Out of the blue!

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I have been headhunted for a 1st line helpdesk interview via an agency for a job in my local area!!!

I had only just re-hashed my C.V. and it seems to have worked! Now, not having done one of these roles before and new to the industry on the whole i feel nervous and not confident of my abilities. However, I am a confident interviewee and the agency surely wouldnt have put me up for it knowing the jobs I have done, mainly in customer service, if they felt I didnt have the correct experience?

Obviously I am going to research the company tonight, and go over stuff that I do know that I can sell myself with eg. networking skills and some Microsoft. They are a Microsoft partner so they would expect some knowledge in this area?

Anyways, after some words of wisdom from the cert crowd, last minute prep advice, anything you guys think I could do to better my chances, other than being a generally confident person!!!

Cheers guys

Steve

 

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Just be yourself. If you're well-suited for the job, and you're the best candidate, the job will be yours - simple as that!

 

Ok...

Sorry to deflate your bubble (hopefully not burst it completely) but its in the interests of the agency to find a batch of candidates and bung thm in for interview, their selections are normally based on good old fashioned keyword searches.

Saying that though, getting any (legit) interview in the current market is worth a serious well done! All you need to do is a) be yourself and b) not rush it. I had my first interview in christ knows how long recently and I was so out of practice that I panicked and rushed the technical questions without really waiting for the thought process to complete... Resulted in some fairly non-sensical answers, as it was I didn't particularly think the role was a good fit in the end so didn't mind missing out.

The other thing I'd suggest is to do your best to remember that this is not the only shot your going to get, so don't pin too much on it. I find thats where most of my nerves come from.

 

I wouldnt get bogged down too much on the networking skills and keeps your examples and answers short and sweet. Do you know if it is going to be a comptenancy based interview and remember you have to explain answers so that a user would understand.

Good luck and do some research on the company aswell.

 

what they would expect, is simply honesty. If they ask a technical question and you dont know the answer, Tell them, then tell them how you would investigate from a position of ignorance. Remember, they can smell bullsh*t a mile away. And if you are honest about your knowledge right now, then you cant be hired under false pretenses.

Unfortunately I agree that its unlikely to be a "headhunted" scenario, more a keyword search wherever you have posted it. If you are halfway suited to the job at all, they will submit you. I'm not saying it to burst your bubble, but more to protect you. if you enter that interview with a feeling that they sought you out, then you might throw it because you think that its a cert.

That said, they have seen your CV and agreed to interview you. Thats a good thing!

 

Ok, so I have been to the first interview!

need your help guys. It is a software house who run there own facilities management software and the job is for a helpdesk tech to answer calls from their customers who need help with the software.

Now, the question is, is this the right start-in job for me? It will not involve troubleshooting microsoft (although they are a microsoft gold partner) so I wouldnt be able to apply MCDST to this role. Nor would it have any future chance to get in with any network techs as they dont have any!!

So, do I still think about going for it as a "first job in IT" scenario, or shall I wait it out for the right job to come along (something along the lines of an IT support company)?

Your input would be greatly appreciated peeps

Steveo

 

It is however first line support and that is the important bit, yes you will be answering questions on their software but you must have some knowledge of windows to do it. The other big point is you are getting helpdesk experiance in an IT field which is what you need if you want to progress.

If you are happy with the pay and conditions I would go for it.

 

Anyone else want to chip in?

Would really appreciate it, and thanks Ginger for your input!


Cheers guys

 

I would take it is you got offered as long as conditions are okay. It will be good expeirence for you and then in the future you will be looked at as having expeirence. If they are using an MS OS then they must have someone who fixes that when it goes down.

The be all and end all is that it is expierence of 1st line and in this climate is hard for people to get a job let alone one that will prove valuable to their career.

 

Almost any job in IT that you can get is a good first job in IT. Now is not the time to be choosy about which job you will or will not take. Any experience you can get is more experience than you had yesterday.

 

Always the one I can rely on Boson!

Simple answer which says it all, thanks so much you guys on cert really are the don!
Wish me luck, havent had the call yet, but fingers crossed )

 

Glad to be of service to you, Steve.