What are the IT positions heirachy for Desktop Support and Networking+length of time?

Armymanis

Hello Everyone,

For an enthusiastic beginner IT professional like myself, what are all the IT positions of the Desktop Support and Networking field? Also how long should you stay at each position as you advance in the Desktop Support or Networking field?

Thought this would help beginner IT professionals like myself. Please include everything from Desktop Technician, to Help Desk to System admin. Also include NOC technician, Network admin, and Network engineer and all the in-between IT positions + length of time needed to spend in each position in order to move to the next.

willanderson1111

I've been in DS for 1.5 yrs. I am trying to move into a SA position but making a lateral move within my company seems to be almost impossible.

LoMo

It really depends on the person and responsibilities of the position to be honest. Help Desk is not the same everywhere you go.

xenodamus

It's hard to base things on titles, because they differ everywhere you go. However, the places I have worked went something like this:

Helpdesk > Desktop Support > Jr. Sys Admin > Sr. Sys Admin/Engineer

NOC Technician > Jr. Network Engineer > Sr. Network Engineer

As far as time spent in a position, my philosophy has always been to move on when I'm not learning anything new or being challenged on a daily basis. That could mean asking for more responsibility in your current position or finding it elsewhere.

Turgon

Armymanis wrote: »

Hello Everyone,

For an enthusiastic beginner IT professional like myself, what are all the IT positions of the Desktop Support and Networking field? Also how long should you stay at each position as you advance in the Desktop Support or Networking field?

Thought this would help beginner IT professionals like myself. Please include everything from Desktop Technician, to Help Desk to System admin. Also include NOC technician, Network admin, and Network engineer and all the in-between IT positions + length of time needed to spend in each position in order to move to the next.

Things were very loose when I started out and the hierarchy of today just wasn't there except in very large organisations. It was much easier to progress as a consequence. The problem helpdesk people have is it generally thankless and it's a requirement for organisations to have people in there. So you get a lot of people sticking around for a long time. There is also a large queue of people waiting for their first break so that puts pressure on helpdesk people to perform. In a lot of companies sitting above the helpdesk tier and holding down the job you would like to do, you have 30/40 somethings that have progressed as far as they will go or wish to. They have wives, kids, mortgages and a pension pot. They are not moving.

So you may have to move around a fair bit yourself to get the exposure you need and the experience. You are young so you could go for contract experience then after a few years sell it on to prospective permanent employer as great exposure at a time in your life when you are ready to throw your lot in with a company for the long term. Large companies do like to bring in outsiders who have been around.

Armymanis

Turgon wrote: »

Things were very loose when I started out and the hierarchy of today just wasn't there except in very large organisations. It was much easier to progress as a consequence. The problem helpdesk people have is it generally thankless and it's a requirement for organisations to have people in there. So you get a lot of people sticking around for a long time. There is also a large queue of people waiting for their first break so that puts pressure on helpdesk people to perform. In a lot of companies sitting above the helpdesk tier and holding down the job you would like to do, you have 30/40 somethings that have progressed as far as they will go or wish to. They have wives, kids, mortgages and a pension pot. They are not moving.

So you may have to move around a fair bit yourself to get the exposure you need and the experience. You are young so you could go for contract experience then after a few years sell it on to prospective permanent employer as great exposure at a time in your life when you are ready to throw your lot in with a company for the long term. Large companies do like to bring in outsiders who have been around.

Turgon,

That is exactly what I am doing while I am going to school is contract positions during the summertime. I was just wondering what positions do i have to pass through to get me to System admin or network admin.

drew726

xenodamus wrote: »

It's hard to base things on titles, because they differ everywhere you go. However, the places I have worked went something like this:

Helpdesk > Desktop Support > Jr. Sys Admin > Sr. Sys Admin/Engineer

NOC Technician > Jr. Network Engineer > Sr. Network Engineer

As far as time spent in a position, my philosophy has always been to move on when I'm not learning anything new or being challenged on a daily basis. That could mean asking for more responsibility in your current position or finding it elsewhere.

Is it okay to go from NOC to Jr. Sys Admin? I always notice the requirements for a Jr. Sys Admin job is lesser than a Jr. network engineer. Actually I rarely see any Jr. Net Engineer jobs posted. I went from Help desk to NOC is why

LoMo

drew726 wrote: »

Is it okay to go from NOC to Jr. Sys Admin? I always notice the requirements for a Jr. Sys Admin job is lesser than a Jr. network engineer. Actually I rarely see any Jr. Net Engineer jobs posted. I went from Help desk to NOC is why

If someone will take you then yeah. Depends on the company and their requirements.

Turgon

Armymanis wrote: »

Turgon,

That is exactly what I am doing while I am going to school is contract positions during the summertime. I was just wondering what positions do i have to pass through to get me to System admin or network admin.

That really depends on the experience you obtain doing contracting and who is doing the hiring.

xenodamus

drew726 wrote: »

Is it okay to go from NOC to Jr. Sys Admin? I always notice the requirements for a Jr. Sys Admin job is lesser than a Jr. network engineer. Actually I rarely see any Jr. Net Engineer jobs posted. I went from Help desk to NOC is why

There is no right or wrong way to progress upward. It's really more about the experience you gain in each position. Sys Admins tend to come from desktop support backgrounds because the work you do as a desktop tech is the foundation of System Administration skills.

Network Engineers tend to come from NOC teams because the knowledge and skills build upon what you are already doing.

You can move any direction you like, it just may be harder to get System Administration experience when you're working in a NOC. I just left a position as a Desktop Tech/Jr. Sys Admin to work as a Network Engineer. It was tricky because although I have years of experience, it was mostly working with Microsoft PCs and Servers. I had to make up for my lack of experience with self study and certification. I knew I wanted to work with Networks as a long term career path, so I studied and passed the CCNA. I also tried to get involved with any projects at work that might let me put my hands on routers or switches. The CCNA plus a small amount of real world experience was enough to help me make the transition.

Howling Monkey

Your career path will be effected by the company you choose to work for. For example(its all about me), my company has 200 users and 4 locations within 2 hours of each other.
My IS manager is a software engineer, and doesn't have much of a background in networking. My job title is "PC Support Tech", and I do everything. I support users with replacing a shortcut on their desktop to building and installing a new server for our accounting department. The past 18 months have been a great learning experience, and I now have skills with experience to offer to an employer.
The downside is I don't have anyplace where to go with my current company. We have a IS manager and three techs. In 6-12 months I will look for something that pays more then my $23 per/hr position.
Take a honest look at your knowledge, and work on filling in the gaps. Join projects when ever possible.

kurosaki00

I worked tech support for around half a year
then worked in a call center for cell phones for a month

Then landed a job as a Network Admin, worked there for 6 months, I did good, helped a lot of old stacked work to go out and then t hey offered me a permanent job as a system admin. Im here right now.


Usually I also think is something like crap>Tech Support/Help Desk>Admin>Engineer>Manager

But again, depends on the position, sometimes the "names" are not what you think
example I was a Network Engineer/Admin
and I did stuff I wouldnt ever have considered doing as a network admin
Call carriers, set up mobile connections, vpn configuration, troubleshooting, monitoring, templates
Very diverse stuff that many of it wasnt your usual network admin stuff

Pay more attention to the job description and duties more than the tittle itself.
You can have an amazing Help Desk and a bleh Network Admin or vice versa

SteveLord

No one can accurately predict this as it is ultimately determined by you and your employer(s).