Hello,
First post but and sorry if this becomes a text ****. I have been browsing these forums for quite some time now. I will try to make this post short and to the point, but basically I am a recent college graduate (<1year) with a degree in Management Information Systems who has been trying desperately break into the IT field since completion of school. I had interviewed for a variety of positions since graduating but just never seem to get the position, whether it be for lack of experience, lack of technical expertise, etc. As I am sure most of you know, the MIS degree is geared towards more the Project Management, Systems Analysis, IT management types of roles... which are obviously not attainable with the experience level a recent college graduate like myself has. Anyway... because of this I have been aiming towards trying to get my foot in the door with an entry level HelpDesk position as myself and others I have spoke with (feel free to offer an opposing opinion) feel this is the best way to break into the industry.
I am currently studying for A+ and am hoping to bang that out ASAP. I should also note that I have been building PCs, and tinkering with routers, networking, and other various technologies since I was in grade school, what I mean to convey is that I have found while studying for the A+, that I am seem to be very comfortable with most of the literature but am spending the time studying for it nonetheless. Reason I say this is because I found many other students in my MIS program as almost technologically/computer illiterate. This is a large nationally accredited University, not a tech school. I have taken classes on java, sql, overview of TCP/IP and OSI, and various other "MIS" type classes like Enterprise Systems and Systems Analysis and Design and Electronic Commerce (web design), all of which are I enjoyed very much and may be of great use at the admin level, but are not really applicable to a help desk role... which is where my question comes in.
I am currently working as an IT Assistant helping various employees in an office setting with the MOST BASIC of software and troubleshooting issues, it was a job so I took it and I suppose at this point anything can help my resume. I have been working with an IT recruiter who is very familiar with my background/strengths/skills etc. He has secured a phone interview for me with a position in Desktop Support. He says that I am a little "light" experience wise in what they are looking for, but they wanted someone with a degree who they could "mold" and build up within their company, rather than a seasoned Desktop veteran. I have no "professional" Desktop/Helpdesk experience... here is the description.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Provide support and problem resolution to users via phone, in-person, email, and/or remotely
- Create, respond, and monitor tickets in the primary ticket queue (Altiris)
- Active Directory (reporting, creation and modification of objects)
- Escalate issues as necessary to proper support groups within IT
- End user device support (ex. printers, scanners, and faxes)
- Smartphone hardware and service support
- Software installation (via Altiris or source installation)
- Miscellaneous hardware requests
- Manage 3rd party suppliers and service providers
- Additional tasks as assigned by the Desktop Manager
Mandatory Requirements:
- Excellent written and verbal communications and interpersonal skills
- Working knowledge of computer systems and hardware including back-end components
- High responsiveness to user request and good time management skills
- Must exhibit a team-oriented approach
- Some minimal travel may be required
- Degree in technology discipline or equivalent experience is preferred
Skills:
- Experience with Windows 7 and Office 2010
- Experience with Active Directory and Exchange Management Console
- Familiarity with VMWare and Citrix XenDesktop
- Familiarity with Altiris Console and Notification Server
- Experience supporting a Virtualized Desktop Infrastructure
- Understanding of IT Infrastructure technologies and related technologies.
My question is, what should I be prepared to discuss in this interview and how should I leverage my lack of experience. They have obviously seen my resume, and although I have ZERO experience using VMWare or working in a VDI I am familiar with
virtualization and how it functions. The same can be said for active directory, I have read and researched AD and find myself comfortable discussing, but as far as actually using it in a professional setting, I can not speak on. Basically these two issues are my only concern, and my recruiter seems to think that conveying knowledge of VDI and Virtualization principles will be key. So my question basically is, how to highlight knowledge of these topics without actual practical use in an interview. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated guys. Awesome forum.
