Advice Jobs to Gain Experience

Currently I have A+, Net+, CCNA and MCITP:EA
I have studied for CCNP but need a job to pay for the exams and starting a Degree program for computer information systems.
But I am finding it hard to even get an interview I have some experience mostly fixing and building computers for friends or family.
What kind of position should I apply for.

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Comments

Essendon

You should take the EA off your resume and apply for helpdesk/desktop support type positions. Also dont mention you are studying for the CCNP. Without some experience to back you up the EA and CCNP hold little value to an employer. It could also be that your resume aint good enough to get caught in the HR dragnet. HTH!

LeifAlire

I agree take the EA off and apply for helpdesk. When a non hr person interviews you and the EA is there the IT person would wonder why you got the high level cert but are applying the helpdesk job.

Turgon

Help desk. While in there learn as much as you can and be available to do more than just helpdesk grunt. Work hard. Be on time. Always be available to work extra hours. Show initiative. Avoid conflict or being seen as overeacting. Handle situations with difficult customers well. Stay positive. Do not criticise anyone. While doing a helpdesk job, apply for other jobs that are an advancement on what you are already doing everywhere, both internally and externally so you can get out of there. Expect to be spending 1 year in helpdesk to make the leap. If you move up sooner so much the better.

jakecitrix

what wrong with listing the high end mcitp ea and ccnp?

You did it, if you know the stuff its all good list it!. You do not have to start out in helpdesk, most ppl do but you can skip it if you know how to work it (TRY skipping hepdesk).

You can volunteer and work for free to get experience.

TLeTourneau

If you need a job in a hurry that can help with the bills and get you some experience leave off the EA and don't mention the CCNP and go entry level. If you have the time or resources to be picky then leave them on and try for something like a junior sysatem admin (the EA won't really help with that) or junior network engineer/NOC job (the CCNA may help there). The EA is a nice certification but you need experience to go with it. Of course this is all just my opinion.

N2IT

Hope this doesn't come off negative or discouraging, but having that much paper and 0 experience looks extremely bizarre. I have never met anyone with that many certifications with essentially 0 experience.

I am not sure how you are doing financially, but I'd focus on your bachelors degree. I'm afraid getting EA and CCNA this early in the game isn't going to provide much return on investment. Those certs could easily hurt you just as they could help you. Not something you want after spending all that time, effort, and financials.

My advice would be to get 1 year of school under your belt. Get the best grades you can get and then leverage that grade point average into a internship. Keep the certifications quiet and let your knowledge do the talking. Once you get 1-2 years experience and get close to graduation you will be in a situation where you can let those certifications fly.

I wish you the best.

jakecitrix

no matter what u do, if you work hard u can achieve anything.

I had MCITP EA and no experience and started in i.t as a engineer, if you know your stuff and have skills its all good.

There are so many ppl with ccnp and mcitp ea or mcse level certs and do not have a lot of experience in the field, but that is totally fine.

Go for gold and work hard!!

What I am trying to say is if you have all of those certs and skills and knowledge to back it up its all good.

effekted

I agree with the people that are saying to remove the EA. Since you have no IT experience you could come off as someone that likely brain dumped the certs. You'll likely have to start with Helpdesk and go from there but exp > all.

jakecitrix

why take off something u earned??? And worked hard for????Why do helpdesk, helpdesk is easy and u wont learn much, and helpdesk doesnt relate to net engineering or sys engineering. Its not about the length of the experience its about the content of the experience, u could work in helpdesk for 2 years or u could work as a real engineer for 3 or 4 months and have more skills and exp than u would have worked in helpdesk for 2 years.

klopas

I think what people are trying to say is that certifications by themselves won't land you a great job right off the bat (unless you're lucky and/or extremely skilled). Most non-help desk IT jobs that I've seen require 1-2 years of prior experience regardless of the degrees/certifications you have. So listing the certifications can be detrimental because they give the impression that all you are is a paper cert guy.

jakecitrix

how can someone be a paper cert if they have the skills and knowledge.

I did not start out in helpdesk and i started in a engineer role, and i had mcitp ea this is because i had the skills and didn't listen to ppl saying oh oh start in helpdesk, i dreamed big and achieved big.

Devilry

jakecitrix wrote: »

how can someone be a paper cert if they have the skills and knowledge.

I did not start out in helpdesk and i started in a engineer role, and i had mcitp ea this is because i had the skills and didn't listen to ppl saying oh oh start in helpdesk, i dreamed big and achieved big.

I agree with this way of thinking a lot.

Maybe make two resumes and apply to positions accordingly.

Or just start with your full certs, see if you can get some work, then take them off.

All depends on your financial situation IMO.

EXPReaperJabub

jakecitrix wrote: »

how can someone be a paper cert if they have the skills and knowledge.

I did not start out in helpdesk and i started in a engineer role, and i had mcitp ea this is because i had the skills and didn't listen to ppl saying oh oh start in helpdesk, i dreamed big and achieved big.

Can you explain your Path to Success? I would love to go straight into Network/Sys Admin vs. 'Waiting' on Help Desk for 2-3 Years if It was possible.

jakecitrix

well after the certs i looked for jobs and got rejected left and right, so i volunteered doing sys admin/engineering work for companies to get some experience ( really valuable) skills and exp i gained, then got hired full time to work at a leading firm here and now employed full time and get paid well. The only reason i got hired was cuz of my skills and exp and also i was self motivated and can do stuff on my own, my certs helped big time too. Thats how i did it. Hard work

Devilry

jakecitrix wrote: »

well after the certs i looked for jobs and got rejected left and right, so i volunteered doing sys admin/engineering work for companies to get some experience ( really valuable) skills and exp i gained, then got hired full time to work at a leading firm here and now employed full time and get paid well. The only reason i got hired was cuz of my skills and exp and also i was self motivated and can do stuff on my own, my certs helped big time too. Thats how i did it. Hard work

Great story, keep the drive up!

EXPReaperJabub

jakecitrix wrote: »

well after the certs i looked for jobs and got rejected left and right, so i volunteered doing sys admin/engineering work for companies to get some experience ( really valuable) skills and exp i gained, then got hired full time to work at a leading firm here and now employed full time and get paid well. The only reason i got hired was cuz of my skills and exp and also i was self motivated and can do stuff on my own, my certs helped big time too. Thats how i did it. Hard work

Thats an awesome story! The only experience I have is basically helping my Family and a few friends out over the years in reference to their Home Network and some Virus/Spyware Issues. Working on my A+, then Net+, then MCTS:Win 7 Then gonna start applying for Help Desk Jobs while working on CCNA and MCITP:SA.

computer g33k

I would look into helpdesk/geek squad.

EXPReaperJabub

computer g33k wrote: »

I would look into helpdesk/geek squad.

Help Desk is Goal # 1. Geek Squad is not though. Not interested in Retail. Plus all they do is sell stuff that Customers dont need. Not the biggest fan of them.

Tackle

EXPReaperJabub wrote: »

Help Desk is Goal # 1. Geek Squad is not though. Not interested in Retail. Plus all they do is sell stuff that Customers dont need. Not the biggest fan of them.

Geeksquad > No job or experience

Could have cash coming in while looking for that foot in the door job.

eansdad

If you need a job now then leave off the CCNA and MCITP and go for help desk / desktop support jobs (might add the win 7 cert also). Also apply for lower level admin and eng positions with everything on your resume. This way you don't look over qualified and ready to leave so you'll find a job faster.

EXPReaperJabub

LucasMN wrote: »

Geeksquad > No job or experience

Could have cash coming in while looking for that foot in the door job.

True but I already got a Full time Mortgage Collections Gig so I'm doing pretty good. But you are absolutely right. Something is better than nothing. I was more referring to the bad rap that Geek Squad has among the IT Industry and may cause a Hindrance in getting hired.

jakecitrix

helping friends/family with i.t stuff isnt real i.t experience or good experience. Ppl list it but its not good.

jakecitrix

experience is about what u do and not about the length.

EXPReaperJabub

jakecitrix wrote: »

experience is about what u do and not about the length.

6 Years of Building Computers off and On, Break and Fix, Local Area Networking, Cat5 Running.... I disagree

Anything I can show them to stand out above the rest.

jakecitrix

yeah, its good but its on and off and wasnt straight exp, u know what i am saying ppl say i being do this and dat for family friends for a decade but its on and off i done it since i was 10 i dont list on my cv cause its not real exp, most ppl say i learned more in 1 week than i learned in a decade of helping friends and family. It really goes to show u.

EXPReaperJabub

jakecitrix wrote: »

yeah, its good but its on and off and wasnt straight exp, u know what i am saying ppl say i being do this and dat for family friends for a decade but its on and off i done it since i was 10 i dont list on my cv cause its not real exp, most ppl say i learned more in 1 week than i learned in a decade of helping friends and family. It really goes to show u.

Well its all in how you explain it during the interview. I'd say even though it was 6 years off and on I'd explain what I did as far as Volunteer Experience instead of Listing it as years.

jakecitrix

yeh u can say the stuff u did.

KrisA

EXPReaperJabub wrote: »

6 Years of Building Computers off and On, Break and Fix, Local Area Networking, Cat5 Running.... I disagree Anything I can show them to stand out above the rest.

It is all how it is worded ^ Proof.... Fixing friend/family as a "hobbyist" translates to ^ with Business wording that is understood by even HR personnel.