Sticky Situation

Certinator

Hey Guys,

Im stuck in a tough spot and need your help! I got my degree back in 2007 in Computer electronics engineering but I have yet to land an IT job. Im currently working as a printed circuit board technician but I prefer to be in the IT field fixing computers or network issues. I tried to land a IT position at my current job but they only have to Desktop Support techs that handle the whole building and I don't see them going anywhere anytime soon. I obtained my A+ and Security+ over the last couple of years to keep my skills relevant and boost my chances of landing a job in my career field and Im working on my Net+ now. Do you guys have any advice on how to get my foot in the door?

bgold87

I started in tech support for and ISP and then springboarded to helpdesk then on to desktop support and so on. I would start looking for helpdesk jobs in your area. Start there and then work your way up. My only advice is don't get comfortable until you get where you want to be. Once you land the helpdesk soak as much up as you can, and when you feel like you've peaked, start looking for the next level gigs.

beads

Suspect you may be in a smaller market rather than a major market/big city. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong but it will make a huge difference to know what your local market may or may not be like. Below is some fairly generic advice.

Outside of the usual advice as to doing some volunteer time for a local charity or startup business I would suggest looking into Geek Squad for after hours work, maybe Craigslist for some paid repair work etc. Really depends on, again, your local market which may feel thin compared to say Chicago or Texas. What your really looking for outside of some experience are contacts and more importantly a couple of standup references. Success breeds more success - no matter what field you seek employment.

Check LinkedIn for other folks in your area and connect when reasonable or possible as there will always been a hidden market for talent. If there is any type of after hours IT community get together like ChiSec (Chicago Security), MAKE groups etc. Never hurts to get your face out there, be enthusiastic and polite. Ask questions and be earnest in your willingness to learn and make contacts. We have deluded ourselves for years that IT people don't need soft skills only technical skills to get in and keep our positions. Want a job? I heard tale that McDonald's is always hiring. Want a position? Work those technical and soft skills (social networking), etc.

Know any business people? Say a Rotary member? Perhaps you can tag along. Someone may be able to sponsor you a bit at a meeting. Make friends and contacts. Again, be earnest not desperate in your search. Desperate comes across more negatively then anything else. Remember your interest reflects your ongoing commitment to the position. Being perceived as anything but a positive force for the ongoing organizational effort means your internal perception will be that of a drag. No one wants to work with the cranky IT guy at any level. Always ask yourself: Would you want to work with someone like me? Am I perceived as solving work problems or the obstacle to solving those problems?

Yep. Its nearly always been like this breaking into the field and many more but not as difficult as say breaking into Journalism or Museum Curator fields.

Help us out here and fill in some blanks and you'll have more advice than you could think possible.

- B Eads

stryder144

There are many great threads here about your type of situation. Take the time to read them, as they will provide some interesting nuggets of information.

I would see if you could get to the Desktop Support job in your present company, if you can. It is easier to get a job from within a company than from without. As such, you would then start building professional IT experience, which might be essential to getting to the type of job you want in the future. As for how to proceed from there, I will defer to those with much more experience in the IT field. I was able to land a job in a NOC with my certs and no experience, but I did get the job because it was part of a new technical training program that the company started. Very entry level. Plus, it didn't hurt that the company is very veteran friendly.

Good luck.

stryder144

I second beads Geek Squad advice. I took a job as a Consultation Agent with them in April. Two-fold reason: 1. I have the A+ but my full-time job didn't put it to use. I wanted professional experience after getting it. 2. I needed an additional job during my career transition, and this one was perfect for it.

Since I work closely with our customers, and my soft skills are well-developed, I meet people from all over the state. As such, I've made some fantastic contacts. You would be amazed at how many people will give you their card after you've spent time listening to them and making sure that their needs are met. You never know when one of them will come through for you when you need it most.

Cheers

Certinator

Thanks Guys! This is all great advice and I will use it as motivation to keep pursuing my goals. Much Appreciated! I do think I need to build my technical and soft skills because I can recall a couple of interviews I bombed for not giving a good description on how to troubleshoot certain issues. I've always been more of the hands on person that can show you better than telling you. I will continue reading more threads and gaining valuable wisdom from you guys!

Tremie24

Just get your resume on point, meaning get it check out and critiqued. Then just start applying to helpdesk jobs, even if they call for 2 years experience. I'm in the same boat as you, still looking to land my first IT gig. Currently doing some contract work for an IT staffing place, but I wouldn't recommend going to IT recruiters/staffing places, just because they won't really help you unless you have experience. But once you start getting you resume out there and applying for job you should hear back from some people. I have, I've been on about 5 IT interviews and I don't have any IT experience.