Brand spanking new member in need of some advice!

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Hi all,

I am currently in the process of going for the A+ certificate by studying in my own time. I have got the Myers A+ all in one guide to certification as well as the PC Technician street smarts which I am getting to grips with.

I have read through numerous posts on here about how to get into IT and a lot of the response is to go into entry level help desk. I have had jobs in call centres and they have put me off the idea of a help desk job. However I really enjoy building systems and repairing systems, can anyone give me advice on what the best path would be to get into this area and what career progression this can involve. Also, am I wrong to dismiss Help desk so easily?

I do not have any IT work experience apart from what I do at home and for family and friends.

I would love to get into IT and have been hoping so for some time, I am at an age where I feel I am going nowhere job wise and I would like to apply myself in something that I enjoy doing.

Any advice from you helpful people would really help me figure out the next step in relation to what I should be concentrating on in the study material I have.

PEACE OUT

 

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have a look at local PC repair shops or PC world and try and get in with the tech guys in there, or look at small companies were you will do a bit of everything.

Welcome to CF btw

 

Welcome to CF!

Honestly what I did when I first started was do a 2 month stage at company doing IT work, after the stage I tried looking for me work and I was refered by a friend to a place where I am at now. It's a matter of getting that first foot in the door. Don't dismiss help desk because that is some great experience you'll gain. I know it's very basic but you will learn a lot and beside you're not going to be doing it forever 6-12months of experience is enough to look for a desktop support job in my opinion

 

Welcome to CF

Repair shops or PC call out type jobs are an alternative way to get into IT without having to work in a call centre (call centre work is not for everyone). I quite enjoyed my time in a call centre, you do learn a lot and it can be rewarding. Get your A+ and see if you can get some experience; either help desk or in a PC repair job, then you can decide where in IT you want to go and tailor your cert studies and job to suit. IT is a vast area with many specialities and paths open to you.

 

Those who are suggesting repair shop work are right on the money. That's a great alternative to working a help desk call center job. That said, help desk is a great way to gain experience - don't automatically discount it. Take any entry-level position you can get your hands on. The start of your IT career is no time to be too picky!!

I started out as a Field Service Tech... we had business customers who would pay us an hourly rate (or a weekly/monthly maintenance fee) for a worker to come out to fix or maintain their computers and printers. Rarely, we'd get a server call... but it was usually just normal PC work. One client liked my work, so he hired me to be their full-time systems admin, doing desktop support and some server administration, while learning advanced server administration and some network administration from the network admin. One job tends to lead to another... and another... and another.

 

G'day.

How ya doin?

No worries.

 

Hi all

Thanks for your advice.

I don't think I will discount the help desk route at all, I will keep an open mind as any start is a good start.

In all honesty, how hard is it to break into the world of IT when you haven't got the work experience? as I know the majority of jobs require it. Should I get A+ certified, what doors/options will that open to me if any?

 

IT is very competative to get into. Certs and qualifications can help get you noticed but they are not a magic key into IT unfortunatley. Experience is the key, so if you have none apply for jobs where no experience is needed.

 

I would definitely get your A+. It will look good on your CV and show you have a tested level of computer knowledge. Certification is not a replacement for experience, but having one of the two will open more doors than having neither. It can be hard to get a foot in the door in IT, but not impossible. Most of us on the forum here have done it, you can too