Hi everyone, I need some advice about starting an IT career.

Discussion in 'New Members Introduction' started by Antkershaw, Mar 6, 2008.

  1. Antkershaw

    Antkershaw New Member

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    Hi everyone,

    I am looking to start a career in IT and ideally I want to follow the network engineer career route.

    I have friends that are doing 1st line support roles and others that have followed the Cisco route (already got their CCIE) and think it would be a great career for me. As I'm 24 I have decided I need to start a career instead of just doing sales, marketing, etc.

    I have been speaking to my friends and looking into training courses (Just IT, @dvent and Firebrand) with regards to getting that all important 1st IT job but, as yet no one seems to have an answer as to my best route. I've got no IT qualifications or IT experience and so I'm finding it VERY hard to get that all important first helpdesk role.

    Can anyone point me in the right direction, advise me as to the 'Guaranteed Job' offers from training companies (Just IT and @dvent), tell me what certs to get either through self study or on a course to help me get started.

    Thanks everyone.
     
  2. harpistic

    harpistic Byte Poster

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    Hi there, and welcome to the forum!

    A quick summary - run hard and fast from the 'guaranteed job' training centres - buy yourself an old PC, a copy of Mike Meyers's AIO A+ guide and James Pyles's PC Technician's Street Smarts - that will get you set up for the Comptia A+, follow that with the Network+ and start looking for entry level helpdesk work in the meantime. If you look around the forum, there are quite a few following the same route so you'll be in good company! :)
     
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  3. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Hi Welcome

    What Harpistic says is correct, those companies that say they will gaurantee you a job are talking bollocks and as for the payscale they mentions thats an even bigger pair of bollocks.

    As she says go for compTIA A+ using the compTIA A+ all in one exam guide 6th edition by Mike Myeres and PC Technician street smarts by James Pyles get a PC that you take to pieces and put back together again (you'll find old PCs in recycling centres or at computer fairs).

    Study both books from start to finish, take the exams and then move on to compTIA N+ after that do the MCDST but get a job (entry level - no experience required) as soon as you can.

    You do not need to do a course if you need help then this is what this place is for.

    Good luck.

    Edit: getting your first role is the hardest part, I am still looking for mine and I have been looking for a while but my financial status and location does not help.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  4. harpistic

    harpistic Byte Poster

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    Heh heh, thanks GBL! :biggrin

    For one, you can get the books and the computer for next to nothing - I think GBL paid about £50 for the lot? - and you will study the same material you would on a course, plus you have the luxury of studying when you want, for as long as you want, and being able to spend as little or as much time as you need on a subject. And if you have questions, there's this forum and Google :biggrin

    Secondly, these training centres charge what is a disproportionate sum compared to what your likely starting salary will be, which is something to consider.

    As for the 'guaranteed job' bit, it may be a biased perspective but it seems that a lot of them have been reported on here by very unhappy students. I've also gone down that path - took an Oracle course and was offered a helpdesk job at the end of it. (Which I actually got anyway, without any involvement from the training centre :tune).

    Anyway, lots of luck! :biggrin
     
    Certifications: Pet Geekery
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  5. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    Keep those guaranteed job offers -- they make wonderful fertilizer for the garden. Not useful for much else, though, I'm afraid.
     
    Certifications: Lots.
    WIP: Upgrading MS certs
  6. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Nobody can guarantee you a job except the employer sitting across the table from you who is handing you a signed job offer.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  7. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    You'll probably want to consider the entry-level certs:

    - A+
    - Network+
    - MCP in some flavour of Windoze
    - MOS

    Probably 90% of helpdesk calls are covered by the above unless you're doing some sort of application specific support.
     
    Certifications: Lots.
    WIP: Upgrading MS certs
  8. Chopperchand

    Chopperchand Nibble Poster

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    Hi, Welcome.

    All the mentioned above is the best advice.

    I been through "Help you get a job C**P". After parting with the best part of £700. Getting a Diploma in networking and then getting sent an Agency form which I had to fill out with my details, the form had no contact number or website and I haven't heard from then since 4yrs now!!!!

    Just a shame I didn't come across this forum then I would have saved alot of money. The best is to search the online jobsites and find jobs that interest you and apply for them.

    Good luck with your studies:)
     
    WIP: MCSA Sql Server 2012
  9. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Hi and welcome to CF!

    Lots of good advice already...

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  10. wizard

    wizard Petabyte Poster

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    Hi there and welcome 8)
     
    Certifications: SIA DS Licence
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  11. sunn

    sunn Gigabyte Poster

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    Good advice already given.
    You mentioned wanting to get into the “network engineer career route” and that you have friends in 1st line support and others with their CCIE completed.

    I don’t know your plan to reach the objective, but most folks here will say the CCIE is achievable with years of on-the-job networking experience. So best place to start is A+, N+, etc…

    Welcome to the forum...
     
  12. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    The CCIE isn't useful for a helpdesk job. Knowing how OSPFv2 and v3 work is of no use to the user who calls in a panic because Word 2007 just borked the SOX compliance report that the user is supposed to have filed with the company's CIO in the next half hour, and for which a backup copy cannot be located. They just want their work back and they want it NOW. :)
     
    Certifications: Lots.
    WIP: Upgrading MS certs
  13. Antkershaw

    Antkershaw New Member

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    Thanks everyone. You've been a great help.
     
  14. Antkershaw

    Antkershaw New Member

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    Thanks for all your help everyone.

    Its safe to say I will not be signing up with a training school with a job guarantee now so it looks like you have saved me £000's.

    I now just need to find somewhere I can sit the exams (A+, N+, etc.). Any suggestions?


    NB. I live in Brighton but don't mind traveling into London if needs be.
     
  15. ManicD

    ManicD Byte Poster

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    look at my previous topics for a review on UK IT Training
     
    Certifications: MCSA, N+, A+(Tech), ECDL
    WIP: 70-294, 70-298
  16. sunn

    sunn Gigabyte Poster

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    I didn't mean to go get a CCIE. I meant it as, just becasue 'your friends' have the CCIE doesn't mean you should go out and get it. Actually what I would normally say is:
    - Get the A+, N+ while looking for an entry level IT role
    - After some time (i.e. 1-2 yrs of Network Troubleshooting) look to get the CCNA
    - Develop skills and look to either work towards a CCxP or Juniper certs

    ** I might adjust my logic now that there's a CCENT, but you get the point.
     
  17. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Visit prometric or pearson vue websites you will find your nearest test centre then you can book the exams, you can buy discount vouchers from gracetechsolutions.com and make sure you buy international vouchers, the vouchers are £107 each you do not have to pay VAT but if you pay pearson vue or prometric directly the exams are £110 + vat.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  18. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    Sorry, that's my old Cramsession Reflex kicking in. I've run across so many people who've been convinced by cert product vendors that they need high-end certs for help desk jobs that I automatically assume the worst now.
     
    Certifications: Lots.
    WIP: Upgrading MS certs
  19. sunn

    sunn Gigabyte Poster

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    I know what you mean, but I'm not one of them :)
    It's all good, no offence taken - just wanted to clarify my point
     
  20. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    I wouldn't. A entry-level tech simply DOESN'T need to know the concepts covered in the CCENT... they have no need to understand RIP, IOS upgrades, port security, serial WAN connections, NAT, DNS and DHCP configuration on a Cisco router... or ANYTHING dealing with Cisco routers and switches, for that matter.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!

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