Does this type of IT work lead anywhere?

The company I work for has me doing PC deployments for a government organization. I've been at this for about 3 months now and we are expecting this project to go on for another 3 months maybe longer.

I'm not on a contract so it doesn't matter when the project ends I will have work doing something else. Question I'm thinking to myself is where does work experience like this lead? I feel like I would be better at help desk and that kind of work would add more meat to my resume so to speak.

My current plan is to finish my B.S by the end of the year and slowly try and see if I can somehow get into the engineering department. I'm just thinking about my future now because I don't want to be doing the same thing next year.

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SweenMachine

What kind of experience did you have prior? My very first IT job was a deployment contract. I mean, there is a lot to be gained from working these kinds of jobs. My early career was littered with all kinds of tech work. Data center cabling, deployments, helpdesk, Windows migrations. I don't know if it is better or worse than helpdesk to be honest.

-scott

draught

For work experience in IT: My prior experience has only been about 4 months help desk on a contract and then another 3 month laptop/deployment contract.

That sounds good though at least helps me feel like I'm on the right track even if the company I work for isn't perfect.

UncleB

The rollout work is normally not one to give you much in the way of skills - I've overseen dozens of these over the years and other than for the person setting them up and creating a list of known issues for the people doing the grunt work, there is little technical expertise required.

What it is good for is to network and work with other IT staff (and other interesting people around the company) and to use your time to study to learn more about what you want to do. Do you use SCCM to deploy them for example? If so learn how it works you you understand what your work interaction with it is all about. Ask the SCCM guy if you can explain how he setup the package deployment for Office for example - some people love to talk about their work and this can be a good "in" to get to know them and to hear about opportunities in their team in future.

If you do come across some repeat technical issue then read up on it and see if you can find some suggestions to fix it - then ask your boss if you can try them. It shows initiative, respect to not overstep your authority without permission and it shows you are more than just a grunt shifting boxes onto desks and pressing F2 to image the computer.

If you show aptitude then the logical steps are helpdesk or 2nd line support unless you get someone in the desktop engineering or packaging deployment that sees you as a good junior to take on and train up. This is where your networking starts to pay off.

Just my thoughts.

NetworkingStudent

I currently do a deployment job like this.
I’m a remote tech.
I work with the field techs and some customers.
Some of our field techs got jobs with other companies once they finished installing PCs.
Will this lead to something?
I think it really depends how you document and explain your accomplishments on your resume.
Uncle B is correct.
Look for reoccurring issues and ways to improve them/solve them. I would work hand in hand with the project managers.
Document all of your accomplishments on your resume.
Next step would be desktop support or level 2. Shoot for a support role that involves imaging PCs.

LaSeeno

draught wrote: »

The company I work for has me doing PC deployments for a government organization. I've been at this for about 3 months now and we are expecting this project to go on for another 3 months maybe longer.

I'm not on a contract so it doesn't matter when the project ends I will have work doing something else. Question I'm thinking to myself is where does work experience like this lead? I feel like I would be better at help desk and that kind of work would add more meat to my resume so to speak.

My current plan is to finish my B.S by the end of the year and slowly try and see if I can somehow get into the engineering department. I'm just thinking about my future now because I don't want to be doing the same thing next year.

Helpdesk is great experience but if possible I would try to avoid. If you can parlay your 6 month desktop contract to a Desktop Support role that's where I would go. Assuming that is where you want to be prior to becoming a Jr. Admin.

DatabaseHead

IMO IMAC (Install Moves Adds Change) is a dead end job. It's a modern day tv mover.

My current plan is to finish my B.S by the end of the year and slowly try and see if I can somehow get into the engineering department. I'm just thinking about my future now because I don't want to be doing the same thing next year.

I think your plan makes A LOT of sense. Keep the job; build up history and get your degree (you are soooooo close). It's technically an "IT" job so it most certainly doesn't hurt and the job history itself is good. But the type of work and the skills you are developing are pretty weak IMO.

hurricane1091

My first job was a XP to 7 migration for 5 months. 2 years after it ended, I became a network engineer (with a desktop support job in between). Just food for thought. Job itself was useless but was real experience to put on a resume, and I actually have an interview next week for the organization itself that hired the contracting company. Stuff comes full circle sometimes.

byron66

I was doing PC Deployment almost a year ago. I did it for about 6 months and started applying for Desktop Support jobs. I had a new job two weeks later.

TechGromit

hurricane1091 wrote: »

My first job was a XP to 7 migration for 5 months.

I did the same, for 4 months, it allowed me to make contacts that led to a cyber security position, last year I made just under 100k, I've been with the company for three years so far. I did have 20 years experience in IT, but the point is you never know what opportunities a job will led to. The funny thing is I applied to the same position a few months earlier and heard nothing back.

alias454

There are things to learn so while it isn't the most advanced work, you are in an environment large enough to require grunts to do the work. That should mean there is a lot of technology around. That, in and of itself can provide insights you can leverage to move you up the food chain. There are going to be times when you can work with more senior people that will teach you things if you want to learn.

One of my first jobs was doing a huge rollout from NT4 to Win2k(ya I'm old) and I still utilize some of the things I learned from back then. Build a good foundation of fundamentals.

Kinet1c

Part of my time in deskside support was doing similar work, I studied for my CCNA at the time. Considering it's probably easy for you during the day, make sure you put the unused energy in to something productive in the evening.

draught

Today I personally set up and configured the PC for the Chief of Police of one of the top two largest cities in the country. Yeah this job just became ALOT more valuable to me. The fact that I can say that on a resume/interview and back that with references and even a nice award I was given is very good for me.

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Job itself was useless but was real experience to put on a resume, and I actually have an interview next week for the organization itself that hired the contracting company. Stuff comes full circle sometimes.

That's occurred to me well there are no openings in the IT section now. When is there is an opening I'll know the right people to make it happen.