IT Career Success! |
- Success!
- Got offered an IT job - no certs or experience!
- I have the A+, Net+ is in less than a week, and 4 months of temp work experience doing workstation installations at a local hospital. I have a lot of questions.
- Starting my first IT job tomorrow !
- Hard time finding a job
- Are early morning necessary?
- Looking for Advice Regarding Networking
- When applying for a job, do you ever worry that it will get back to your current employer?
- Recently switched majors to MIS
- What certifications combined with a CCNA would improve my resume the most, and what would I qualify for with them?
- Should I even try to get into the field yet?
- Months of job searching and been applying to 1-2 jobs a day. What am I doing wrong?
- What is the best career path to be able to travel?
- Seeking Advice for IT
- SWITCH FROM FRONTEND TO BACKEND , FRUSTRATED with new JOB
- Entering IT vs Data Analysis with Economics Degree & Skipping Help Desk
- Does "personality" and the "method of applying" allow you to stand out in IT jobs?
- Chances of landing FT position?
- Sysadmin scenario training
- Probably underqualified for my current title, want to advance careers, not sure if I need to backtrack.
- QA/System Analyst questions
- How to move beyond "Senior Technical Support Engineer"
- Certifications
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 07:11 PM PDT I did it y'all! I made it into the field! Help Desk Analyst position in central Florida at $16/hr, no prior experience. From what I understand, my near future is going to be basic hardware troubleshooting and repair and then a Windows 7 -> 10 conversion on 300+ systems. I've been a big lurker, but not much of a poster. I wanted to say, I have gleaned a LOT of useful information from this subreddit! Everything from learning material to advice for resumes and interview examples. And due to this I feel as though I owe everyone a big thank you! Without all the advice here I wouldn't be where I am! Originally, I went to a trade school and took 2 courses in tech support and network systems administration, wherein I earned the CompTIA A+ and Network+ certs with 3 other minor certs. Learning material being: Professor Messer, All-In-One textbooks, and TestOut.com. While going to the trade school full-time I also worked in a restaurant 30 to 40 hours a week. I then proceeded to graduate and got out and started to teach myself Java, and was okay at it. I started to apply for jobs. I eventually got a call back on an entry-level Software Engineer position, but I didn't have a BA degree so they wouldn't accept me. I kept on trucking forward, albeit a little discouraged feeling as though my education was wasted, and by the grace of God I knabbed this current position! I also beat out other applicants and I honestly have no idea how! Some things I did during the interview process: researched the company before the interview. When we walked into the building and the IT Manager said "Hi ___" to a big-wig, I was able to say "Oh I recognize that individual from the website". I also brought in a folder containing a copy of each of my certs, 2 copies of my resumé, and proof of me graduating the trade school courses. Honestly, this is such a relief. I know I have the rest of my career now and still have to study for certs in my free time, but it feels SO good to have broken through. So thank you all for the parts you've played in some random Reddit stranger's success ❤💪. [link] [comments]  |
| Got offered an IT job - no certs or experience! Posted: 27 Oct 2019 08:54 AM PDT I work for a large financial company and I have been Networking a lot with our cyber security team. I've made friends with one of the managers down there and I've expressed my interest in IT and told him I'm working on getting my Net+ and Sec+ and showed him my progress on udemy courses. Well, a position recently opened up on his team and he asked if I would be interested. I told him I am still studying for certs and haven't gotten any of them yet. He told me that he would rather hire internally someone he knows and is determined than to take a chance on an outside candidate.. needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity and took the position and will be making around 40% more money. Point of the story, if you are working at a place that has any sort of IT team, network network network with them and show your interest. You never know what will come out of curiosity and a conversation or two. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 02:36 PM PDT In my title I list pretty much everything I have to work with, after I finish the Net+ I'm moving onto the Security+ and from there I think I'll go for CySA+. I am leaning towards the Cyber Security sector at a whole for my career right now. I live in GA on the border of AL, and have a friend in NC I could move in with if need be for a better job market. So with that out of the way, onto the questions! Do I need a BS fresh out the gate to get anything higher than 18$/h? What kind of jobs (titles) would accept me with just the A+, N+, S+? Generally speaking, what the hell do I need to be doing after Sec+/CySA+ ? I feel 100% lost and I hear "you cant do it without college" and "college isn't necessary at all!" from left and right. Thanks for the advice in advance, and if you have anything even slightly related that you think might help me feel free to say it, I could use ANY direction right now. [link] [comments]  |
| Starting my first IT job tomorrow ! Posted: 27 Oct 2019 01:20 AM PDT Thanks to all the support and advice on this sub, I've accepted an IT Support/Technician role at a managed services provider tomorrow! My background is a bit different from what I've seen here, I've had 2 years experience of being a photocopier technician. Only certificates I have been studying is CCENT/CompTIA on the side but I haven't even been certified yet I had just included it in my resume that they were in progress (in saying this I still managed to answer technical questions fine in the interview) It's a small team of only 3 other guys but it seems like a good fit, in the interview I was very open and said I'm really looking for an entry position that can give me a broad range of experience to get started which is exactly how they run their team by spreading out the workload. I'm really happy it's worked out this way instead of jumping on a 100% helpdesk role (not that there's anything wrong with this, works for other people) hope it goes well! I'm open for any advice of anybody has any wisdom they would like to bequeath me (: [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 27 Oct 2019 09:16 AM PDT I have an associates degree in computer information technology with a concentration in cyber defense and I have my A+ certification, my net+, and my sec+ and I've applied everywhere even for help desk and I can't find a job. Should I get my CEH too? What other carts do I need? I don't really know what I want to do [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 27 Oct 2019 09:15 AM PDT Hey guys. I'm going to college for a MIS degree and I have never been an early riser. I was wondering if the IT field is flexible with the hours. Are there jobs where I can clock in later, like around 12-2pm or work from home? [link] [comments]  |
| Looking for Advice Regarding Networking Posted: 27 Oct 2019 09:11 AM PDT I'm currently getting my BS in Computer Science and have recently narrowed myself down to Networking and IT. Luck would have it that I've just come into possession of a Cisco SG300-10PP (10-Port Gigabit PoE + Managed Switch). I figured this would help me get a jump start, since I want to acquire my CCNA at a minimum before any serious forays into the industry. My problem is that I have no idea how to get my feet wet, where to go to learn how to use switches, etc. If anyone has some pointers or suggestions as to where I should start, I would gladly listen and greatly appreciate it. [link] [comments]  |
| When applying for a job, do you ever worry that it will get back to your current employer? Posted: 27 Oct 2019 08:55 AM PDT Case in point, there are a couple of companies I am thinking of applying to: A) Someone that I used to work with me at my current employer (who was laid off) works at this company. We got along ok but I'm not sure I trust him. I think what if he knows somebody who knows somebody who works where I work and tells them I'm looking? B) Someone who worked in HR at my current employer company years ago might still be in contact with the HR people there. Is it out of the question that he might tell them I am looking? [link] [comments]  |
| Recently switched majors to MIS Posted: 27 Oct 2019 12:59 AM PDT I have recently switched majors from finance to MIS. Not exactly positive where I would like to go with this degree, but I'm thinking some form of systems analyst, whether it be computer systems or security systems. I have a general understanding of using a computer, but by no means am I advanced or capable of using software, writing software, or where to even begin when it comes to this realm. I am eager to learn and would like any suggestions on how to become more technologically adept, and overall how to be more efficient using software, and writing code. Overall: after the recent release of the rogan Snowden podcast, it scares the shit out of me how little we as a society know about technology, even though it contains every aspect of our lives on it and these companies have every piece of data on us. I would like to learn, for my own well being, as well as my career choice, on how to properly utilize technology and to be secure on the internet (as much as possible) [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 02:15 PM PDT Hello, I am a month away from taking the ICND1&2 tests for my CCNA certification. I do not have a college degree, and I am seeking advice to figure out what other certifications I could get to improve my chances of being hired. I am studying at a JobCorps Cisco vocational school, and I should have 2 years of experience with network administration when I graduate. I got through the training for IT (A+ cert) without getting my A+ so that I could move onto getting my CCNA. I now have 7 months left before I have to leave the program, and I am looking for other certifications I could pick up with my remaining time. I am currently considering focusing on a Linux+ certification, and a Security+ as well if I have enough time. Would a CCNA, Security+, Linux+, and 2 years of experience be enough to get me into a entry-mid level IT job? What other certifications would improve my chances of getting into entry-mid level IT jobs? What sorts of jobs would I be able to get with a CCNA, 2 years experience, and 1-2 additional certifications? Thanks for your time, I appreciate it! [link] [comments]  |
| Should I even try to get into the field yet? Posted: 26 Oct 2019 09:35 PM PDT Over the past year I've realized I'm very interested in working with computers, and want a career in IT. I'm in the process of reading through Meyers A+ book so I can take the exam, as well as Google/Coursera's intro to IT course. I have hands on experience working with a couple of shops ( one phones, one computers, phones, and everything in between). However, I don't have any professional IT experience, nor any formal education for the industry. There doesn't seem to be much IT work within my city, but a lot in some neighboring areas. I can't make the daily drive to most of the jobs I'm seeing on ziprecruiter, LinkedIn, and indeed, but I'm still keeping an eye out. But should I even bother without at least A+ cert? Can you get into entry level IT without more foundation? [link] [comments]  |
| Months of job searching and been applying to 1-2 jobs a day. What am I doing wrong? Posted: 26 Oct 2019 11:10 PM PDT Hey all, sorry in advance if I'm posting in the wrong place. I'm 18 and just graduated college in June with an AAT degree in Computer Networking / Information Systems Security. I did a running start program in high school and started at 16. I was constantly told by all of my instructors that we would never have to apply for jobs, just make a LinkedIn profile and call it a day. And how many employers are going to smoother us with job offers left and right, and I feel idiotic for believing them. I never did an internship, and I can't do one in my current position either. I don't have time to and my income would drop severely if I were to make time, and would not be able to cover my expenses. I've tried everything left and right, I've spoken with multiple HR employees and showed them resumes and cover letters and have always gotten "Wow! Good job! This will definitely get you a job somewhere!", or something along those lines. I have everything from my CompTia A+ to multiple Cisco certs, as well as 4 Microsoft MTA certs. Every job I look at always asks for experience. I live a little more than an hour away from Seattle, and always find entry level jobs there, which I don't even bother applying for, because driving 100mi a day just to make enough to buy a few tanks of gas a month, and nothing more just doesn't seem worth it to me. The city about 20mi (Max) away from me is Tacoma, which has tons of jobs... but every single one I've ever seen asks for 2 years (or more) of related experience, which my two years of schooling doesn't count towards. I've been applying to one or two jobs a day since July, and haven't gotten nothing but voicemails saying I don't qualify, but they'd love to have me work some warehouse positions for less than I make as a server. It's gotten to the point to where it seems pointless, and I should just switch paths. Every job I apply for has 100+ people also apply, every. Single. Time. (Thanks to those nifty indeed.com emails they send, showing how many other people applied.) I know it isn't just me, but who's been able to combat this? I have 3 other friends I graduated with who found jobs months ago. We did the same classes, same time, same grades, and slightly worse resumes (if I do say so myself, could be wrong) and everything else. The only difference is that they're older. Same work history, just retail/food related jobs. I have no clue where to turn. I have pressure on me from everybody, and I'm tired of sitting around working minimum wage while all my friends are already moving up in the IT field. Anybody have any advice? Is there anything I'm doing wrong? Feel free to ask questions, and thanks in advance. [link] [comments]  |
| What is the best career path to be able to travel? Posted: 26 Oct 2019 03:51 PM PDT Hi, I'm trying to start my career in i.t/i.s eventually I'd like to be able to see the world while doing my job. What is the best path for this? Cloud or pen test jobs? Consulting? I'm not really sure where to start past landing a first-step job. Thanks [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 09:48 PM PDT Former field radio operator with about 3.5 years of hands on experience. I primarily focused on wave propagation, first echelon of maintenance, and minor cabling, racking/stacking when assisting the broader team. After the military I went to college and received a non-STEM degree. I currently work in a non-tech position but over the last year or so I've tried to really ramp up on my own but not sure where or how to break into IT. I've completed: AWS Business Professional AWS Technical Professional AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner AWS Cloud Support Associate Certificate AWS Cloud Support Engineer Certificate AWS Cybersecurity Specialist Certificate I also recently completed my Network+ training at Syracuse and plan on testing out of Net+ by the end of the year. My next goal is Linux+. What else can I do to make myself competitive? I've thought about training in Azure and Google Cloud as well but at the end of the day I think I'm still lacking fundamental experience. Thoughts, ideas, and advice are welcomed. [link] [comments]  |
| SWITCH FROM FRONTEND TO BACKEND , FRUSTRATED with new JOB Posted: 27 Oct 2019 12:22 AM PDT Hi guys, i have recently started using reddit so not pretty sure how to make the most of it. Anyway i am a IT professional 25F . So i recently switched my job as a full stack developer from a company where i was not treated nicely (6 month job). I started my career as a backend java person then after 6 months i was asked to work on frontend after which i switched to my second job where i managed to get a full stack position working on both front end and backend . The work was getting good but the environment was not , i was a contractor and there was a lot of discrimination between the perms and contractors ,so i decided to switch after just 6 months i managed to get a job with a very good company but now these people hired me as a full stack person but now they only have front end job (also i am good at it more than backend) but the whole point is i want to work on both the things (mainly back-end need to learn and gain experience) and don't want to build a career as a front end guy. Also i can't switch jobs because i left my second job after 6 months. Also i cant ask for some other work in this organization for 1-2 year now. I am getting demotivated and it is frustrated because i had worked very hard to get through the interview and everything just went into vain now i am forgetting everything that i learnt also i wanna gain experience in back-end not front end that was the whole point of switching companies and it is difficult for me to be patient. Also i am not sure whether should i stick with JAVA ( i would rate myself 5.5/10 in JAVA) also i am not that great in algos (which i was planning to learn anyway) or should i learn something new and switch my career to something else (python,big data ,etc?)Please hep me [link] [comments]  |
| Entering IT vs Data Analysis with Economics Degree & Skipping Help Desk Posted: 26 Oct 2019 11:57 PM PDT So I am 27, in the Nashville area, and graduated with a BS in Economics with a relatively minimal math background for that degree. I worked full time during my second half of my degree as a warehouse trainer, so unfortunately I don't have much in the white collar work experience department but did build people skills. I have been solving fairly basic computer issues (viruses, OS installation, etc etc), using Linux (as a fairly basic user with various distros), taking apart iPods, etc since middle school. It's something I can see myself doing in some form or fashion as a career and be fulfilled. I both like tinkering with computers and understanding how systems work. I have extremely limited programming experience (1 CS class in Java) but can learn enough for at least IT. I was an AppleCare Advisor for Mac (so basically phone tech support) for 3-4 months back in 2013 when I was 21. I was pretty good at it by the time I quit, but found it to be very stressful and/or soul sucking at the time, primarily due to it being call center work I believe. I was fine with learning the tech stuff itself. I have had a lot of practice in various forms of teaching/explaining things to people without being a jerk; I was highly regarded as a good warehouse trainer. I just really really hate having to do it remotely for 8+ hours a day nonstop; well, at least I did then. I am guessing most help desk positions are similar in being glued to the phone for your entire shift? I graduated with a decent GPA back in December in Economics. I have basically been waiting to start a great irrelevant position at a business a much older business savy friend is starting up, but of course there has been endless delays. To put it simply, I am concerned about all this time I seemingly have wasted if the business never starts, especially since I have just graduated and have no professional experience. I have mostly been doing delivery gigs since March (and a personal failed business venture I don't won't to pursue further/can't put on a resume.) So, to summarize, I have a degree but no recent professional, white collar experience in anything and haven't been formerly employed since March. I do have some tech experience from 2013 for maybe 4 months, but I feel putting that on a resume raises more alarms than anything. Is it reasonable for me to try to skip help desk and go to desktop support or something like that? I don't mind dealing with end users and such, I just don't want to be glued to a phone like a call center. I am also considering data analysis since I do have an economics degree, though even with a economics degree that field seems to have a larger ramp-up period vs getting a low level IT position. I am concerned about having a more difficult time entering that field than IT if I choose to pursue that path. TL, DR: Graduated Economics in December, done jack since then for various reasons, did tech support briefly with some success years ago but didn't like it, want to skip being glued to a phone, also considering data analysis field but concerned about barriers to entry. Thank you for reading my journal. [link] [comments]  |
| Does "personality" and the "method of applying" allow you to stand out in IT jobs? Posted: 26 Oct 2019 01:42 PM PDT I am currently a senior in college and will be graduating in May 2020. I know that we live in 2019, and that it is no longer the old days. I've doing searches on Google for Reddit posts that ask people how they got their job or posts asking employers about what makes a candidate stand out. Even though this is a modern time, people are still managing to stand out and get jobs (no already-known connections) if they either go in person and show a good personality , make a phone call asking about jobs, or randomly talk about job hunting in public where they might bump into a recruiter who is shopping for groceries, etc. They got their jobs rather than straightforwardly applying to a gazillion LinkedIn or Indeed postings. Employers on Reddit commented they need people who are capable of working with their team too. My interview skills improved a lot through rehearsing the answers to questions and getting better at hiding nervousness. I have a great sense of humor, which is a good reason why I am not a lonely person. It makes up for my shyness as long as I hide it. Do stuff like this allow you stand out? You obviously need the job related skills too (but not so much if you already know someone). From what I heard, employers have a tough time finding IT people who have the combination of both people skills and the job related skills. [link] [comments]  |
| Chances of landing FT position? Posted: 26 Oct 2019 11:02 PM PDT I am currently working in NYC as an Intern and I have applied for a helpdesk position within the company I am currently interning at the moment. I recently asked my boss about the status of my position and he told me the HR has given him 10 more candidates including myself and he has pushed my application for review. Now as in HR terms what does it mean when your application gets pushed for review? And what are my chances that I actually get the position? Thanks [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 08:30 PM PDT Hi guys, currently in network engineering, looking to move over to a sys admin type role. Is there any recommended scenario training you guys can recommend? Currently only finding paid ones. Edit: I'm familiar with Windows server. Just need some scenarios for troubleshooting/training etc. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 12:49 PM PDT I had a unique, but maybe not uncommon start into the industry. I finally decided I wanted to get my CCNA and move into networking. During my first semester at Cisco Network Academy, my current job offered me a full-time position as their IT Administrator (systems, network, web). They were using local vendors previously and were a growing mid-sized business. I've always had a strong interest in troubleshooting, building computers, etc. Done work with web, but never touched a network. If it didn't work out, I could just go back to my old position, no problem. They offered me $100k to try it out and off I went. Over the course of the year, I learned a ton and thanks to the endless resource of the internet and YouTube, by their standards, I was successful in their expectations. I was given the freedom to do whatever I thought could improve the company which actually included some accounting and vendor negotiation work. After my review, I was given the title of IT Director and bumped to $120k. I had worried about imposter syndrome when I first started this gig and feel it actually more now as I start looking for other jobs. My job is great, but I live in a very expensive area and have a family I'm taking care of. I'd like to move to a more affordable state, but I don't think I meet the right qualifications for a matching position of comparable salary. I'm interested in an IT Management track, but what certs can I get to move in that direction with my limited experience? Should I pursue an MBA? I'll take any suggestions to mind. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 07:37 PM PDT Currently, I do tech support for a university, but through a stroke of luck, have an opportunity to get a really nice QA job at a great company. The position involves testing and checking websites/website updates before they are rolled out. The first stage of the process involves taking an assessment that requires me to test a sample website and note any issues or errors with the website and its functions. I was curious if anyone had any advice on things to look for during such an assessment. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated! Side Note: The position takes place in Indiana, so if anyone had an idea of what a decent salary would be for such a position, I'd be interested in knowing as well. [link] [comments]  |
| How to move beyond "Senior Technical Support Engineer" Posted: 26 Oct 2019 07:32 PM PDT I've been working as a Sr TSE (Technical Support Enginer) for the past 3.5 years. I don't see a lot of posts about this kind of job title, but I look at it as a bit of a blend between Support and Sysadmin. I am looking for recommendations on the "next role" I should target. Could I make a case for applying for Sysadmin, or something else? The environment I work with is mainly unix/linux flavored servers. I've worked with customers large and small all over the globe. Recently, I have been dedicated to one particular large customer. This has meant additional exposure to architecture and design, as well as project flow in general. This part feels a lot more rewarding than the support side. You could say that now my role is split between Dev/Eng needs and Operational needs. However, this has also lead to 70+ hour work weeks which doesn't help ones bank account when you are salaried. Work/Life balance is definitely on my mind as I consider my next role. I am not afraid of hard work at all, but 70+ hour weeks are not sustainable. Some background. I have 10 years in IT, and this job has been great for my career growth (I have to decline job offers for similar roles via linkedin semi-weekly. Why would I want to switch companies just to do the same thing? I am already compensated well I feel). I have a networking background (previously, I was a trainer for a telco's Tier 2 folks which was CCNA/JNCIA level subject matter. I state both as we had both Cisco and Juniper deployments), and I've been able to combine some of my knowledge in that area with new skills. I've also been a Teamlead and Supervisor in a support team capacity, and I always seem to end up wearing the "trainer/coach" hat wherever I go. Some skills I use on a daily basis: There's a lot of general OS level admin that goes on, and I think a lot of the things I've gotten exposure to would translate well into a Sysadmin role (AD and Openldap integrations, automating performance monitoring across hundreds of nodes), but I also "don't know what I don't know" about that kind of role. From reading job descriptions, I can't imagine a lot of sysadmin roles are heavily windows focused. I can do the basics here and set up DNS,DHCP and Active Directory, but beyond that I am googling things :) I've also been part of a dev team which used the Elastic stack heavily as a SIEM initiative. I really enjoyed this part and it was the first time things didn't feel like "work" to me. So my question is, what could/should I look at transitioning to that would be a natural progression of what I've been doing? Others within my company that have transitioned out of this role have gone on to Solution Architects/Design and Sales Engineers, however both of those involve a fair bit of travel which I'm not too keen on. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 05:55 PM PDT I'm currently pursuing my masters in IT with major as networking and security in gold coast, Australia. I will be graduating in 2021. I would like to know what certifications hold good for my major here. And how early should I take them? And what job would be best with my major? [link] [comments]  |
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