Starting new job in 2 weeks

I'm starting as a Field technician doing Dell Warranty support. The pay isn't great and I'll be putting a lot of mileage on my car but I need to find a way to break into IT somehow. I have to get 8 Dell certs by the start date but that should be possible, I finished 2 yesterday and 1 this morning. I may list DELL in my sig but I'm not listing them all.
From the sound of the recruiter he was actually surprised that I wanted the job. It's lower pay than helpdesk in this area but does include mileage (.48/mile first 200 then .20/mile after that) and he said that I would be doing 6-8 calls a day which doesn't really sound very realistic considering I'll be driving to different clients and that'll eat up a lot of time. Maybe if most calls just involve replacing a part and making sure system works right after replacing it.

Has anyone else here done this type of work and did it help you career wise to get something better?

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Mojo_666

earweed wrote: »

I'm starting as a Field technician doing Dell Warranty support. The pay isn't great and I'll be putting a lot of mileage on my car but I need to find a way to break into IT somehow. I have to get 8 Dell certs by the start date but that should be possible, I finished 2 yesterday and 1 this morning. I may list DELL in my sig but I'm not listing them all.
From the sound of the recruiter he was actually surprised that I wanted the job. It's lower pay than helpdesk in this area but does include mileage (.48/mile first 200 then .20/mile after that) and he said that I would be doing 6-8 calls a day which doesn't really sound very realistic considering I'll be driving to different clients and that'll eat up a lot of time. Maybe if most calls just involve replacing a part and making sure system works right after replacing it.

Has anyone else here done this type of work and did it help you career wise to get something better?

I have never done this work but meet the guys that do, you are going to learn some stuff but it isn't really IT, but it is close enough while you keep looking and having Dell certs is not going to do you any harm tbh.

rogue2shadow

Mojo_666 wrote: »

I have never done this work but meet the guys that do, you are going to learn some stuff but it isn't really IT, but it is close enough while you keep looking and having Dell certs is not going to do you any harm tbh.

+1 about the no harm. What you could do is find out if they offer cert material and vouchers for free for Dell certs. If I remember correctly companies like Perot Systems deal with Dell hardware/software in the government. If this ends up being in this position, it might be something to look into.

Mike-Mike

I didn't do that kind of work, but I did work for AT&T as a service tech, and we drove to houses and were expected to do 6 jobs a day.. usually 5 was easy to make, 6 could be done, but then you would have days where you got way more or way less, usually all balanced out though

Mike-Mike

earweed wrote: »

From the sound of the recruiter he was actually surprised that I wanted the job. It's lower pay than helpdesk in this area
QUOTE]

did you pass on help desk?

Repo Man

Is the IT job market bad where you live? You shouldn't have to take a role like that to get into IT IMO.

erpadmin

Mojo_666 wrote: »

you are going to learn some stuff but it isn't really IT

I get this, and while I myself would never do it [if I can help it], he's doing A+ type of work. Replacing CPUs, motherboards, RAM, HDs, etc. Yeah, it's probably something below deskside support, but it beats being a reset password ninja at a call center and/or "Did you try rebooting?"

With something like this, EW can still look for that corporate gig, while at the same time getting good A+ level experience. (Which, last I checked, was an IT certification...

)

N2IT

Weed I think it sounds like a step in the right direction. I think this is IT work for sure! You are going to become very good with DELL products. You will walk in some environments and they won't know what the hell is wrong with the Laptop/Desktop but you will. They might diagnosis one thing, but it will be another.

I think you are going to like that job. Gratz brother!

TheSuperRuski

I`ve done that type of work for staffing agencies when i just got into the IT field. As stated its one of those couldnt hurt type of jobs and the saying is true, Its easier to get a job when you have a job, so keep you ears and eye open for that next break. It will also look better to a future employer that you have been active in the field instead of just sitting around and waiting for that big break. Congratz on the gig, I thought that kind of work was enjoyable. You might meet a contact on a service run that advances your career further or faster than you expected. I did.

Mojo_666

erpadmin wrote: »

I get this, and while I myself would never do it [if I can help it], he's doing A+ type of work. Replacing CPUs, motherboards, RAM, HDs, etc. Yeah, it's probably something below deskside support, but it beats being a reset password ninja at a call center and/or "Did you try rebooting?"

With something like this, EW can still look for that corporate gig, while at the same time getting good A+ level experience. (Which, last I checked, was an IT certification... )

Totally and it's a good step, but this is just my opinion when I am saying it isn't real IT, it is "T" for sure, but you are simply swapping out hardware, the most "I" I have ever seen in the process is swapping out a MOBO and setting the service tag no one in "IT" in the sense that we think of it is going to see it any other way. BUT hvaing Dell certs and harware experience on one of the major (my Fav Vendors as it happens) is going to be a bonus for sure, it is in no way going to detract from you but you will never be able to fluff it as IT to most people outside of HR...that's all I am trying to say.

miller811

it will sure allow you the chance to work on your soft skills (which are just as important). A step in the right direction, something you can add to the resume, and it will make it easier in the interview environment, since you will be walking into the unknown up to 40 time a week on the job, you will become comfortable being uncomfortable.

erpadmin

Mojo_666 wrote: »

Totally and it's a good step, but this is just my opinion when I am saying it isn't real IT, it is "T" for sure, but you are simply swapping out hardware, the most "I" I have ever seen in the process is swapping out a MOBO and setting the service tag no one in "IT" in the sense that we think of it is going to see it any other way. BUT hvaing Dell certs and harware experience on one of the major (my Fav Vendors as it happens) is going to be a bonus for sure, it is in no way going to detract from you but you will never be able to fluff it as IT to most people outside of HR...that's all I am trying to say.

Speaking as someone who is well established in "IT", even by your opinion of what "real IT" is, I can pretty much say with confidence that EW profession supports IT functions. I am sure we can agree on that. Without a working MOBO, there isn't going to be an "I" or a "T" until that MOBO gets replaced by him. And lets face it, even across the pond, when most HR folks think of IT, they think of computers, probably the computer thats right in front of them. EW can certainly "fluff" that to get a corporate gig after he does his time, and for him it's not going to be very long if he meets the right contacts and has his people skills in order.

Anything that supports the functions of Information Technology can be considered "real IT." Otherwise, with that logic, I could say (and I'm not, so no worries) that help desk personnel on the phone wouldn't be considered "real IT."

I could debate this issue for days, but I think we can agree that if EW plays his cards right, he'll get a job one day that will get him inside a NOC as a server/network admin one day. Or at worst (which isn't so bad) something that involves deskside support.

xenodamus

I have done warranty work for Dell, HP, Toshiba and others in addition to full time desktop support roles. It's definitely a good first step. Working with computer hardware is a good first step regardless of the employer or terms. These are skills that will help you in whatever realm of IT you choose to gravitate toward down the line. You don't want to stay there forever, and I'm sure you don't plan to. It's related experience to put on your resume, though, and that's more than some people have.

Mike-Mike

N2IT wrote: »

Weed... I think it sounds like a step in the right direction.

taken out of context and adding a "..." makes this a whole different conversation....

Hypntick

Mike-Mike wrote: »

taken out of context and adding a "..." makes this a whole different conversation....

Off topic but

. I agree though, you'll pick up some interesting skills but don't settle for it unless that's what you want to do. Been out of work for a month and a half now myself and i've put in for a few of those type of jobs. I've also put in for a couple of jr. level admin roles, network help desk, application support and about a dozen other types. If I land a hardware replacement job i'll bust my butt on it, I will however continue to look for something better.

za3bour

I just wanna say good luck my friend

MrAgent

With the amount of certs you have, you should look into IT in the DC area. You would get picked up pretty quickly.

rogue2shadow

MrAgent wrote: »

With the amount of certs you have, you should look into IT in the DC area. You would get picked up pretty quickly.

Being a fellow DMV'er (DC/MD/VA), I'd have to agree