In desperate need for some advice!

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At the moment, I want out of my job. I work in a horrible, micro-managed, no water at your desk call centre, and I keep thinking is that I want out, I want to do something that I enjoy - and for me, that is working in IT.

I know ROUGHLY the sort of role that I'm interested in, but I don't know the correct route to take, and I don't know how much experience I'll need for each course.

So let me shed some light:

I would like to work in computer networking. Large networks preferably. I would like to have a job in setting up, and offering support and maintenence for the kind of networks you would see in large office buildings, or schools.

As it stands at the moment I have no mentionable experience. I have credit level computing, but that's it. I have a good understanding of computers, and to a certian extent networks.

So, can anyone suggest a starting exam to work towards? I feel that MCSE is where I would like to end up - and then take a more specialised route, but I honestly don't know enough about what each course requires, or would enable me to do.

Help would be MASSIVELY appreciated.

James

 

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Welcome James,

do you have any experience at all, or any certifications?

Unfortunately you're not going to be able to waltz straight into a network engineer role just like that, you'll need experience, probably a cisco CCNA certification, and a couple years hands on experience working with cisco gear, and you're only going to get onto working with cisco kit after gaining a base foundation in entry level IT work requiring you about 1-2 years depending on what you're doing.

So you're looking at at least 2-3 years to gain experience in a job, study for entry level certifications (CompTIA A+, N+, MCTS possibly) and then move onto CCNA studying, and hunting for a job in that, and you'll also face stiff competition from seasoned pro's and other people like yourself looking to get into the industry.

Best advice i could give you right now, is to start studying an A+ and N+ certification, start applying for entry levle IT roles, helpdesk sort of things, gain a few years experience and then start looking at more specialized roles.

Unfortunately it's a long process and you won't walk straight into a job like what you've mentioned.

Sorry to put a complete downer on it! however, if you're serious about the job and want to do it, then starting out at the bottom is the way you'll need to go, and this isn't crap work, it's interesting and builds your knowledge around all of IT

Either way, good luck and welcome to CF

 

Hi James, Apexes is pretty much spot on, the kind of role you desire takes years of experience and a heck of a lot of skill.

Then there is the fact there is a heck of a lot of competition for those roles.

Generally speaking as in any industry you will have to work your way up from the bottom, you may start out in a PC support call centre, you may start out as an onsite first line technician or helpdesk, either way there are plenty of dues to be paid, a heck of a lot of learning, and the learning never stops, and the more you learn, the more you realise you need to learn more.

IT as a career you walk before you run, I would say get some client side certs, and look at A+, Network+ and the CCENT.

Also I would recommend ITIL, which will set you above 95% of technicians as you will learn how a service desk works, the importance of processes in IT, these are the people bosses like (IE the ones who dont screw everything up as they have just gone ahead and made changes!)

Work hard, get known as someone who gets things done, keep learning and you will progress up the ladder, or get a good enough CV to allow you to move up the ladder at another company.

Thats the way to your dream job, but its not an overnight project, this could take years.

Good luck