Interviewing for Windows 7 Migration Technician and have some questions.

seth479

So from my jobs in other locations thread I decided to just wait until November to start looking in the area I decided on, Bentonville, AR. I'm currently prepping for my MCTS 70-680 which I should have completed by mid-October at the latest as my term ends in November. The position is through a recruiting agency I have dealt with in the past but never been able to get up there to interview for anything when they had it. The recruiter called me up the other day and said she had a 3-6 month contract project for a Windows 7 Migration Technician located around Bentonville, AR that starts in mid-October to early November, so it's coming together perfectly. If I get it I'll be back in the area with a job and able to begin to find something after the contract is up, not to mention a great addition to my resume as this is one of their larger clients.

So my questions are:
1. I'm going over the Deployment and Migration sections again and making sure I understand different deployment methods, image captures, cmd line syntax and parameters. Is there anything else you would recommend to be sure I know for XP to 7 migrations?
2. As for pay we haven't talked about it yet and I don;'t recall her saying the 680 is a requirement. What would you say is a good starting pay rate for this type of work? It's contract, no benefits and there will be 6-7 more guys so I'm not the only one doing it.
3. Anything particular I should ask for projects like this?

I go in to interview Thursday so kind of nervous but really hopeful as I want this really bad.

drsketch

Deployment today is accomplished through 'Windows deployment services'. It can handle pushing out an image to a single computer as well as multi-casting.
Basically you would build out a few images then deploy them to the respective departments.

Ask for as much money as possible. Counter the head hunter.

ptilsen

Actually, deployment is far more likely to be done using SCCM than just WDS.

It is worth finishing your 70-680, but the truth is as a "technician" they don't really need you to know much, if anything about how the deployment process works.

I can't give you specifics on the pay rate, but I can't imagine it will be a lot. Think of it as a stepping stone. It's experience that will help you get a full-time gig. It's not likely to be that lucrative. I've seen these sorts of contracts go anywhere from $14/hr to $25/hr, no benefits. Again, your mileage may vary, but I'd plan on the lower end of that spectrum.

Repo Man

As mentioned the images are most likely built already and you will simply be deploying them.

We contracted 2 guys to help us roll out 500 machines and all they did was PXE boot and pull the image down and document info into asset management. On top of that you might be doing manual data transfers and software installs. I've never seen a company use USMT.

seth479

Thanks guys, during the conversation we had she asked me about how I would use the cmd line to capture and deploy an image and they said they were hoping to get through 12-16 computers a week, even with 7 guys. I'm assuming that is 12-16 a week per guy, but I didn't think to ask when she mentioned it. I'm hoping it's more than just installing the image and troubleshooting minor errors. I would love to get some real hands on experience with the tools used to create the images but I know it'll probably be minimal if at all. I'm guessing it's probably installing and maybe using USMT, but I'll find out more Thursday.

In my virtual lab I have done my own deployments using Sysprep, ImageX, DISM, and WDS but I really need to get more comfortable with the cmd line syntax.

lantech

You might be asking what else you are going to be doing. 12 to 16 computers a week just doesn't sound right. Either they are going to have you doing other things or you might not be working 8 hour shifts. When I was doing a deployment we were expected to do at least 8 a day per tech.

seth479

Update: Since I was going to be in the area I decided to go ahead and find a couple other jobs I was interested in and try to setup an interview. I found a couple that really interested me and applied and so had two interviews today. The first being the Windows 7 stuff, it's through a staffing agency so a lot of the questions couldn't be or just wasn't answered so I'm hoping if I get an interview with the hiring manager it'll be better. The pay was I think $13-14, so not great but I can live with that for awhile.

The 2nd interview was with a large retailer in the area and they were looking for someone in their Control Room as an entry level mainframe operator. The minimum requirements were just 1 year of experience in IT, Retail or Customer Service(have) and preferred requirements was 1 years of mainframe support, 1 year of a ticket system like Remedy(have), 1 year of MS Office Suite(have) and a PC support background(have). I done the IBM Master the Mainframe a couple years back and loved it but never thought I'd get a chance to pursue anything like that. The interview went great though, met with the shift supervisor and ops mgr and they were cool, answered all my questions, showed me the control room where I would be working if I got it and I swear, I thought I was in heaven. There were at least 2 dozen green screen monitors set up and I really enjoyed the interview and getting to see some of what I would be doing. I felt pretty comfortable with my interview and should find out next week if I get a 2nd one.

I started out excited I had an interview for the Windows 7 Migration thing but after the 2nd interview with mainframes and more networking, I want it more than anything.

Macpro76

I just interviewed with Randstad Technologies. They had an interviewed me twice (phone). The job called for SCCM experience (if possible). The only Microsoft certs i have are MTAs (OS, server, network, security). They didn't even ask about SCCM or anything really technical. Just questions like, what issues do you think would arise during a migration? That was pretty easy. So, based on my resume and phone interviews, she offered $23/hr plus $0.57/mile and $50 for the use my my phone per month. Not bad.

I start next week with a company in RI (sorry can't say where - non disclosure and all). Its about a 45 minute drive for me. But its for 6 months. this is great since i live in the Northeast and around here, Tech jobs are hard to come by in the fall and winter months.

My designation is Level 2 Windows 7 Migration Specialist.

best of luck.

Polynomial

Macpro76 wrote: »

I start next week with a company in RI (sorry can't say where - non disclosure and all).

Not secret enough for your LinkedIn though?

Haunt

seth479 wrote: »

Thanks guys, during the conversation we had she asked me about how I would use the cmd line to capture and deploy an image and they said they were hoping to get through 12-16 computers a week, even with 7 guys. I'm assuming that is 12-16 a week per guy, but I didn't think to ask when she mentioned it. I'm hoping it's more than just installing the image and troubleshooting minor errors. I would love to get some real hands on experience with the tools used to create the images but I know it'll probably be minimal if at all. I'm guessing it's probably installing and maybe using USMT, but I'll find out more Thursday.

In my virtual lab I have done my own deployments using Sysprep, ImageX, DISM, and WDS but I really need to get more comfortable with the cmd line syntax.

Knowing the command line is important, especially in the early preparation with building your images and especially for the cert exam. Once you start getting into WDS though, you can easily automate everything with answer files to the point where you won't need to do anything in the command line. I recently dove into a lot of WDS material and have been practicing with it and man, it is awesome how much you can automate and how little you really have to do once you have it all setup. Now I want to find out more about MDT 2010 and see how it can work with WDS to automate even further like with application deployments and drivers.

brentw722

I actually do a lot of imaging during the summer due to working for a college. 8 to 16 does seem pretty low. I do about 30 a day using PXE Boot combined with Ghost- blahh. I do use answer files to automate everything besides entering a computer name. Ive been playing around with MDT and WDS, so I am pretty much ready to say goodbye to Ghost once in for all. Just have to convince the boss of how much time it actually saves compared to Ghost where we send an image up before sysprep then another after sysprepping the machine.

NavyIT

Polynomial wrote: »

Not secret enough for your LinkedIn though?

Got em'