Getting first IT job with no IT work exp or IT qualifications??

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Hi

Well much like the title says I haven't yet but am looking into snooping around for a first entry level IT job.

I am currently up to speed on my Comptia A+ studying but I'm sure as all of you are aware of the demise of Advent, I am now waiting for word from Barclays as to the new training provider they switch us "Advent students" to as my exam fees are covered in the fee I paid Advent so would not make sense for me to being paying for exams out of my own pocket when it could well be included in the new training provider I find myself with if a refund isn't in order.
I of course mention on my CV that I'm currently in the process of obtaining my Comptia A+ certification but doesn't change the fact I still don't currently have the certification still definatley worth me mentioning nit on my CV nonetheless right?

I wanted to ask you guys what are my chances going up against people with education and qualifications in IT,
I have a ICT (GNVQ) from secondary school... thats about it, I don't know if that counts towards much?

I have work experience in a recruitment consultant role for the past 2 years and previously worked in Debenhams... Customer Service experience? I would have thought face to face customer service is all relevant to these entry level support roles, would this work experience give me kudos against people coming fresh out of IT education with no work experience or would I simply get thrown in the bin by the majority of employers due to my non existent IT-Work experience and IT education.
On a side note salary expectation is more less irrelevant as I don't think I could find a IT job on less money than I'm on at the moment even if I tried

Thanks in advance Lads for all feedback!

 

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Hi mate, I am in a similar position!

I have completed a basic cert (Comptia N+) and have Cisco CCNA work in progress (studying with the OU)

As you may see on quite a few other threads, most of the experienced techs would agree, unfortunately, that you do have to start at the bottom. I would like to go straight into networking without having to go on a helpdesk troubleshooting microsoft but this just isnt possible!

So I am left fighting it out with hundreds of other people going for the same 1st line support jobs without specific job experience and hoping my Customer service experience will get me something like this! I understand that then, once you are in the job, you can fairly quickly work yourself up to system admin roles if you show willing (depending on the company of course).

So far in my pursuits, I have applied for positions which do not specify particular qualifications/experience (they are out there) but with no responses. This could be down to my C.V. or it could be just the volume of applications they have means they just drop as many as they can unless they fit the bill.

Anyway, from what I understand from the very helpful guys here on Cert, is that its best to get some basic certs under your belt as you are doing A+, N+, MCDST, secure a 1st line job, then go onto higher certs MCP/CCNA etc. and build up from there. Its a cruel world but this industry is growing all the time. So hopefully there will be a place for us soon

 

I think you will find it very difficult at the moment as alot of expierenced IT workers are currently out of work and going for lower level jobs to get some pennies coming in. I would keep the head up and continue studying and look out for junior roles and also see if there is any volounteer work going locally.

I would try and use every contact you have to see if any roles are coming up and get in there before they are even advertised. From being in recruitment hopefully you have made some good contacts that you may be able to have a word with.

 

I am in the same boat like you.
This week I submited CV to few agencies and got reply from some of them. Their answer was that they had nothing for me at the moment but to keep checking their website... or they had candidates whose experience better matched job req.
Also applied for few jobs - 1st line support - and got reply from couple of them with negative answer... Though from most of them there hasn't been any reply.
I saw job ads where they asked for a year experience for 1st line support role?! Also 1st line supp that asks very complex tasks.
There are just too many people applying for the same job and it seems impossible to get through but I agree with j1mgg advice.

 

Not all first line support roles are created equal though.
If you work for a company with a large client base (like an ISP) then 1st line may be nothing more than call logging and scripted troubleshooting.
If you work for a smaller company there's more chance of you doing troubleshooting on the fly.

At the end of the day companies are looking to fill the gap with minimal training and breaking-in time (because it costs them money to pay your wages while you're being less than 100% productive, and your mistakes might be even more costly). Someone with 1 years experience or knowledge of that particular technology are normally going to be favourites for those sort of jobs. I just don't bother if I can't prove (in my CV) I can meet most of the necessary/desirable skills. In this job market there's almost certainly going to be a few people who surpass the required skill/experience level applying.

 

what he said ^

 

I feel, i can only improve my cv and cover letter, i (and my past)going to be the same....
So i try to change little bits on my cv. Every week. I read the advice you guys give to each other. And if i find something good(obviously if it is true) i add it, or if i find the same mistake on my cv, i change it.
I experienced some positive changes.
I never had an answer yet.
But the new version, i got 2 rejection already.
so just go ahead

 

hi
will be really hard to find a job in IT with only A+, but still worth trying
maybe it is only my area, but commercials say that the country needs more and more people in IT - bollocks - there are only few adverts on jobsearch websites, and it is rather something unique like databases or webmastering on high level, much higher than IT Technician
many people from IT lost their jobs and it will be hard to get thru them
in the meantime I keep improving my skills, I have ECDL and ITQ Lvl2 (plus 2 years of exp in simple graphics with CorelDraw, MSoffice, invoicing soft ect) , and I'm during A+, after it I want to finish N+ before December, and would like to do something else - like Microsoft cert - which do you think is the easiest for begginer?
In the meantime I do part time as selfemployed in IT to improve my skills and CV.
My time will come

 

Depends on the employer. Entry-level jobs don't typically require degrees or certifications. Some employers will value people with degrees, and some employers will be reluctant to hire a degreed candidate for a plain-old entry-level job. Most entry-level employers will value candidates with entry-level certifications (A+/Network+/MCDST), provided that experience levels are similar and neither has a "bad personality".

Can you get a job in IT without degrees or certifications? Yes. Will it be difficult? Yes, because if your competition has advantages that you don't, they'll often be considered over you.

Again, depends on the employer. Some employers value people with customer service skills, particularly for entry-level help desk jobs.

 

one more word from me
if you apply to company you will probably get answer even if negative
if you apply thru agency - they treat you like meat, and if you're not good enough for them you won't get an answer at all

 

Sounds like I'm going to sit tight and study on, by the sounds of things looking for a job in IT with my CV at the moment is going to be like playing the lottery, just like your more likely to get hit by a car on the way to buy your lottery ticket than you are to actually getting the ticket and winning it or if you drive to the shop to get your lottery ticket you more likely to crash and die on the way to buy the lottery ticket than you're are to actually win the lottery you get the idea the odds don't look good.

I guess I just have to wade it out in recruitment for the time being but I'm still more less thankfull that I even have a job in the first place.

Thanks for the advice Boson and Soundian

 

After you have completed your A+ and Network+, then natural progression would be towards MCDST(or the vista/windows 7 equivaliant if you fancy).

 

what is the win 7 number?
I know that for XP it is 271 and 272, but I prefer to do something in win 7 direction, as in 2-3 years people will probably forget the XP

 

It's 70-680 which gives you MCTS: Windows 7, Configuring - linky

I think I'm gonna do this one too after 70-652 (exam next weekend)

 

I wasn't implying you should give up. Apply for jobs if you can (almost) match the skillset required and put in the effort to tailor your CV and cover letter for each application.
I was only applying for about 5 jobs a week, but I spent hours on each cover letter and CV. It paid off for me, and I had less rejections to feel depressed about.