Any advice?

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Hi all,

It's been a while! A few things have changed since the last time I posted. I'm now seventeen years old, and I've all but dropped out of school. I've enrolled onto an Open University course and will be pursuing that part-time next year, but obviously I need some form of employment during the week.

I'm currently in the process of refreshing my CV before I submit it to several jobsites, and I also think it's about time I did some more certifications. I currently hold the CompTIA A+ and the CompTIA Network+.

I'm going to study for CCENT and Microsoft 70-680 (not quite sure which path to take afterwards, but I can't see a better starting block).

If I find any cheap exam vouchers for the MCDST exam, I'll think about sitting that too.

I'd be extremely greatful if someone could please look over my CV (attached) and critique it?

I don't have a great deal of work experience, but I do understand how the real world works, and I do have a real (geeky) technical knowledge - I just need an interview to prove it! I've also got a problem with references as the only IT work experience I've had was in my school, and the IT Manager is no longer working there.

I’m finding it very difficult to summarise my skills, especially much of it hasn’t come from a working environment, but from test environments at home.

Also, and this is the long shot, does anybody know of any entry-level (or above) paid IT work in the Newport-Cardiff-Bristol area of the country? Perhaps you're an IT Manager who could do with an extra hand? It pains me to say it, but the minimum wage for me is quite a bit lower than a 21 year old and I'd be more than happy with that just to get my foot through the door.

Thanks,

Gav

 

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Why would you drop out of school?

 

You had A's in mathematics...you would have done well in a programming related degree. Regardless, if you're putting web skills on your CV you should also link it to your portfolio of web design/development work.

Remove the 'cv' from the top and remove the references until requested.

 

Surely you completed school if you got your GCSE's ? :hhhmmm

 

I think by "drop out" he means he has completed his education to GCSE level but is not looking to go onto further education. I would still recommend you look at a National Diploma / HNC or equivalent course at local college in computing or IT.

 

For a relatively young guy your CV is pretty good.

I would be wary of adding too many certifications on top of what you already have, as you may start looking over qualified on paper for the entry level jobs that you will be seeking.

Good luck.

 

If I was your age I would seriously contemplate going on to further education and doing an I.T degree full time, with some part time or voluntary I.T work in the holidays.

It seems the way things are going with the past and current governments push towards every man and his dog going to University whether they really need to or not for their chosen profession, that 10 years from now you could find yourself in the minority by not having a degree and disadvantaged in the job market.

I'm even considering the OU myself.

 

Have you seen the IT graduate unemployment statistics? they top the table. If you can get onto that first step as soon as possible then anything else education wise is a bonus. I'm a firm believer that telling people who want a career in IT (at his age anyway) to go to University could be the worst advice ever.

@OP

At your age, seriously think about taking an apprenticeship (entry level role), you will probably be on 10k a year or something but it will pay it's dividends a few years down the line.

 

Ah, I recall this IT apprentaship: Zenos, you should check them out.

The problem with getting your first entry level role is the competitive market. Essentially, you're competing with those who have a degree and it is rare to see an entry level job advertisement where they want someone 'who really wants to get into IT' without qualifications. I'm currently interviewing for 4 companies, 2 of which are footsie 100 companies and 1 of which works in security with the government. They all wanted graduates with degrees in an IT related discipline. At interviews when I am asked to discuss education and I mention the compTIA A+, the interviewers are typical bewildered as the A+ is not as well recognised in the UK, at least not in my experience and impression I got from employers.

The other route I would take is getting certified with microsoft certs, employers did seem to be aware of those.

 

Major companies are of course wanting to find graduates, but then again, the job market isn't made up on FTSE100/500 companies, it's made up of SMEs for the most part, who are not as picky on their requirements.

One way I got a job was I literally typed "(IT)Companies in *CITY NAME*" went onto the Wikipedia page which had a list of companies head-quartered in the city, visited all their websites in one afternoon, and had a job the following week. Granted I left after three days.

 

Having looked at them it is certainly one of the highest at 16% unemployed or undergoing further education, that's pretty pants, but still suggests that 84% have found work. An apprenticeship programme would be the best bet, but they are very thin on the ground. I still recon though that the way University education is being pushed in this country at present that those without degrees could be disadvantaged in future, a bit like in the U.S.

Then again being Jockanese, I wouldn't have the tuition fees to worry about which has to be taken in to consideration.

 

"work" being the key word there. The usual statistics spin is this, anything negative usually has more substance than anything positive. So any suggestion that 84% are in work is nothing else than a blatant lie on their part.

Who says it's being pushed? by all accounts the coalition is trying their very hardest to deter people from attending, first by removing EMA which for a ridiculously paltry sum (in the scale of things) not only encouraged people to attend college, it then encouraged them to attend punctually and then onto the student fees, which whilst it has it's bad points and good points - looking at the bigger picture, it will only deter some people from attending, it won't do anything that encourages people to go.

Apprenticeships don't have to be with a government run body or the like, plenty of companies do them in name only. He has simply got to try his hardest to find "Trainee" roles.

 

The benefit i found to going to uni was the fact it had a placement year. That was 1 year of experience, paid, whilst earning toward your degree. When i finished uni, i had my first IT role within a month. Almost all the REALLY good jobs i look at, which in a few years i expect to be applying for, mention having a degree.

I'm by no means saying it right for everyone, but it worked for me.

 

Good Luck and keep trying, also try different methods to get into I.T. I was 17 too when I attempted to break into I.T

 

I'm A Zenos Graduate of This Year in February, I'm going to say now that it was the best 5 Months of my Life, not because of the Training that went on there, but because of the people, i found the whole organisation to be a little unorganised, the best part were the people, doesn't mean i wouldn't recommend it, although as you have A+ and Network+, the only thing to gain from going is MCDST so I'm not sure as to whether they'd take you on, but if you could get on the course it's a brilliant opportunity and they help you find your first job in IT,(although i had to lump it with temporary work not involving IT for a little bit), but 6 months after finishing Zenos i've got my first Technical Support Engineer Role been here for a month and everyday there is a new challenge, or something for me to learn.
**EDIT**
One thing i would say is Zenos is good for getting you the qualifications quickly, It's going to be lack of real world problems at Zenos as it's all lab based