What is the next step after helpdesk?

Discussion in 'Employment & Jobs' started by Juelz, Jan 27, 2016.

  1. Juelz

    Juelz Gigabyte Poster

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    Whats the next step in regards to getting of the helpdesk and off the phones? I need something to aim for.. I don't want to be on the helpdesk forever and ideally get away from the 8hr desk-life. I'm guessing 2nd and 3rd line is still desk and phone based. I want to do some practical work with my hands and not on the desk taking tickets for the next 5yrs but have no idea what my options are, and dont particularly want to discuss it with my employer as chances of progression seems slim and tbh there isn't much you can progress too.
     
  2. garycul

    garycul Nibble Poster

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    Be proactive in wanting to learn stuff outside the standard support desk stuff. Offer to help out the second line team or infrastructure team. Spent time with them and find out what they do - then learn it yourself. Keep telling your managers that you want to expand into other areas.

    Do some certifications relevant to the technologies supported.
     
    Certifications: 70-697 Configuring Windows Devices, 70-680 Configuring Windows 7, 70-687 Configuring Windows 8.1, TCP/IP ON NT4, NT 4 Server, NT4 Workstation, Windows 95, Windows 3.1, ITIL SLM Practitioner, ITIL v2 and v3 Foundation
  3. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    I am not sure I'd know anymore mate. Back in my day it would be second line, which wouldn't be a phone job as such like the help desk service desk, you would be walking around fixing PCs and peripherals, desktop builds etc. These days in my place second line is all phone based and remote. I'm not sure what was second line exists anymore. There are loads of roles you could aim for but if you like operating systems and active directory I'd aim for third line server support. A job I thought was by far the most enjoyable and can be very lucrative
     
    Certifications: VCP4, 5, 6, 6.5, 6.7, 7, 8, VCAP DCV Design, VMConAWS Skill, Google Cloud Digital Leader, BSc (Hons), HND IT, HND Computing, ITIL-F, MBCS CITP, MCP (270,290,291,293,294,298,299,410,411,412) MCTS (401,620,624,652) MCSA:Security, MCSE: Security, Security+, CPTS, CCA (XenApp6.5), MCSA 2012, VSP, VTSP
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  4. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Well it's unusual and unlikely for you to jump from 1st line Service Desk to 3rd line Server Support, you have to cut your teeth on the service desk for a while, move in to the 2nd line support area supporting users, desktops and printers and then look toward 3rd line support, if you don't like that idea think of this, you have a freshly minted doctor, he's spent 6 months out of medical school and now wants to operate on patients, on the other hand you have a mature doctor whose been around the block, spent time on the wards, been a GP and understands what it takes to be a doctor, who would you prefer to treat you? Who would you trust more?

    Work on getting the experience, learn to walk before trying to run because failing can take a lot out of you at this stage.
     
    Certifications: CNA | CNE | CCNA | MCP | MCP+I | MCSE NT4 | MCSA 2003 | Security+ | MCSA:S 2003 | MCSE:S 2003 | MCTS:SCCM 2007 | MCTS:Win 7 | MCITP:EDA7 | MCITP:SA | MCITP:EA | MCTS:Hyper-V | VCP 4 | ITIL v3 Foundation | VCP 5 DCV | VCP 5 Cloud | VCP6 NV | VCP6 DCV | VCAP 5.5 DCA
  5. zxspectrum

    zxspectrum Terabyte Poster Forum Leader Gold Member

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    Hey
    Just been having a nose through this and now I am not sure that my job is truly 1st line support. My job title is IT helpdesk techician, however I get to diagnose AD issues, mac issues, proxy issues, printing issues to say the least, i think to be fair i cover 1st and 2nd line. I think the problem with my job is we get to do bits of everything which when your busy with an ongoing issue and you have to do the 1st line support side can make me confused somewhat. I can easily be doing one job and lose my way when I get called to change a toner for instance.

    I am looking to progress as like Juelz, I dont want to be on the help desk forever, and from when I first started to where I am now, I can see a world of difference in everything I have learnt, although one thing I do know and thats why I got into IT, is that no day is the same and you will always need to constantly learn.

    As for what I would aim for, well I like doing most things, things that pose a problem or are causing issues, then I like to diagnose that and then see if there is a more efficient way to do it. I think I should aim for AD, PowerShell, Networking, as well as many others.

    To be fair there is that much I want to do that it can get quite confusing.

    Ed
     
    Certifications: BSc computing and information systems
    WIP: 70-680
  6. Modey

    Modey Terabyte Poster

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    I think it depends a great deal on the organisation you work for. The IT team I work in is quite small (4 of us in theory). We recently had to let go our 1st line helpdesk role, but it wasn't purley a 1st line role. There was a reasonable amount of 2nd line and there was also an opportunity to learn some 3rd line with myself as I supervise the helpdesk. The person didn't work out though and we are now reviewing the role.

    Guess who gets to be 1st, 2nd & 3rd line while that happens ... :)

    Yes purely 1st line can be very tiresome, so if there is no chance of anything else where you are currently, I would change jobs to one were you can get more exposure to more than just logging and flogging.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCP, MCDST, MCSA 2K3, MCTS, MOS, MTA, MCT, MCITP:EDST7, MCSA W7, Citrix CCA, ITIL Foundation
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  7. dmarsh
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    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    I think its quite straightforward progression :;)

    Helpdesk -> Helpbench -> Helpbed -> Helpcoffin
     
    Apexes likes this.
  8. Juelz

    Juelz Gigabyte Poster

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    Just an update I officially work in second-line, my company has joined the first and second-line into one big team... so we are taking both second and first-line jobs. I struggle abit tbh but I like a challenge, spending sometime this weekend looking over a few things.
     
  9. zxspectrum

    zxspectrum Terabyte Poster Forum Leader Gold Member

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    What sort of second line stuff Juelz?
     
    Certifications: BSc computing and information systems
    WIP: 70-680

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