How to get experience?

So im trying to get a help desk job here in Nashville, I'm A+ cert and have an associates in CNS. I've tried to get a gig where im currently working at now and the IT manager said that I lack experience. Since then I've applied and had interviews from a few other places. All of which told me the same thing lacking the neccessary experience. My question is to anyone how do you over come this enduring hurtle of getting the experience to show the hiring manager you got what it takes to do the job?

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discount81

Just keep applying, honestly it is a numbers game sometimes.

Maybe build a lab at home (you can get a nice whitebox for around $500 that you can virtualize on and use it to get a deeper understanding of some concepts)
This way you can get hands on experience, make a note on your resume you built a small ESXi lab at home and you do training, and design with that.
You can also use that lab as an inexpensive to do some more certifications, maybe look at some Microsoft Windows 7 certifications, ITIL is another good one also.

If you added those 2 certs to go with your A+ you will probably start getting a lot more calls.

nda31 wrote: »

So im trying to get a help desk job here in Nashville, I'm A+ cert and have an associates in CNS. I've tried to get a gig where im currently working at now and the IT manager said that I lack experience. Since then I've applied and had interviews from a few other places. All of which told me the same thing lacking the neccessary experience. My question is to anyone how do you over come this enduring hurtle of getting the experience to show the hiring manager you got what it takes to do the job?

Legacy User

I've said this a bunch of times but only because that is the route I took. Look into the military. Perhaps the Air or Army national guard. At least you could get the training and then live at home. But be sure to pick the correct MOS. Something like (Army) 25B or 25N.

If that's not your thing, just keep trying and it will happen. But keep studying for another cert. You should never stop learning.

Sirbloody

3fJ wrote: »

I've said this a bunch of times but only because that is the route I took. Look into the military. Perhaps the Air or Army national guard. At least you could get the training and then live at home. But be sure to pick the correct MOS. Something like (Army) 25B or 25N.

If that's not your thing, just keep trying and it will happen. But keep studying for another cert. You should never stop learning.

I couldn't agree with this more. I was in for about 7 years and I was a 25B/25F and I already had a federal job lined up 2 months before I signed out on terminal leave.

Complete_IT_Professional

discount81 wrote: »

Just keep applying, honestly it is a numbers game sometimes.

It can feel that way sometimes. I agree, just keep applying. Entry-level positions are the ones to aim for - there's got to be some out there that accept people with no experience.

SephStorm

Sirbloody wrote: »

I couldn't agree with this more. I was in for about 7 years and I was a 25B/25F and I already had a federal job lined up 2 months before I signed out on terminal leave.

If we are talking reserves or NG, i'll sign on. But AD is another matter entirely. It can completely be dependent on a number of factors, like what kind of unit your are in.

But for the OP, dont forget options like your local computer repair shop. It could be a hurdle with your full time schedule, but something to try. Volunteer your skills if you can, or do remote PC support.

jamesleecoleman

If you're going to school at a community college or some university, check out the job placement office for internships or workstudy programs. I also suggest that you find some job recruiting company for contract positions.

sigsoldier

Sirbloody wrote: »

I couldn't agree with this more. I was in for about 7 years and I was a 25B/25F and I already had a federal job lined up 2 months before I signed out on terminal leave.

Wow, this was me. 6.5 years as 25B/25F. I did the college thing after I ETS'd though.

Sirbloody

SephStorm wrote: »

If we are talking reserves or NG, i'll sign on. But AD is another matter entirely. It can completely be dependent on a number of factors, like what kind of unit your are in.

But for the OP, dont forget options like your local computer repair shop. It could be a hurdle with your full time schedule, but something to try. Volunteer your skills if you can, or do remote PC support.

Unit doesn't really matter. My entire Army career I was in nothing but Air Defense and Field Artillery and all the units I was in hated commo soldiers. I worked hard, studied, and even made friends with DOIM (NEC now) for even more training. Just because you are in a crappy unit doesn't mean you can't/won't get training.

Edit: The Army did pay for my A+ cert, I will say this though, I did get screwed out of my Sec + and N + due to having A+ even though I was in a level III position that required Sec +

Valsacar

I did an internship before I went Army, 74B (25B now) and honestly I NEVER did that job (AD). I did get certs paid for, and some college (finished a year after I ETS'd) but I did build a lot of contacts (a few months shy of 6 years).

It is a good option (Guard is a good way to go) but I would suggest Air Force over Army (I worked with them for almost 4 years). Besides issues that don't pertain to this discussion, the main reason is that they rarely seem to put their people in jobs they weren't trained for (compared to the Army that does that a lot, NG might be different though) but they don't do general IT. They have a number of roles that are specific (like sysad, security, etc) which is probably more valuable. If you don't have college yet they have their own community college that can get you the associates pretty easily (Army uses ACE to get some credits, but AF seems to be more as their college programs are based around their job fields).

I don't regret doing it (active), I wouldn't be where I'm at if I had not done it. Only thing I would change, if I could go back, would be branch. See my certs list, all but 3 of those were from the Army.

SephStorm

Sirbloody wrote: »

Unit doesn't really matter. My entire Army career I was in nothing but Air Defense and Field Artillery and all the units I was in hated commo soldiers. I worked hard, studied, and even made friends with DOIM (NEC now) for even more training. Just because you are in a crappy unit doesn't mean you can't/won't get training.

Edit: The Army did pay for my A+ cert, I will say this though, I did get screwed out of my Sec + and N + due to having A+ even though I was in a level III position that required Sec +

I understand where you are comming from on this, I do, and one can always make a bad situation better, but my personal experience has been a mix. At my last unit, I was an asset, my certifications infered trust and I was able to use that to get some good experience. Hit this unit.... and the only time a green suiter (Officer or Enlisted), really touches anything is overseas. And when you are not deployed, they will not send you to the training you will need because its not a part of your current job duties (sitting on your butt). Then they have issues when the people they send dont know what they are doing. A person like you or me can shine, because we make the mission happen, but I dont like to push people into that.

I'll give an example. A member of these forums joined the service after we talked. IMM I filled his head with all the oportunities he might have (again I was in the first unit mentioned above), he gets sent to a different unit and is experiencing the same issues I experienced at the second. Hes making the best of it, but I feel some responsibility.

SteveLord

Due note, looks like most if not all of these people here with military experience were in/got in when the military was begging for recruits. Not the case for the last year at least. If you have the slightest legal or medical history, your chances would be a lot harder....if not near impossible. Funding is down and military is overstrength. (Also, military enlistment is not a civil right contrary to what some believe.)

dave330i

Might want to get few more certs. It's possible to overcome lack of experience with the right certs.

someasiandude

SteveLord wrote: »

Due note, looks like most if not all of these people here with military experience were in/got in when the military was begging for recruits. Not the case for the last year at least. If you have the slightest legal or medical history, your chances would be a lot harder....if not near impossible. Funding is down and military is overstrength. (Also, military enlistment is not a civil right contrary to what some believe.)

this is true.. i was going to enlist last year. i got a good score on the ASVAB too, I waited like 6-7 months for the the MOS i wanted, but it was never available.. all the army had was Infantry and Field engineer (aka IED sweeper?)

nda31

discount81 wrote: »

Just keep applying, honestly it is a numbers game sometimes.

Maybe build a lab at home (you can get a nice whitebox for around $500 that you can virtualize on and use it to get a deeper understanding of some concepts)
This way you can get hands on experience, make a note on your resume you built a small ESXi lab at home and you do training, and design with that.
You can also use that lab as an inexpensive to do some more certifications, maybe look at some Microsoft Windows 7 certifications, ITIL is another good one also.

If you added those 2 certs to go with your A+ you will probably start getting a lot more calls.

Thanks, I'll look into it.