Unsure about my new job

Discussion in 'Employment & Jobs' started by Cella250, Aug 29, 2011.

  1. Cella250

    Cella250 New Member

    3
    0
    1
    Hi there, I'm a long time lurker but finally decided to register , anyway onto my rant.

    I finished uni in June and got my BSc in Computer information systems so I've been looking for jobs here and there for the last couple of months and saw a job that looked like it matched my aspirations to break into the IT industry, It was was listed as an IT Helpdesk Assistant (The company is involved with wholesale etc and supports Till software in your local shops) and looked promising, so I applied and had 2 interviews and was offered the job which I accepted.

    After my first week I decided that I vastly miss-interpreted the job role as I expected it to be a lot more involved in dealing with troubleshooting computer/networking problems and assisting in setting up new builds etc. The job actually just consists of sitting at a desk everyday waiting for the phone to ring, and then assisting the disgruntled customer but 99% of the time it has nothing to do with common IT problems, its always linked with my employers Till software not running correctly and missing orders/sales within a convenience store.

    I expected the job to be much more involved with general IT than just answering phones all day and dealing with problems that don't really need any IT knowledge at all. Am I overacting to my first entry level job? or should I be looking for something more technical? I discussed it with my manager and they reduced my hours to ease the job in but it still involves something I really have no passion for with is first line customer service I'd must rather be dealing with networking & real IT problems or IT consultancy. I've been there just over a month now but I struggling to drag myself there everyday to deal with poorly constructed and outdated software.

    /Rant over

    Sorry if I seem ungrateful but I have been thinking about quitting every single day as I just feel I'm not using any of the knowledge I've acquired and I absolutely hate dealing with customers on the phone (I'm only in my early 20's), I also feel vastly over qualified in my current job duty's.

    TL/DR:
    Got a new job on a IT help-desk, Not sure if Its the right role for my, cant decide if I'm just being ungrateful or should consider looking for a more technical role.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2011
  2. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

    10,718
    543
    364
    You are not at a level where you can do a more technical role. Why? Because you have no commercial experience.

    You need to give it time mate but I would try and be more customer focused as this will help you in any IT support job.
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  3. Lozler

    Lozler Bit Poster

    47
    1
    20
    If you are unhappy at work, then you shouldn't stay there, no matter if you haven't got any commercial experience.

    The power of the degree is great now, look for graduate jobs, there's plenty of them and I'm sure you'll be able to be successful in whatever you choose to do.

    I know plenty of people who have graduated with an IT/Comp Sci degree without any commercial experience and have landed jobs where they are HAPPY. This should be you too, so I would start looking elsewhere. I've been in your position before, and I put off leaving for a long time.

    Make sure to use your time wisely, search for other jobs, there's plenty of jobs for you, and if you've just finished uni I imagine you don't have a wife and kids to feed, so go wild and start applying for other jobs that interest you.
     
  4. Cella250

    Cella250 New Member

    3
    0
    1
    Thanks for the replies guys it means a alot, I've just been constantly obsessing over whether or not its worth staying but they outsource all their real IT issues and its more like a sales advisory role I feel like they kinda hid the job within the job description. This was actually the first and only job I applied to straight out of uni and I guess I just got over excited and didn't really read into the role as much as i should have. I also know I'm lacking experience for a more technical role but I feel I could at least do something like desktop support without going down the customer service line.

    Would it be worth doing A+/Network+ to get my more specialized into a an IT area? as I feel my degree is too rounded which probably got me the job in the first place, where as if they knew that I was alot more technical than the job requires I may not of been offered it.
     
  5. Boffy

    Boffy Megabyte Poster

    698
    26
    86
    Well since you've finished uni continuing your studies would look good to any future employer - the desire to learn and constantly gaining knowledge.

    But, don't wait until you have the A+/N+, apply for jobs now. Put a comment in your CV about self-studying and apply for any jobs that sound more suitable for you.

    Good luck
     
    Certifications: BSc Computer Game Technology, A+
    WIP: MOS 2010
  6. millsie

    millsie Byte Poster

    169
    4
    34
    I'm all about giving confidence today!

    My situation was vey similar to yours. The company you work for sounds almost identical to mine currently but I now have a new job, just working my notice at the mo! :D

    Anyways, my story is I have been here for 14 months now and have finally landed my first network support analyst in another company. I was at my wits end in this job, thinking it was going nowhere, not what i'm interested in etc etc.

    But I do believe it helped me get my new job! The best thing you can do is stick it out, you'll probably be surprised that what you are doing now could help you later, I've got CCNA, N+ and MCDST aswell but these alone cannot get you a job, of course they helped me, but I feel that I have applied support desk exp, fixing things remotely, customer service skills, working to SLA's dealing with printers, windows account management and a lot of other little fixes you might take for granted. Apply anything you learn on the job to other jobs, you never know it might help you!

    I feel mine is a success story not just because of my certs but my sheer determination to stick this job out and go for as many interviews as possible, it can be done, all of it! Do some basic certs, get a year at least in any IT support role (regardless of what they do) and then you never know! :biggrin
     
    Certifications: N+, CCNA, MCDST
    WIP: CCNP route 642-902
  7. NZ Kris

    NZ Kris Nibble Poster

    56
    1
    15
    Hi Cella

    To me it does sound a little like you have been stuck with a role were they mis led you a bit. I understand you are now unhappy with the fact you are merely supporting one piece of poorly designed software. If you want another job I would suggest you start looking at least that way you don't feel like you are doing nothing about your situation. On top of this I would started getting industry certs as previsouly mentioned A+, N+ a good place to start and you'll surely fly through them.

    With regards to what you have said about helping people on the phone you need to understand at an entry level role your almost certainly going to helping people over the phone a lot of the time. Don't expect to be planning big projects etc from the start. If I was you I would be studying the next thing (which I am actually doing) and looking for a job which might suit a bit better, but keep your current job until you find the next. That way you are still gaining customer service experience which is a big part of IT.

    hope this is helpful.
    Best of luck
     
    Certifications: A+ 2009, Network+, MCDST, MCTS, MCSA
    WIP: MCSA
  8. TheMagician

    TheMagician Nibble Poster

    53
    2
    12
    Can you post the job advert and spec and any other supplied documents.

    Would be interesting to see how they dressed it up. It's impossible to say if you were misled without seeing this. I'd have hoped that in the job interview the actual day to day duties would have been made clear as well.
     
    Certifications: MCSA 2012, MCITP: EA, SA, ITIL
  9. Seraph

    Seraph New Member

    5
    0
    32
    Cella, I have no IT experience. My background is 14 years in Small Business & Personal Insurance Broking. My last roll was as a Clams Manager. Let me say that job was pretty much as you say: Sit in front of phone and do customer service all day. I hated it. I've left that industry and started doing an Info Tech degree. My advice to you: get out now. Go and do the role you want to do. Stop wasting time with this current job.
     
    WIP: A+
  10. soundian

    soundian Gigabyte Poster

    1,460
    71
    107
    This wins my typo of the day award.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+,MCDST,MCTS(680), MCP(270, 271, 272), ITILv3F, CCENT
    WIP: Knuckling down at my new job
    ciaran25 likes this.
  11. Cella250

    Cella250 New Member

    3
    0
    1
    Thanks for all the feedback guys, it helped a lot. I decided that I no longer wish to listen to ignorant people shout down the phone to me about problems they've caused themselves and I handed my notice in.

    Feels like a massive weight has been lifted and I've started studying for A+ and I'm also spamming job-sites but being a lot more cautious with job descriptions to make sure they don't hide the role.

    Cheers.
     
  12. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

    3,120
    51
    154
    Use this role as a stepping stone as not everyone is fortunate to land an IT role title based job. Keep looking for a new role and study whilst still in this role to show yourself approved for a much suited IT role.

    All the best:)
     
    Certifications: MCSE: 2003, MCSA: 2003 Messaging, MCP, HNC BIT, ITIL Fdn V3, SDI Fdn, VCP 4 & VCP 5
    WIP: MCTS:70-236, PowerShell
  13. millsie

    millsie Byte Poster

    169
    4
    34

    I agree, personally I wouldnt have just jacked the job in! You may struggle to get anything in your next role that has anything to do with IT, better to at least be doing something to do with it, and new prospective employers dont look to favorably on people who skip jobs every few months unless its contract. But fair play, up to you.

    My choice to stay in an IT based role regardless of the content has helped me no end as far as my next job goes! I stuck it out and am now very well placed to kick start my networking career as a result, each to their own!

    Millsie
     
    Certifications: N+, CCNA, MCDST
    WIP: CCNP route 642-902
  14. derkit

    derkit Gigabyte Poster

    1,480
    58
    112
    Personally I wouldn't have thrown the first job in until I had got the 2nd one but thats just me.

    I did 8 months on a helpdesk, that wasn't really technical and was mostly call logging, but quite quickly (4 months in) got wind of roles on the next team up - I was moving about 100 miles at the time to live with my girlfriend and so had to wait another 4 before I could start/move in - but ending up taking the next stepping stone. Now I'm in the process of getting into a large 3rd line support team, and once management has sorted themselves out I'll be starting with gusto!

    We all start (well, most anyway) at the bottom - I had the equivalent of a exec board-member being a disgruntled customer to me and the service we provide. I politely told him the facts, the process of escalating a complaint call and even asked if I could borrow his phone to dial the number for him - he of course backed down as he was full of hot air. These skills I may or may not have had if I hadn't spent the last 3 years since University in a customer based environment.

    To be a good tech, you need technical skills. To be a super tech, you need human skills also.

    <Harsh time> Wind your neck in, do the job, move on when ready. Nothing is beneath you. Humility costs nothing </Harsh time>
     
    Certifications: MBCS, BSc(Hons), Cert(Maths), A+, Net+, MCDST, ITIL-F v3, MCSA
    WIP: 70-293

Share This Page

Loading...
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.