Stagnation

Hey Everyone,

Here's the deal, I'll lay it all out.

I got my BA in US History in 2008 with a minors in Communications Studies. Knowing there would be no teaching jobs for History degrees in CA or many other states after graduation but too late to change majors, I took my US Hist degree and promptly got to work with computers.

I've got my A+ and Net+ certifications, have held jobs as an Easy Resident Tech for Staples as well as a help desk position for Western Dental.

I've been unemployed now for 7 plus months, and am being passed over by "more qualified candidates" but have no idea what I am lacking.

My question is if I want to remain in the HD / Technical field of IT, what can I do to improve myself? Would Server+ or Security+ be good concepts to try and get certifications in? What about the MS route?

I'm not a programmer, not a telecom person, I really love to build and fix computers. I feel like my options are really limited, and looking for advice to either fish or cut bait and get out of this career field.

Any advice is appreciated.

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Comments

ITVince

How long did you hold the help desk position for? Your degree is good but its not in the field so that only holds a little bit of weight in my opinion. You're going to need higher certs. Do you want to do networking? Study Cisco...do you want to do Microsoft Sys Administration? Go for MCITP. The only thing youre really qualified to do at this point based on this post is Helpdesk work, try to find another Helpdesk Level 1 support job with a company and build you way up the ranks. I'd avoid getting any more ComTIA certs...they are entry level and you already have A+ and Net+ go for a more defined path...Cisco or Microsoft....

instant000

parttimetechie wrote: »

Hey Everyone,

Here's the deal, I'll lay it all out.

I got my BA in US History in 2008 with a minors in Communications Studies. Knowing there would be no teaching jobs for History degrees in CA or many other states after graduation but too late to change majors, I took my US Hist degree and promptly got to work with computers.

I've got my A+ and Net+ certifications, have held jobs as an Easy Resident Tech for Staples as well as a help desk position for Western Dental.

I've been unemployed now for 7 plus months, and am being passed over by "more qualified candidates" but have no idea what I am lacking.

My question is if I want to remain in the HD / Technical field of IT, what can I do to improve myself? Would Server+ or Security+ be good concepts to try and get certifications in? What about the MS route?

I'm not a programmer, not a telecom person, I really love to build and fix computers. I feel like my options are really limited, and looking for advice to either fish or cut bait and get out of this career field.

Any advice is appreciated.

As you're not much in a position to be splurging, the most economical route, at this point, may be to look at certs like the CCENT, and the Windows 7 MCTS. The A+ and Network+ are some of the more basic certs. Security+ is good, as it qualifies you for a lot of the Department of Defense opportunities. It hurts a little that your degree is not in IT, to be honest, but it might come in handy one day if you get a job doing IT for a Museum/Library or something.

If you were in my area, Security+ would be a good recommendation, due to the strong DoD presence in my area (several bases). In your area, I'm not so sure about that.

My best advice:

1. If possible, get the jobs to tell you what you are lacking. That is probably not going to happen. From what I can tell, you're low on certification, as you can't support a particular OS or network, as A+ and Network+ are vendor neutral. Your degree does not fall into IT either, as a previous poster pointed out.

2. Look at the job postings, and see what they are requiring. If you don't have it, then get it.

3. Contact your school, and see if they have any contacts to assist you.

4. Know anyone working IT in your area? Ask them for leads.

5. Still young enough and willing to travel and work hard? Join the military, and choose an IT job. Come out six years later with good experience, and be extremely marketable. (Advised to work on certs and education while in.)

drew726

Well theres a lot of folks who don't have any degrees at all. I've seen a lot of consulting work with job postings that prefer liberal arts majors maybe because they're more well-spoken. I was a computer science major and then transfered as an IT major to WGU, so I think you've probably done a lot more research papers than I have.

Everyone

instant000 wrote: »

5. Still young enough and willing to travel and work hard? Join the military, and choose an IT job. Come out six years later with good experience, and be extremely marketable. (Advised to work on certs and education while in.)

+1 to this. Although you only need to do 4 years. Air Force enlisted career fields starting with 3D are worth looking into. 3D0X2 for Systems Administration. 3D1X2 if you're more of a Network/Infrastructure type, or 3D0X3 if you like Security. I did 4 years as a 3C0X1 before they split the career field up into several 3D designations. Best thing I ever did.

instant000

Hah, I got ripped off then. My 74B (later re-numbered to 25B) required 6 years minimum! (Army).

EDIT: Also, thanks for explain what the 3C0, AND 3D numbers mean. The Air Force guys around here say it all the time, I didn't know what they were referring to, but since they weren't talking to me, didn't feel it was worth interjecting about, LOL.