Next step up from a Helpdesk job?

I currently work in networking (mainly monitoring alarms in a cubicle), and I really want to get more into the hardware side of things, especially if it means moving around and actually seeing other people. I do ok financially with a CCNA and a non-related bachelors degree - about $43k/yr - but from what I've gathered onilne, getting my foot in the door with the hands-on stuff would probably be quite a step down pay-wise. I don't necessarily want to do help-desk (although it sounds interesting), but I don't know what the upward ladder is in the IT world from there.

I'm not interested in getting an MCSE and learning about server technologies, etc. That's basically doing the same thing I'm wanting to get away from now - sitting at a desk for eight hours a day.

I'm certainly not averse to learning new technologies or on-the-job training, but with a family to support now and being in a job I hate, I could take a small step down in pay if it meant moving into a field more enjoyable to me, but I couldn't move to under $35k/yr. We're struggling at $43k. I know the conundrum - moving into a field I have no real experience in won't pay much. Like I said, I studied my butt off to get my CCNA (and other certs), so I'm not against studying what I need to get where I want.

Thanks for any input.

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Comments

chmorin

You could try and get a Network Administrator Job. I'd go for a CCNP to compensate for your unrelated bachelors degree. Hopefully your current experience is related enough to apply positively towards that job.

Dr_Atomic

chmorin wrote: »

You could try and get a Network Administrator Job. I'd go for a CCNP to compensate for your unrelated bachelors degree. Hopefully your current experience is related enough to apply positively towards that job.

I'm wanting to move into the non-networking areas to *get away* from the networking. If I was going to get a CCNP, I wouldn't need to go anywhere else, as that would secure my livelihood - but I don't like networking.

Btw, "getting a CCNP" to compensate for something else would be a major effort spanning at least a year of hard study (and assuming one already had a CCNA - a hard cert in itself to get), not some trivial task.

Turgon

Dr_Atomic wrote: »

I'm wanting to move into the non-networking areas to *get away* from the networking. If I was going to get a CCNP, I wouldn't need to go anywhere else, as that would secure my livelihood - but I don't like networking.

Btw, "getting a CCNP" to compensate for something else would be a major effort spanning at least a year of hard study (and assuming one already had a CCNA - a hard cert in itself to get), not some trivial task.

What do you mean by the hardware side of things? Are you fed up with networking or support in general? A lot of jobs these days are like the one you have. Helpdesk can be pretty routine stuff if you are already bored. Do you want a job with more hands on? Would you like more responsibility for infrastructure and people? It may be that operations work doesn't suit and you need to look at a solutions provider/reseller role. More project/customer facing type stuff. Your awareness of technology might help you get a start there.

erpadmin

Doc, you'll forgive me if I'm a bit confused. I'm a noob here, but I'm nowhere near a noob in IT.

Sounds like you're already near a network admin, but you don't want to do network/systems admin work. But it sounds like you want to do break-fix destop support work because you hate your current job. Maybe I'm reading that wrong.

Have you looked into maybe breaking into Database Administration? Or do you just want to stop backoffice work entirely? I'm not knocking desktop support by any means. Did it my first 5 years in the biz. But if you're already doing network admin work, I would hate for you to step down just because you hate your current job. Database administration, mixed with server support definitely will get you a nice $15k-$20k jump (entry-level salary).

Maybe it would help if we knew exactly what it is you currently do, and what you're looking to do in place of that. Because if you are interested in stepping down in responsibilities, you can definitely get a Level 2 (desktop support) with the experience you have now. You can always pick up on how a shop fixes PCs with minimal effort.

ipconfig.all

You ever thought about becoming a field service engineer, if you hate being stuck in a desk for 8 hours straight try to become a field service engineer.

docrice

"Hardware" side of things, huh? Not sure what this exactly means, but maybe as someone mentioned a value-added reseller position selling storage equipment, proposing solutions and perhaps conducting test setups for customers? I have a friend who currently does things like this. How about a sales engineer role for a hardware solutions provider?

xenodamus

I live in rural MS, which is known for low pay, and desktop support technicians in a decent size company make $40k-$50k around here. That's the next step up from helpdesk in my organization.

Devilsbane

It seems the more you know and the more you get paid, the less hands on you get. Your CIO never does any wiring, he sits in his office working on other things.

Maybe what you should be looking for is a job at a smaller company where you could be the jack of all trades IT guy. At a large corporation, you will most likely be doing the same job all day sitting at a desk, whereas at a smaller place you can work everywhere. The drawback to this is it might seem stressful that you have to be in 12 places at once, but some people like that.

sambuca69

Not really sure I understand what you are looking for, but next step above a help desk agent would be a desktop support person. Then you get your variants of that... level 2 or 3 desktop support and tier 1, 2, and 3 support analyst, etc.

You say you want to see people, but the higher you go in these, the less people you see. I am a tier 3 support analyst, and I sit in a cube all day, but my pay is very good. When I started out as a desktop support, I was always at someones desk, but my pay was low.

So, like someone else said, it almost seems like the higher you go in your area, the less you leave your cube.

BradleyHU

yeah, i'm a lil confused like some of the others as well. Usually on the helpdesk/desktop support side, a good amount of us are trying to work our way up to SysAdmin positions. And usually the higher you go in position & pay, the less hands on/deskside support you do. Like someone already mentioned, try to get into a SysAdmin job @ a smaller company where you'll be a jack of all trades. This way you can do a bunch of everything. Pay might not be as good as at a large corporation tho.

arwes

BradleyHU wrote: »

Like someone already mentioned, try to get into a SysAdmin job @ a smaller company where you'll be a jack of all trades. This way you can do a bunch of everything. Pay might not be as good as at a large corporation tho.

As a jack of all trades at a smallish company, I can attest to the lower pay lol.