IT Positions -help.

R

Rover45

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Hi,
I work for a computer company in sales . I've been trying for months to get into a tech support role. I went for an interview within the company for tech support role (level 3 support) I was told (1 month later) that although I have the qualifcations and knowledge for the job they turned me down as I have no " hands on experience" . I've applied for more tech jobs than I care to remember and stilll no one has gotten back to me( bar alienware ,thanks guys) . How am I supposed to get this " hands on experience" if no one is willing to give me a chance to prove myself? I've worked for that company for 2 years I know more than the techs themselves do ( I actually fixed a the pc of the guy who got the job I applied for :confused: ...computer degree my aunt F%£$y ) ,I'm also the first one that everyone turns to for tech info. Has anyone any advice on this its really getting to me as it is the career I want .

Thanks.
 
I'd suggest doing a training course...maybe a FAS course. Although you may have the experience, this will show any employer that you're realy committed.
Also, don't be too demanding salary wise to start off with but when you've proven yourself then you're in a position to bargain.
Good luck!
 
"I know more than the techs themselves do ( I actually fixed a the pc of the guy who got the job I applied for :confused: ...computer degree my aunt F%£$y ) "

>>> Is this a basic attitude problem?
>>> Why were you fixing PCs if its not your job?
>>> Do you make your opinions on computers degrees known?
>>> Have you asked within your current company?

It is normally NOT a problem to get an opportunity in the company you are currently workin for.

I think you need to step back and look at your self and see what they people to whom you are interacting with and applying to are seeing.

C :)
 
Hi guys,
I have the A+ cert and a FAS cert in pc maintance and repair. I was fixing the techs pc because he couldnt .

Cerberos- I don't understand this ">>> Is this a basic attitude problem?" --are you asking if I have an attitude problem??

Cheers,
R
 
I think hes saying do other people have a good opinion of you? Perhaps theres something else than just skillset and experience to why they aren't interested in you for the position. Could be people simply can't see you in another role and you'll have to move laterally or to another company to get around that. Could be a personality clash. Some people don't like when others stray from their job spec, or are dismissive of qualifications.

I could be wrong but I think for some reason cerberos think you're being dismissive of all computers degrees not just this person, the latter is how I took it. In my experience a degree isn't always a good indication of someone ability in a work enviroment. But thats getting sidetracked from the main issue here. Which is...

They won't give you the role, because you don't have experience, but you can't get experience in that company. Catch 22. So I think the message from them is, you'll never get that job in that company. Why I have no idea. On paper and from what you've said you've the skillset.
 
Yes in a way.

For example: How do you come across to others???

You seem to scorn a Computing Degree. (You know more, maybe smarter than them)

I know mechanical engineers who could not fix a toaster but it does not meant their degrees or knowledge is poor.

You should put youself on a path to obtaining a degree in the field you aspire to (you case a BSC in computing).

Someone considering you will note this (You may only be in year 1 but thats OK as you are starting on a defined path)

Remember the old interview question where do you see your self in 5 years) {Ans: working in the technical area you aspirec to and starting your MSC at night} (means you have succeeded in gettinmg your degree at night = ambition, hard work, drive, ability to juggle, ability to manage time...................)

Don't want to insult you but think how you come across to others (especially those in the area you want to join).

C
 
Cerberos, if you read the original posting again, you'll see:
"I've applied for more tech jobs than I care to remember and stilll no one has gotten back to me( bar alienware ,thanks guys)"
It's unlikely in the extreme that an insulting attitude comes across on an application form.

So the entirely reasonably question still applies as to how to get into tech support without the two years experience demanded.

My tuppence would be that your best bet would be an internal transfer in the company you are in; if the company you are in won't give you an internal transfer, then move company (as sales) to somewhere you are more likely to get into tech support, for example, a technology company with a big tech support department (?). Make sure the tech support is in-house, though. It would be a nasty surprise to arrive somewhere and find it's been outsourced!

HTH,
E.

PS for what it's worth, my belief is that a computer science degree is a poor background for anything other than whatever happens to be the current flavour of the month at the time of the degree. IMHO you learn what you need to know to do the job, not the other way around.
 
Personally I think the Comp Sci degree gives you an all round grounding in the fundamentals, and principles. Which reap benefits in the long term. You don't need it, but its good to have. Increasingly its a min req, to get to interview.
 
Eircom.net, their tech support engineers generally have no previous technical experience (I used to work there.)

When you say employers don't even bother getting back to you, is it possible your cover letter or CV are bad? You work in sales - are you selling yourself with your cover letter?

If I were you I'd emphasise your sales experience - talking to customers on the phone, handling irate customers who are unhappy with whatever they bought, keeping control of the phone call, etc. I'd mention your lovely telephone manner, your patient personality (if you're not patient you will hate tech support btw,) your technical qualifications and why you love tech support and aren't just looking for a temp job.

Have a peep here -

[broken link removed]
 
"It's unlikely in the extreme that an insulting attitude comes across on an application form."

Agred, but why can he not move into support in his current firm and if no position available then get a recommendation from a techie or a techie manager to another company (all have contacts)



"PS for what it's worth, my belief is that a computer science degree is a poor background for anything other than whatever happens to be the current flavour of the month at the time of the degree. IMHO you learn what you need to know to do the job, not the other way around."

Do not agree with this statement by YOGAMAHEW.

Could this for most degrees but this misses the purpose of a Degree Course. (also some colleges specialise in particular areas (JavA/NET, Games programming/Networking, etc)

Also, we find that in genereal Degree/Diploma students are more adaptable in a fast moving environment as they have a basic understanding of a new area ..............)

C
 
Like HotdogsFolks said. If your cover letter and CV are bad then that would explain why you get no response. I would also say that personal contacts and social networking is usually a more successful way of find a job than mail shots and email applications.
 
aircobra19 said:
Personally I think the Comp Sci degree gives you an all round grounding in the fundamentals, and principles. Which reap benefits in the long term. You don't need it, but its good to have. Increasingly its a min req, to get to interview.
Click to expand...
In the programming and development side the degree is now a must I'd say. I'm in the industry since the early 90s, and I've work with guys without a degree to their name. Some of them were very good, some not, but all of them are of a certain age, meaning they got into the industry the same time I did. All the younger developers have relevant degrees or diplomas as far as I have seen.
 
Sorry, I should have been clear that by "flavour of the month" I meant whatever particular programming/development method was in vogue (see .net, c#, c++, java, oo, rdbms, etc.). A degree is a good grounding for those specialties.

And I agree that a degree is usually a minimum requirement to get into any technical area these days - that's where I think the mistake is. I too have worked in development/project management for the last xx years (too many to count now!). I have a history degree. I have tried to train people with current comp. sci. degrees in the specialty I work in (IBM assembler) and it is a disaster - it doesn't relate to anything that they've been trained in. People with no specific training 'get it' more quickly.
 
Yogi I think you must live in an alternate universe or something or maybe you've borrowed a time machine from somewhere.
 
Rover45 said:
Hi guys,
I have the A+ cert and a FAS cert in pc maintance and repair. I was fixing the techs pc because he couldnt .

Cerberos- I don't understand this ">>> Is this a basic attitude problem?" --are you asking if I have an attitude problem??

Cheers,
R
Click to expand...


Generally people who have IT degrees don't study maintenance etc but programming so it doesn't really show that he doesn't have the intelligence etc to do it.
 
Hey, where can I get one of those?

Yes, that is the sort of technology I'm working with - at least from the programming point of view. It is also the sort of technology every major (scheduled) airline and financial institution is working with (assembler, cobol...).

aircobra19 said:
Yogi I think you must live in an alternate universe or something or maybe you've borrowed a time machine from somewhere.
Click to expand...
 
aircobra19 said:
Yogi I think you must live in an alternate universe or something or maybe you've borrowed a time machine from somewhere.
Click to expand...

I wonder if I can build one of those scramblers with an old 300 baud acoustic coupler.

Cobol... Those were the days.. Still using 74 or upgraded to 85?


Towger
 
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