Qualification / Direction advice?

[Paradox]

Hi,

Found this place a couple weeks back and was using this sub-forum to check for any jobs going in my area, I just wanted to make a post and see if any experienced techies can offer me some advice.

I have:
"Foundation ICT"
"Key Skills ICT Level 1 + 2"
"OCR Certificate/Diploma for IT Professionals (iPRO) Level 2 + Level 3"
"Cisco IT Essentials I + II"
"Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Semester 1 + 2"
"Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST)"

I don't think i'm doing too bad in the qualification department but i'm just never getting any replies back to applications, 21 and no experience.
Are there any other courses/certs I can do which might improve my chances?
As you can see I was halfway through my CCNA but I just thought it was *really* difficult and put me off the network admin ideas I had, so I only have semester 1 and 2 down which took 2 years, tutor said there was 3 and 4 which would have been another 2 years but I wanted to go for some microsoft stuff.

Thanks

[Potato-Peeler]

An IT apprenticeship? With those qualifications youd get snapped up.

[Paradox]

An IT apprenticeship? With those qualifications youd get snapped up.

thanks, um, where do I look for those exactly?

[Potato-Peeler]

Just try googling it? Or connexions normally knows of a few.

[ricki]

HI

The mcsa and the mcse are one path but they are hard if you dont have experience.

Richard

[wagnerk]

You may want to look at the Comptia A+, Network+ (as not everyone uses Cisco kit) and maybe even the Server+.

On the non-technical side, maybe ITIL v3 Foundation & HDI/SDI Helpdesk Analyst.

-ken

[Paradox]

Thanks for the replies definetly interested in the CompTIA ones.

Turns out I may have an interview, it's not for a school but for some company that does... well, even after having read their site a bit I still don't get what it is they actually do:
"business intelligence (BI) solutions & software provider bringing best of breed analytical applications and data warehousing best practice to businesses in both commercial and public sectors, across the UK & Europe."

I was hoping you guys could give me some advice for the interview, first off salary is posted as £12-18k negotiable depending on experience. Now, I have no experience, does that mean I shouldn't expect any more than the minimum here, or what? I really don't know how this all works, and this will be my first interview ever, aswell..

Job description:
"This position requires a commited and enthusiastic person with good communication skills and a willingness to learn.
The role will involve a whole range of technical & commercial support related tasks to ensure the business IT infrastructure operates efficiently.
Knowledge of MS Office apps is essential in order to fulfil short-term support and development commitments.
Any knowledge of MS SQL Server, Oracle, MS Access, Cognos, & Business Objects will be an advantage.
You will need to understand the basics of WIndows OS.
Duties Include: Internal Technical Support, Application support/installation (both internal and external to customers), Networking Support/Maintenance, Helpdesk coordinator (updating cases on CRM)"
(CRM = any idea??)

Any insight or advice with this would be a great help, I know it's probably not the right place for this either but I don't know where else to ask things like this, and I noticed other people with similar topics had helpful responses.

Thanks

[f21970]

Sounds like pretty much a consultancy company who specialises in data warehousing and knowledge management. From what it says about the job, it sounds like a cross between sales support and internal IT support - I would, as you say, expect the bottom end of that salary range if you have no experience. CRM=customer relationship management - this is usually used to log facts about customers and potential customers, but they may well also be using it as a basic helpdesk so that there is an easily accessible history of faults per customer. I would be asking questions such as how many technical personnel does the organisation have, and how many in a role such as this.

[Ignatius]

I'm in a similar situation:

University graduate (quite some time ago - not IT)
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Network+
CCNA
Heading towards MCSA/MCSE
1 year voluntary work with an IT company

I've approached loads of local companies to get work experience (on a voluntary basis) and I either get no response, "sorry, we're too busy" or "sorry, we don't have enough work to show you" etc.

It's really disheartening. It's a problem of the chicken and egg - it's all very well having qualifications but how do you get experience without having a job and how do you get a job without having experience? :frustrated:

[tmcd35]

@Ignatius, @Paradox - If it helps any I'm 32 and have not been long (6 months) in a NM role. I can't say I have all that much in terms of certs...

5 GCSE's B/C grade
B-Tec ND Computer Studies
ICS Diploma in PC-Repair
3rd Class Honors Degree in Applied Computing

And that was it when I finally started on this career path nearly 5 years ago. I was 27 with no real world experience. Got in at a School at the bottom. £15k IT Tech post. Gained all my experience from there, and a VMWare VCP cert .

Only now am I looking at MSCE and the likes ready for my next job change in 4/5 year time.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't give up hope on a good career in IT but don't over rely on cert's to get you into a high paid position. You've got to start at the bottome like everyone else. 1st Line Helpdesk/school IT tech/etc. The cert's a get you the interview and maybe help you progress up the career levels quicker than if you didn't have them.

A lot of certs, like Cisco and MSCE, are probably better done while you are employed in a similar role anyways.

[f21970]

TMCD - I would agree with you. I would rather take on someone with not so many qualifications. I have found that folk with a plethora of qualifications think they know how to do the job - not the same in real life as in the classroom. That's not saying that everyone is like that - it's just my experience of folk I've taken on with too many tekky quals and little work experience.

[Ignatius]

Thanks tmcd35. This is a hobby for me but, who knows, I might want to move into the field permanently. As I said, I'm quite happy to go to another company on a voluntary basis but even that's drawing a blank! There is one option that's pending and I just hope that the outcome is affirmative.

[wagnerk]

TMCD - I would agree with you. I would rather take on someone with not so many qualifications. I have found that folk with a plethora of qualifications think they know how to do the job - not the same in real life as in the classroom. That's not saying that everyone is like that - it's just my experience of folk I've taken on with too many tekky quals and little work experience.

I agree, professional certifications are there to reflect your experience/job role and not to be used as a substitute.

-Ken

[Ignatius]

I agree, professional certifications are there to reflect your experience/job role and not to be used as a substitute.

Hence my being more than willing to work voluntarily ... to build up experience to compliment my certs.

It strikes me that it is probably easier to get into the Magic Circle than persuade an IT support company to allow me to do what I need!

[wagnerk]

Have you contacted any schools/college's to see if they are willing to take you on a volunteer basis? I know that we're taking on a volunteer sometime over the summer

-ken