Hi All!! Advice needed please!

Leehaa · Oct 10, 2008

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AmandaT said: ↑

Well,

Got my first 'proper' computer when i went to uni (did a degree in Animal Science and behaviour but that's by the by!), and I guess I just started to play! Got a job in my second year at uni as the computer room supervisor during evenings and weekends - I was there to make sure the students weren't really doing anything they shouldn't but it developed into a bit more of a hands on role as I was on my own if things went wrong, so I had to learn at least the basics!

It's kind of gone from there though as messing about with computers seeing what happens when I click on something and fixing it if it breaks seems to have come second nature and I've never been frightened to find out how to do something. Every job i've had (I got stuck in admin type jobs after uni with a short stint as a lorry driver for Eddie Stobarts) I've always managed to steer towards an IT support kind of position even if unofficial! I've always been the first port of call if one of the IT guys needed a bit of support as they knew I could be trusted not to 'break' anything!

Then the job i'm in now (civil service ), i'm the acting 'Local Infrastructure Manager' which means I'm first port of call for any computer problems - forgotten passwords being the norm, upgrading memory, installing various software, printer problems, voip, and the usual. Then I have IS which is miles away to back me up with anything I can't do that they can do remotely. I'm involved in dealing with the server quite a bit too although not to the extent as everything else. The problem I have is that I end up spending so much time helping colleagues with these problems that it's taking me away from the main part of my job and the work is piling up (although I know what i'd rather be doing). Now my line manager is trying to take the IT side of my job away and give it to someone else (who will need training as there isn't anyone else) when it's really the only part of my job I really enjoy! Hence this is why I'm after the career change...

As for my partner he doesn't have an IT background at all - he's just really supportive of anything I want to do (whether it's this or running round a dog agility course in the rain!! )

Phew, that was a bit of an essay and a quick look into my life in IT so far!!
Amanda
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You should breeze through A+ and N+ as it sounds like you have had so much 'hands on' experience already! Because you have taught yourself the skills you may find that the exams are great for covering some of the basics you didn't manage to cover though - who knows. Great starting point though as you can judge from it how to tailor your future studying!

Have you already started looking for support roles? I would have thought that someone with that much experience already would easily get an entry level role - possibly something a bit more despite not being certified :hhhmmm ...

btw, when you mentioned the dog agility course, I sure do hope that you were running around it with a dog Lol!!

Good luck with everything!

Lee

AmandaT · Oct 12, 2008

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Yes definately running the dog agility course with a dog Lee... lol

You know, it probably sounds daft but I'd never actually thought about applying for any support roles until I'd got something down on paper.... I know experience is the important thing for most of these but I think somewhere in my brain i'm telling myself I'll never get anything without a certificate... must change my way of thinking

I'm going to start looking as even if I get turned down, the interview experience would be good (if I can get that far) as I'm a little out of practice with interviews.

Nabbing my old desktop back of my younger sis this weekend so I can play with it without worrying as she got herself a newer one and my old one is just sitting on her bedroom floor - so just going to order the A+ book later on and wait for it to arrive and off I go!

Speak to you all soon!!! (or even sooner! )
Amanda xx

UKDarkstar · Oct 12, 2008

Have you thought about trying to transfer into IT where you are ? Just a thought.

Sounds like you have a gameplan anyway so good luck !

AmandaT · Oct 12, 2008

The only problem I have with moving into IT where I am at the moment is that it requires me to relocate all the way up to Edinburgh! Would rather try and stay a bit closer to home at the moment. I do the IT related things in our office as the LIM and really enjoy that but my employers won't help me with any studying towards a cert so i'm going to work hard and study at home then move on I think - unless the ideal opportunity comes up in the mean time!

Sparky · Oct 12, 2008

Regardless of experience I would still go for the A+ and Network+. Loads of people seem to be good with computers these days and it is hard to tell how good they are on a CV. If you have the A+ and Network+ on there it is much easier for the potential employer to rate what technical level you are at, on paper at least!

Sparky · Oct 12, 2008

AmandaT said: ↑

The only problem I have with moving into IT where I am at the moment is that it requires me to relocate all the way up to Edinburgh!
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Edinburgh aint that bad

No reason why you cant be working IT where you currently are though. With remote access there is often no need to be located at the site where the servers are. Saves me having to fly to London.

albertc30 · Oct 12, 2008

UKDarkstar said: ↑

At the risk of getting flamed by others here I'd say it depends. Back in 2001 I started an MCSE (I had 3 years experience by then of server work on NT4 and Server 2000). Although the course spent a couple of weeks going over Network+ the intructor was firmly of the view that if you were suitably qualified with experience and knowledge then the MCSE was a higher qualification and so taking the Network+ exam was not necessary.

In your shoes, if you do already have that knowledge then taking the A+ and N+ may help with getting a job; it really depends on how much knowledge you already have and where you're trying to get work-wise. One way, perhaps, to approach it is to go thru' something like Transcender and see how you score. If it's low, do the study and take the exams. If you're doing well you can decide if you wnat to do the exams or skip into something more technical.

You might also want to consider joining te British Computer Society as a student : http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.5664

Hope that helps.
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What are the benefits of joining BCS mate? Any fees?
Cheers

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