Job ads ask for experience...

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Hey guys.

Most of the 1st line helpdesk job ads that i've been looking at ask for at least 12 months of experience. Should I even bother to apply for those having none whatsoever. I have an MCP credential cause i passed 70-271 last tuesday. Do i have a chance to get hired as a trainee in these conditions? I'm starting to feel like there is no such jobs, so it will be an impossible task to get hired...

 

12 months of experience that just to keep the scared away ignore it, Just send your CV in if you don't your never know! Plus you got a MCP not everyone on the help/service desk will have one.

 

One more thing. I'm starting a posgraduate course in Public Relations next september at Newcastle University. I'll be doing it as a part-time cause I want to get a job in IT. I chose Public Relations cause I have a portuguese undergraduate course in Journalism and Media Studies and this course is closely connected to mine. But that is to satisfy my academic side, cause what I want to do is work in IT, where I feel confortable even with no professional background. This part time university course will result in +\- 10 hours per week. For those of you who have 1st line helpdesk experience, do you think that both tasks (course and job) are compatible in terms of schedule. I feel ready to it because I'm a multitask guy but I don't know if my future and hypothetical employee will agree letting me to attende the lectures in the morning and work for the rest of the day? Have any of you been a similar situation???

 

An exciting1st line support vacancyhas arisen to join a leading, nationally recognised retailer. Our client has increased its profits dramatically over the past 5 years and has further growth plans over the next 12 months so offers both stability and progression opportunities for the right individual.
Theposition will require an individual to workas part ofa dynamic team in a challenging and varied role.

The main functions of the role are:

-To provide a professional, customer-focussed IT Helpdesk service to ensure all calls are logged and the appropriate action is taken,
-To record data on the system ensuring the correct procedures and policies are followed ,
-To contribute to the team with enthusiasm and in line with the company values.
The right individual will need to posses excellent communication and team working skills and have at least 12 months experience within a helpdesk role.
The company offerscompetitive salary and benefits package as well as placing emphasis on employees working well in a personable team environment.
Main duties will include:



- Supporting thestores by providing a customer focussed helpdesk
- Responding to calls in line with customer service charter
- Logging all calls on the helpdesk ensuring compliance with prescribed SLA's
- Identifing problems and deciding if central 1st line support are able to resolve the call if so:-
- Resolving and closing calls
- Accurately redirects call to relevant department (Divisional IT, Sales, Shop Maintenance)
- Checks answer phone messages first thing in the morning and every 15 minutes throughout the day
- Logs all messages on Helpdesk
- Responds to the call and provides the shop with a call reference number
- Resolves the call or redirects to relevant department (Divisional IT, Sales, Shop Maintenance)
- Provides information to shops on the progress of existing/outstanding calls as requested
- Hornbill system updated to record call queries and action taken
- Records data onto system to facilitate reporting
- Follows the correct procedures during high priority calls
- Contact relevant 2nd level support by telephone
- Notify shop call has been passed on
- Highlights to Line Manager any recurring issues/problems identified
- Keeps abreast of latest versions of Hornbill and EPOS software by updating knowledge and skills

This is the one i was watching just minutes ago...

 

There's nothing in that list of duties that you need 12 months of helpdesk experience to accomplish. If you can answer a phone, talk politely and coherently, listen carefully and then enter the results of the call into their system then you have 95% of the job requirements covered.

This might be the only thing that 'requires' experience but if you have some basic knowledge of pc troubleshooting you can easily fix the problem or decide to send it up the line.

 

You always have a chance. Your chance will go up or down depending on who else applies for the position. If someone with experience applies for the job, your chances go down... but if they want too much money, your chances go back up.

In short, who knows? Apply for it. You are assured of not getting the job if you don't apply.

 

I say go for it. All they can do is turn you down. It took me over 5 years to "break" into IT, starting in a call center answering customer phone calls. When I advanced my skills and knowledge I moved on to something better.

Any practical experience you can put on your resume will be a big plus. Do you do any volunteer work?

 

I don't have call centre experience. I never did volunteer work in IT related jobs. All I have is an MCP and an all terrain journalistic and PR professional experience that, of course, implied the use of computers. I've always been a fast learner with anything related to computers and IT but never really thought of working as a tech, even less in helpdesk support. But, unlike journalism and PR (in Portugal, at least), IT jobs offer career progression and the possibility to be constantly learning. That's me. That's what I like to do.

 

I didn't either when I got hired. All they wanted was a warm body to answer calls. I used that time to sharpen my skills.

 

You may not have their 12 month experience requirement but you have an MCP so that shows them something.

They may want to interview you even if it's not for that particular job and if you do get an interview then that is your time to sell yourself.

I know someone who graduated with a 2:1 in computer science last year, he recently go his MCP status and started applying for jobs like mad regardless of wether they said he needed experience or not.

He ended up with a 1st line support role in a call center that had people who had left school and had GCSE ICT and he has been fast tracked and is moving on to 2nd/3rd line and this all down to him have the MCP as his manager wants people who are doing certifications and willing to study and learn.

So keep on trying.

 

Could you guys check my CV and see if it's OK?

 

Well, you either go for it, or you don't.

If you wait for a job profile to come up which matches your skills exactly, you'll be unemployed for a while.

The trick is to have an alternative ready.

OK, so you don't have 12 months IT call centre experience - but you have some IT knowledge and you were a supermarket cashier/fish and chip shop employee/cinema usher for 12 months, all of which taught you important customer service skills.

Employers try to be lazy - they want someone who will fit straight into the hole they've got (oo-er!).

But they won't get it, so have to find the best fit they can (OO-ER!).

(Sorry, been watching the young ones again).

 

thanks for the tips guys.

 

seems straightforward if not too straightforward.

Try expanded your key skills a bit and explaining a bit more about what each one required your involvement and what you brought to it.