1st and 2nd line support!

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Hey,

I have an interview tomorrow which involves 1st and 2nd line support. Im currently not working in IT and never have, yet have a Computing degree.

Since leaving uni I have failed to get a job in the industry and I am in the dark to what it involves, I understand the levels, I'm just curious to know what a typical day for 1st and 2nd line support involves?


Thanks, LF!

 

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Anything and everything, it is variable place to place. Some people's first line job means sitting on the helpdesk at PC world for the TechGuys, others, end up doing 1st, 2nd and 3rd line stuff. If you read the job description as you applied, you should have got a good idea of what they are expecting.

 

I'd go with WK on that. What they want should have been in the job description.

At some places, first line support have scripts to work from, where they ask basic questions in order to get to the root cause, and then possibly run the likes of vb scripts to fix issues, or remote onto the machine and have a look around for basic checking/fault resolution. If they can't fix straight away, the idea is that they generally pass it up the chain.

I've always thought of second line as being those techies who have shown in first line support that they can safely go beyond the scripts when they have to, and have a better understanding of what goes on 'beneath the bonnet', so to speak.

Hope it goes well. Best of luck.

 

Thanks for the replies, tbh I don't know why I got the interview.


I have no experience and don't have the relivant qualifications (yet) and they knew this, yet persisted to ask technical questions.

It came across pretty obviously that they are after someone they can chuck more or less straight into the job, looks like its back to the drawing board.

 

Did they say you didn't get the job?

Very often employers throw technical stuff at people to see how they'd react, even when they know that person won't know the answer. If you don't bluster, don't panic and say what you think you'd do based on what the issue is - including 'I don't know the answer and I'd have to consult any scripts or another memebr of the team', that may be good enough for them. It proves you're not gung-ho.

If you don't get it, still take positives from it. You got to interview... many people don't.

If you can get feedback from the employer, then do so.

Also, make notes about the sorts of questions you were asked and how you answered them, while it's still fresh in your mind. Think about little things, like how you sat. I've seriously seen people slouch in the chair at interviews, as if they can't be arsed to be there (not saying you did btw!) Other points: did you research the company, did you make a list of questions you wanted to ask them?

 

At the risk of being brash I would suggest they are most probably looking to see if
a) You can speak in broken english and mispronounce the persons name
b) If you have a passport
c) whether you have any aversions to relocating in mumbai

 

Why wouldn't you get an interview? First-line support is typically an entry-level position, which is a position given to someone who is ENTERING the career field. Those who excel will be allowed to do the second line stuff.

Put yourself in the employer's shoes... why would they ask you those questions? Perhaps they wanted to see if you were confident enough to try to answer them (without too much tap-dancing or BS). Perhaps they wanted to see if you could stand up under the pressure. An employer won't want someone who is shell-shocked by questions like that... because those will be the same kind of questions you'll likely encounter on a daily basis. I'd rather hire someone who is trainable, confident, and adaptable than someone who is trained, hesitant, and inflexible.

I hope that lack of confidence didn't reveal itself during your interview. If it did, that's something you need to work on before your next interview!