I lack...

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If I needed the attention... wouldn't I just have to send you an IM?

oh, sorry, you're already busy on IM...

 

I'd cheer you up... but... I don't have MSN installed.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys.

It's always comforting to know that it IS possible to get out of the rut!

Thanks for the very kind offer, I've not even made a CV yet though. I'm mainly focused on getting the A+ before I start applying for jobs.

Maybe this is a bad idea and I should get started on the CV and apply for jobs now?

 

Don't forget to add in your CV that your are currently studying your A+.

 

I thought it would be best to just finish the A+ then make my CV.. Should I make it now and just try applying for jobs with the 'it can't hurt attitude' ?

 

certs and experience go hand in hand, the jobs you apply for are restricted by your lesser of the two

grim

 

Yea, but A+ is an entry level cert and entry-level should mean just that.

No one would ever get their foot in the door in IT if every single job requires x years amount of experience on the job..

I would be looking to start as 1st line tech support and work from there. A field job IT tech would be more desirable but beggars can't be choosers

 

Take my advice, sign up to sites like totaljobs and Jobsite and upload your CV then just apply for any and all entry level jobs in your area. what are you going to lose? Recruiters will browse your CV and you'll be likely to get at least one or two calls for some low paid entry level work or temp contracts which has got to be good.

If they don't call you back then so what? Apply for everything dude, even stuff you think "ooo, I don't know if i've got the experience for that" becuase you never know. I got offered this job from a jobsite call for a job I didn't even apply for online!

Just keep applying and applying and applying. You may not hear back from even 5% of them but for the 5% you do then that means you have a good shot at getting that entry level job. gotta be better than stacking shelves my man....

 

Unfortunately, that's not the case... the jobs you apply for are restricted by your experience, not your certifications. Employers often hire someone who is not certified... IF he/she can do the job. But 99.9% of the time, employers will NOT hire someone who is certified, but lacks the experience to do the job.

Bottom line, certification can only serve to give yourself an advantage over others who have equivalent levels of experience.

 

Dave, it is difficult to get into IT and a lot of employers want people with experience and certs. Getting a good mix is the key to success in IT. Without experience getting a cert will help but it will still be hard and be ready for a lot of rejections but don't let it get you down as I think everyone in IT goes through this for the first 2-3 years of your career in IT when moving on. Look for small companies or as people have pointed out 1st line support or rollout contracts. Once you get your foot in the door then after a few years you will hopefully be able to move onto bigger and better things.

If you can, voluntary work will give you a big boost as a lot of employers see this as experience. So if you can spare a day of two try ringing around your local community centres.

 

thats my point

grim

 

I'd also like t make the point the the skills you see listed on jobs are often a wish list. All employers would love to have 10 years + experienced PC and network techs working their helpdesks becuase they could rock it out no problem. Just becuase you don't 100% match the requirements doesn't mean you don't have a chance especially at entry level. For 13K a year as a base salary level I think employers are willing to take on less experienced people becuase they don't have to pay them as much. Much easier to train someone up in their systems from scratch and save in the long term with wages plus they know that you aren't going to be snapped up by another firm in 2 months time because you'll be paying your dues with them.

You may find a helpdesk job is not much more than call logging for some people and others theres a large amount of fault resolution. You might find that the less the jobs pays the less the employers worries about potential employees meeting all their requirements. My current job might well have asked for Active directory experience or citrix experience in which case I might have gone "what the... I've no idea what those programs are! this job isn't for me".

In other words put yourself about and just see what turns up.

 

but surely not having the certs and loosing out to someone who has them is restricting especially when they specifically ask in the job advert to be x qualified

grim

 

I have been reading through many posts on these boards similar to this one and its really sad and in a way quite stupid for perspective employers to overlook an application just because there are no certs or obvious IT pre-requists.

I own a small family run IT business and my current roving tech came to me with nothing more than a little knowledge and an eager outgoing personality. 2 years on he is still with me (and earning good money). I know I am perhaps unique in my approach to hiring but nothing pisses me off more than when I interview a candidate who has a list of certifications a mile long but when you show him a computer he can't tell the front from the back.

Having said all that I got bitten by my second techy whom I hired following much the same guidlines. No certs, good IT knowledge but truned out to be the laziest liar I had ever come across. Nothing boils my blood more than a staff member who lies to me. Can't win em all hey.

 

Not to mention I'll cuff in the back of the head evertime I see you do it. I can do the same for you to david so you don't back slide.

You have some very good skills already for helpdesk. You are use to communitcating one on one with people and dealing with compaints already. You have management exp which means you know how to take controll of situations and steer it in the driection that it needs to go. You have some exp at home rebuilding and fixing computers so if someone picked up a video card off the table and said what is this. You would not be standing there going ummm, a board with thingys on it?

Branch out to working on your family and friends computers. Do it for free if you have to but that is real world exp and can be put down on your cv as troubleshooting and repairing PC's. Get the Mike Meyers and trips street book for A plus if you haven't already. (Sorry haven't read though all the post in this thread yet) And get your A+. Remember one more things. Employers usually put more exp in their ads then they actually need or want. Never be afraid to apply for a job that YOU want. I have gotten more then one job without the proper exp before just because I had the drive to succeed and they could see that. If they don't need you they will weed you out. However, you never know what might have been if you don't try. And always remember, no matter how tough times can get negativeity never produced anything positive. Good luck in all you do david. We are here for you.

 

Don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying that certifications aren't useful. I absolutely believe in certification - if I didn't, I wouldn't be writing certification training products for a living. Certainly you need certifications for jobs that require them. But without the experience, you won't be considered, period.

 

This must exclude a lot of entry level jobs right? I mean, many people get in through that level of job without any real "work experience" in IT.