Skipping helpdesk.

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Is it possible to skip helpdesk or any other desktop support role in I.T. Also is it a good or a bad idea?

 

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It really depends on what you want to do, if for instance you want to be a programmer then yes, however if you want to become a 2nd line \ junior network engineer then no, it's not a good idea. You need to learn your trade somewhere and 1st line \ service desk is were you learn it.

It would be like a person wanting to become a brain surgeon becoming one without having done an internship at a hospital, highly unlikely.

 

but what if you know your stuff, do you still have to do your dues in helpdesk/desktop support?

 

You might knwo your IT stuff but that isnt all that IT support is about. I think you would have to prove you have good customer service skills and actually know how to use your IT knowledge in a corporate enviroment.

 

How can you "know your stuff" if you haven't done it on the job?

 

And besides, you need to be able to prove you know your stuff. Employers arent really going to just take your word for it, are they?

On an unrelated note, I'm a whizz financial investor. Fancy sending me some of your money, and I will invest it for you to get you a good return? I haven't actually ever done it in a professional capacity. I do know my onions though...

Edit: Dont let that stop you from applying to other jobs though. You may get lucky. There's nothing inherently wrong with applying if you think you have the skills to do the job.

 

yeah what i mean is i just want to know, for an example what if you get like a junior sys admin role at a small company and its a trainnee role, which provides on the job trainning, is it a good idea to take it or just reject it and go for low level roles, i believe take whats best for you and a role that you will learn, and have good progression, instead of a easy role.

 

The job will ask for experience, experience you do not have OP. Simple as that. People are not advertising 2nd line and above with "no prior experience necessary".

Stop being lazy and start at the bottom like everyone else.

Don't get caught up in job titles. Systems Admin, Analyst, Engineer, Network Admin, Blah Blah Blah. It's all words. If it is a trainee role, then you can almost guarantee you will be dogs body. I'd personally put it this way, I would rather be on the help-desk learning stuff than be in a "trainee" (quotations for a good reason because don't believe everything they tell you) position that has you assigning tickets and nothing else.

Make a careful decision, if you don't work in IT currently, then take any role, if you do work in IT already, then take a move up but you can't skip anything because the bottom here, is mostly the same as the bottom there.

If you get any job, whether it's sys admin or not, why would you turn it down? that's like me saying "If I get offered the CEO job at Microsoft tomorrow, should I turn it down and start at the bottom like everyone else?"

 

Im not being lazy and you dont even know me so dont say things that you do not know, as for experience i do have i.t experience, who said i dont,? Just because i made a topic like this doesnt mean i do not have experience or quals. I am in service desk i have being for the last 3 years along with some certs. I just wanted peoples opinion.

 

I think that's an interesting question actually which would be really helpful if the veterans could expand on this.

I'm starting out and possibly like most beginners I've taken it as gospel that you have to get a job in 1st line support without question. I can easily see why it's an excellent way but are there actually other ways?

This has led me to ask something else but I've realised it's best served in its own thread!

 

You don't NEED to start out at the bottom, but realistically that is what you should be aiming for, by all means though, the higher up you can start the better. It's just that help-desk happens to be the starting post, if you can skip it, good stuff, but don't have the attitude of "I'm not doing it, I want to start higher" I think is what we try to get across.

 

I think with any skill set you have to go progress through levels of expertise and experience, I know what you mean when you feel you wont be challenged, or you think your time would be better spent learning "higher level skills" but IT really is a career where you need a good foundation of technical and softskills, soft skills such as Time management, dealing with people, learning about how a help/servicedesk operates are all lines to progress up the ladder, but with like every ladder you need a solid couple of good rungs at the bottom otherwise it collapses.

I personally would look to be an onsite technician but with the job market, working in IT in a helpdesk capacity isnt a shameful option, it is a good springboard to start from.

 

Personally I think there are so many non-technical skills you need to have to be an effective tech that unless you have experience with these, you should only look at starting at the bottom. There's also a huge gap between knowing your techie stuff on paper and knowing your techie stuff in the trenches.

Is it possible? Yes, but it's unlikely anyone would take the chance when there are plenty of experienced techs sitting idle.
Is it a bad idea? In my opinion, yes.

 

I am a person who have being in service desk/helpdesk for about 3 years and I am looking to move on into something that is more technical, also I have learned the basics quiet well and have certifications.

 

MS

Microsoft

 

Then you won't be skipping the service desk work then will you? so the original post was actually pointless as far as you are concerned?

Define further your Microsoft certs.

 

Wrong thread moved!

 

Wrong thread mate.