So many questions.

Just got my A+ and Network+, so i been looking for a entry level job, and just been full of questions. So i will list them now.

When emailing a company my resume what format should it be in? (.docx/.pdf/etc)
When sending a company a resume should i include a cover letter even though it is not requested?
Should I use the time to make a cover letter for every company personally, or should I make a general letter that i can easily edit
What are some websites where i can post my resume and look for job opportunities?
Should i include my candidate number on my resume so companies can easily validate my certification?
Under schooling should i mention the major that i am pursuing/even though not really planning on graduating?
Will it be easy to get a job without having a college degree?
Is it even worth applying at that at home Helpdesk mobojombo?
Do i even have a chance at getting a job with only these?

--- All i can think of involving applying

Is it possible to overdress for an interview?
Should I arrive early to the interview? If so should I wait until the exact time of the interview to approach the interviewer.
What do i do when i first approach the interviewer?
What type of questions do they ask?
Will they schedule an phone interview with me, or will they just randomly call me?
Shall I follow up the interview with like a thank you email?
If a question comes up about pay what should I say?
If asked why I want the job should i explain that i want for the experience and the income will help pay for certification exams?
If given the job how should i react when told?
Should I discuss my current schedule with Interviewer?
Do I bring a copy of my resume/cover letter with me?
Discuss transportation?
Show willingness to learn?

--- I am sorry about all the questions, but i'm just a bit nervous because i have been putting myself out there looking for jobs and just want to be sure i'm completely prepared. I mean yeah I want to get my Microsoft Certifications, and Cisco CCENT/CCNA and all those things but we all know its not cheap, so i figured trying to get entry level job will enable me to be able to get these. I have been studying for CCENT and i got the knowledge, but i don't have the money to take the exam, which is very stressful, but i will just continuing studying for these things, and they will benefit me by meeting the requirements in which the jobs are asking, but not having the paper that tells the company that i know it makes it hard to be considered and get me the interviews.

EDIT: I am 18 years old (no work or interview expirence)

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Comments

programmer24

how old are you

swisschris104

I edited it in i'm 18.

W Stewart

swisschris104 wrote: »

Just got my A+ and Network+, so i been looking for a entry level job, and just been full of questions. So i will list them now.
When emailing a company my resume what format should it be in? (.docx/.pdf/etc)

I think either should be fine unless a specific format is requested. doc may be the preferred format for most business but the manager at my previous job requested pdf format because the manager used arch linux which handled pdfs horribly.

swisschris104 wrote: »

When sending a company a resume should i include a cover letter even though it is not requested?

Should I use the time to make a cover letter for every company personally, or should I make a general letter that i can easily edit

I would make a cover letter regardless. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to make a general cover letter that summarizes what you want to say and then tailor it for a specific job. Just try not to accidentally upload the wrong cover letter.

swisschris104 wrote: »

What are some websites where i can post my resume and look for job opportunities?

Should i include my candidate number on my resume so companies can easily validate my certification?

monster.com, careerbuilder, dice.com(seems like more advanced posistions), indeed,simplyhired, linkedin. But I've always had the most luck with craigslist. That's because all of my jobs until now have been entry level. It's probaby the best placed to find employment starting out.

It's probably not necessary to include your candidate number. They will ask for it or a copy of your certification if they want proof of your certification but some jobs may not care what certs you have.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Under schooling should i mention the major that i am pursuing/even though not really planning on graduating?

Are you at least planning on finishing school somewhere down the road? Most employers that will accept someone currently in school for a position that requires a degree do so because they assume that you'll have a degree eventually. They also like the ambition it shows with you going to school and working. The currently attending school thing loses it's appeal if you don't plan on finishing. If a degree or pursuit of a degree isn't a requirement, then it probably won't hurt to have your school on your resume but if they're expecting something out of you attending school then they may be a little disappointed.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Will it be easy to get a job without having a college degree?

It's possible. Many people will even tell you that it's possible to climb the IT latter and get a high paying job without a degree and they would be right. But if you can finish school then it's only going to benefit your career in the long run. Sooner or later, you're going to get old and age discrimination will make it more difficult for you to land certain jobs. A degree can help you move into a management role or a teaching role at a school or when combined with your resume, may just get you that IT job over a younger person who lacks your experience and educational background. Also, a lot of jobs that require a degree or at least prefer one will require you to have a lot more experience(often twice as much) if you don't have a degree. It's hard to finish school while working but things will work out a lot better for you in the long run. Certifications expire. A degree doesn't.

Now as far as easy. It should be easy to get an entry level job without a degree. It's the more advanced jobs that ask for degrees but with the right experience you can usually get around the degree requirement. The tricky part is getting the right experience. We don't know what the job market or the economy is going to look like in the long run so every advantage helps.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Is it even worth applying at that at home Helpdesk mobojombo?

I've applied to them and have worked at one. The pay was ridiculously low and I left after a week when I found a real job. I've also applied to and been hired by another work at home job that paid what was actually a decent wage for my area but for other areas may be considered a low wage. The company however still had plenty of bad employee reviews and complaints and they pushed my training class back indefinitely so by the time they called me to start, I already had a real job paying a little bit more.l For an entry level job, it can be worth it if the pay is consistent with entry level jobs for your area and if you're gaining at least some decent entry level IT experience. It also beats a long commute but in the long run it doesn't beat getting hands on experience. If it becomes your first opportunity, I wouldn't pass it up since you need to get your foot in the door, but don't stay for too long.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Do i even have a chance at getting a job with only these?

By these, do you mean A+ and Network+? If so then sure just as long as you're resume looks good and you present yourself appropriately in the interview and you have the knowledge to back those certs. I didn't have my A+ when I applied for my first job and it's very possible to get a job without a certification. If you can convince them through your resume and an interview that you have the skills they're looking for then you'll be just fine.

--- All i can think of involving applying

swisschris104 wrote: »

Is it possible to overdress for an interview?

Yes but it probably won't hurt you too much. Some places are more casual and they'll usually let you know what's appropriate for an interview. If not, just ask them and they shouldn't have a problem telling you. At most if you come overdressed it'll probably just give them something to talk about but it shouldn't affect their decision if they feel like you're right for the job.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Should I arrive early to the interview? If so should I wait until the exact time of the interview to approach the interviewer.

I always arrive early. If it's too early and it's a big building than you can sit in the parking lot and go unnoticed. I would say showing up anywhere from 10-15 minutes early is good.

swisschris104 wrote: »

What do i do when i first approach the interviewer?

Introduce yourself. You're new to the place so it's there job to show you to the interview room and anywhere else in the building that they might want to show you if they give you a tour.

swisschris104 wrote: »

What type of questions do they ask?

Questions relating to the job and how you would handle or have handled certain situations whether it be technical situations, customer service situations or depending on the job, a situation that just required you to think outside of the box. Some places may just ask you to tell them your past experiences with certain technology but for most entry level jobs, expect basic technical and customer service questions. It may even be on paper or computerized.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Will they schedule an phone interview with me, or will they just randomly call me?

You may get a random call from a recruiter who will ask you questions but most reputable businesses will schedule a phone interview with you by email since this is the 21st century and you are in the IT field. Don't be surprised if you get a random call though. Honestly, they can do it however they want to.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Shall I follow up the interview with like a thank you email?

It wouldn't be a bad idea but it's probably not expected and I never do as I may have only sent my resume to a craigslist post or something.

swisschris104 wrote: »

If a question comes up about pay what should I say?

Tell them what you expect but be reasonable based on the market salary for your skill set.

swisschris104 wrote: »

If asked why I want the job should i explain that i want for the experience and the income will help pay for certification exams?

Absolutely. Don't make it seem like you want to take what you can and run off but let them know that you want to get your foot in the door and advance your career. I wouldn't even mention a cert that you plan on getting if it's not relevant to any position the company is offering or may be able to offer down the line.

swisschris104 wrote: »

If given the job how should i react when told?

However you want just as long as you don't do something to get you fired before you're hired. I've wanted to act like an American idol contestant winner after getting a job but I typically keep my composure and just let them know in a calm manner that I'm very excited about the job. They're happy to know that I'm excited because they usually really want to hire me.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Should I discuss my current schedule with Interviewer?

If you have unavoidable obligations like school then be up front and they will usually try to work with you. I definitely wouldn't not tell them.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Do I bring a copy of my resume/cover letter with me?

I would just in-case. They should have it since you emailed it to them and they interviewed you based on what they read but I've had employers ask me if I brought my resume with me. That same employer turned out to be pretty incompetent. It may not be true of every manager but with certain people you notice all the signs.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Discuss transportation?

Pretty much any employer these days will expect you to provide your own reliable transportation. Whether you walk or ride a bike or take the bus, all they want to know is that you can get there on time. You don't need to discuss your mode of transportation unless it's on an application for some reason.

swisschris104 wrote: »

Show willingness to learn?

Of course. You have to continuously learn to remain employable in IT, especially if you want to move into the higher paying positions. Even working in a call center doing Dell tech support, we had to learn about new products that Dell released and in a small business where you may be touching everything technology related, you will at times have to learn new things so that you can implement them and make the company run more efficiently. If you're not learning anything new at your job, which could happen within the first few months of a call center job, It's time to start studying on your own so you can move on to something better. Never lose sight of where you're really trying to go in the IT field and have a realistic plan for how soon you want to get there. Having a decent amount of experience on your resume is important but that's going to come with time regardless so make sure the experience your getting is worth it.

swisschris104 wrote: »

--- I am sorry about all the questions, but i'm just a bit nervous because i have been putting myself out there looking for jobs and just want to be sure i'm completely prepared. I mean yeah I want to get my Microsoft Certifications, and Cisco CCENT/CCNA and all those things but we all know its not cheap, so i figured trying to get entry level job will enable me to be able to get these. I have been studying for CCENT and i got the knowledge, but i don't have the money to take the exam, which is very stressful, but i will just continuing studying for these things, and they will benefit me by meeting the requirements in which the jobs are asking, but not having the paper that tells the company that i know it makes it hard to be considered and get me the interviews.

EDIT: I am 18 years old (no work or interview experience)

Just don't be too picky about what job you'll take starting out, work very hard, learn anything you can even if it may be slightly outside of your scope of support. Ambition is the key to getting your foot in the door and advancing your career. Do as much research as you can on where you want to go and how to get there and you'll be moving up faster than you think.

swisschris104

Wow thank you for answering every single question in organized matter, it was helpful.