecure about my knowledge and ability. (I've been the only IT guy in a small shop for 10 years, no one to compare my knowledge with.)

This thread (especially the info from interviewers) made me feel very confident when the time comes for me to go interview for a position.

Armymanis

That was a good read, hey is 4 months about right to finish the A+? That is how long it took me to finish the certification. I am just wondering if it takes anyone this long or if it takes a shorter amount of time. Usually takes me 4-8 months depending upon how hard the cert is. I am hoping the N+ will only take me 5-6 months.

CodeBlox

Not to be one of the two who bumped a slightly old thread but, I like Turgon's advice about the help desk. Though I haven't been given the opportunity to prove myself, I think I would perform excellent and make progression over the time. I'm one of those guys with zero work experience but is really willing to put in the time to work hard. Heck, I'd take ANY shift available in a help desk, I just need to get in -_-. Should be finishing A+ this thursday and will call back a few of the employers that told me to get it first. Sometimes I think my problem is I spend a little bit too much time searching for and reading threads like this one. This thread was a good read.

Hypntick

Armymanis wrote: »

That was a good read, hey is 4 months about right to finish the A+? That is how long it took me to finish the certification. I am just wondering if it takes anyone this long or if it takes a shorter amount of time. Usually takes me 4-8 months depending upon how hard the cert is. I am hoping the N+ will only take me 5-6 months.

Depends on how often you study etc. Also depends on how much previous experience you have with that sort of thing. I've seen people study for a week or even longer. For A+ it took me 2 weeks, same with Net+, Sec+ however took me a month to study for as I had no previous security experience aside from dealing with MAC filters etc.

Armymanis

Hypntick wrote: »

Depends on how often you study etc. Also depends on how much previous experience you have with that sort of thing. I've seen people study for a week or even longer. For A+ it took me 2 weeks, same with Net+, Sec+ however took me a month to study for as I had no previous security experience aside from dealing with MAC filters etc.

My usual study rate is 2 hours per day while studying for a certification. I sometimes do 3 depending upon how I feel.

plunk10

LoMo wrote: »

Good read.

agreed, I got to page 3, but am too busy to read this all at once. Subscribing to read later.