1st Line support for how long?

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Hi,
I Recently graduated from Uni with a BSc in Networking & Computer Support. Since then, I was pretty lucky to have 3 or 4 interviews for my first job. I am now working with Atos Origin doing 1st line support. Getting a bit boring as we are not even able to gain remote access to our users machines due to security/privacy issues. How long should I stick this out for? Is 6 months experience enough on my CV? 12mnths? 2 yrs?

I am currently in the process of being selected for Linn products technical support which is much more hands on as there would only be myself and the had of IT supporting all Linn stores around the world. Also performing backups etc.

Also looking to do my MCSA / CCNA as well now. Is that recommended and will it help me getting a better job with a better salary?

Advice advice advice, thanks to any1 that can help!

 

I graduate uni with BSc in Physics with computing - nothing remotely related to anything in the IT Support industry - and landed my current job back in March - 1st line support for a government contract.

Sadly, this was only a temp position via Adecco. I went for an interview at the end of August within the company that has the contract, and now I'm sorted with hands on 2nd line desktop support for about 3,000 users over 7 sites around Europe - and above all of that its a permanent position.

I'm moving up to London (which is where I wanted to go anyway) with my girlfriend in November and starting work. So from start of 1st line support to securing my desktop support job - 5 months.

The company didn't bat an eye at only having 5 months experience - and they were more encouraged when I said I was studying A+ and then N+, and wanted to aim higher - if anything, they were encouraging me to sign with them as they are willing to throw virtually any training I want with it - mcse, ccnp, ITIL, PRINCE2.....

My advice
9-12 months if you were moving companies.
6 months if you've proved your worth and stood out from the competition and staying with the same company won't do any damage in the slightest.

 

I am in 1st line atm, do some 2nd line aswell (only due to my hardware knowledge from a previous position in a diff company)

have been doing it for 8 months now and learned about as much as I am going to. What it does do tho is enable me to be 100% comfortable doing what I do and going that little bit further when required. Gonna stick it out for another 10 months or so giving me 18 months experience although i fully expect to move either up a position or across to a more technical contract within this timescale.

during this time I am doing my mcsa/mcse, just about ready for 70-270 so should get the 4 required for mcsa in that time anyway. (if I dont get something just with the mcsa I will carry on as learning is fun in a sick sort of way lol)

best advise is look at online jobsites and see what they are asking for!!

a lot are asking for minimum 12 months experience in a related role and thats just for 1st/2nd line positions. Luckily I live 25 miles from london so have an absolute abundance of jobs to apply for (getting them is an altogether different matter tho )

hope this helps a bit

 

I would say 6 months is adequet as for your first job, I mean its a new experience and new opportunity. The thing is like its been said earlier in this thread dont do jobs for 6 months and then look for another one. Anyways good luck man.

 

this may sound like a stupid answer but to be honest it makes absolute sense...

Until you are offered a job elsewhere!

Theres nothing wrong with applying for a new job out of frontline from day one, but you arent likely to get a job elsewhere to be honest, when the employer thinks you are viable for a different job, the will offer you the job, until then, stick with frontline and keep applying.

Fergal

 

I know this thread is quite old,

but as about to start my first 1st line job,

does this attitude of staying for 6-8 months in a 1st line job still apply, particularly with a recession having happened after this post?

during my course it was stated that you should stay in the 1st line job between 6-12 months but the guy who interviewed me for a job which I got (and then declined to pay the recruitment fees) said during the interview that it's generally 18 months, but "12 for you" because I'm apparently so experienced.

Any thoughts?

 

Ok, dont be too down about 1st line service desk/helpdesk roles. It really varies depending on company. Some are **** others are great.

Please mate, don't make the same mistake I did and stay there for 2 years, as currently I see service desk roles are in demand.

If i was you, unless you can progress in the company where you are it boils down to this.

--- Study
---Study
--- Study

I heard of a guy, on my floor at my old job(HATED IT), when we, myself included were out buying xbox etc, he was buying certification tests. He then went 3rd line.

My main point is, yes we need a job for bills etc, but please dont stay there any longer than need be, if you can't progress to 2nd line/management etc then leave.

I now do 2nd line although it varies from job to job, as I have direct access to users machine, registery, ping etc etc.

contant training and maybe even get a profesional CV company to update it.

good luck fella

-- DONT STICK AROUND and get bored
--- Learn develop and voyage lol


Graham

- - - Updated - - -

Its a hard one to answer.

If you can progress then yeah 6-12 months is about right, but again it depends on the company. Some companies recruit internally but pay lower salaries because of potential wage freezes( ALOT do this). Others may recruit externally if they require a specific person.

As i wrote up on another comment. If you can progress then see it out
Ask around to your managers about people who moved up the ladder from 1st line.

I think because your starting out, enjoy it, you have done well nailing the job.
So take you time, ease into the role and see where you go.

hope this helps.

 

Cheers for the detailed reply!

I should have stated clearer - I haven't landed a job yet - well actually I did last week - and it was 1st/2nd line in London but the employer breached the contract to the recruiter by not paying the recruiter fees.

I have 2 interviews this week, one tomorrow and the day after. 95% certain I'll land one of them, lol

Generally if I have an interview these days I get the job.

Regards

 

Best of luck let us know how u get on

 

Agency fees are usually paid on successful completion of a period of time and not generally upfront, you should have been offered the role, accepted terms and conditions, been in the job for a couple of weeks before the agency started chasing the company for fees, it certainly wouldn't happen before you would have been offered a contract. If an agency is telling you this before you were even offered the job then I would guess that they found someone they liked even more and didn't want to let you down, having had a number of dealings with agencies I know how they operate (I used to do the back office support for a major Recruitement company with offices in London, Scotland and Exeter so had lots of dealing with agents).

 

Stay as long as you have to if you like it, your developing your skill set/career and the money allows for you to live your life how you want to. If not move on. Just try not to job hop to much.

End of the day if you want to do well you will either get lucky or you gotta put a great deal of effort into developing your professional image, your soft/political skills and studying in your own time to achieve the certifications (with experience to back it up). Basically you have to become the complete well rounded package.

 

Your welcome friend, good luck man. I've never found interviews hard at all really. I'm very good at talking bollox mind, maybe thats it lol

Anyway, hope ya nail it, keep calm and think about your answers and enjoy it.

cheers,

Graham