First Steps?

[DrewTech]

Hi I'm new here and didn't really see a place to put a thread on this (Sorry if it in the wrong place).

 

First Steps, So I've enjoy IT all my life I'm 26, been building, upgrading and doing software updates for PC/MAC and Mobile devices for 10 year's but..... its only now I realise I want to do this as a job.

 

Where do you start? I know I'll be needing qualification but what ones are worth getting? Dream job would be working in a school or similar, upgrading, maintaining all there systems and all the duty of the role, so I guess where do you start with working toward that, I've done some research and all I came up with is (Certifications) :

 

 

• ICT Systems Support – PC Maintenance Level 1
  
• Certificate or Diploma in ICT Systems Support Level 2
  
• Certificate in ICT Systems and Principles Level 2
  
• Diploma in ICT Professional Competence Level 2.
  

 

Seems expensive in the younger days it would be somewhat free, I'm guessing I'll be paying a lot for these if there the right way to go, also its seems like some like 1-2 years night course? I have to work to keep up will bills.

 

Anyway there is a lot of people online here I'm sure you have some direction for me to go.

 

Thanks.

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

I am 24 and an IT Manager for a group of Academies. I don't see why you can't do a Technician job now, I started as a technician at a school at 16. What do you do day to day in your current job?

 

A CCENT qualification looks good for a technician application. It is run by Cisco however the vast majority applies to all areas of networking. It will show you have a good understanding. You can do that in a few months and learn at home with books etc.

[supawat1]

Based on your age, have you considered a Foundation Degree, which has a work experience module on the second year. I did the course and I've found it very useful and I gained employment after a few months after a few interviews (I was 27 at the time). If you live near London, Birkbeck College offer a Foundation Degree in IT part time evening course.

 

I think Level 1 or 2 will be too easy for you as you have done a lot PC/MAC stuff for 10 years.

[RichCowell]

I'd agree with @FN-GM - try to get a job now, or depending what you're doing try to get in somewhere doing work experience and get a feel for the job that way initially... I certainly wouldn't rule anyone out because of qualifications (it'd be a bit hypocritical if I did!)

 

You can always do a night school / OU type course while you're working too...

[DrewTech]

I work on/off for a agency in a factory they supply automotive parts (Really unfulfilling). Thanks for the quick response, Foundation degree looks interesting I will take a look into that.

@FN GM I did apply for a few jobs I found 'IT support Technician', 'junior IT Support' type of roles.... Nothing.

[elsiegee40]

I work on/off for a agency in a factory they supply automotive parts (Really unfulfilling). Thanks for the quick response, Foundation degree looks interesting I will take a look into that.

@FN GM I did apply for a few jobs I found 'IT support Technician', 'junior IT Support' type of roles.... Nothing.

 

We have a resident cv guru @witch who may be able to work a little magic for you. PM her for an email address

[FN-GM]

@FN GM I did apply for a few jobs I found 'IT support Technician', 'junior IT Support' type of roles.... Nothing.

 

It could be your application letting you down. You have experience. I would rather employ someone with no qualifications and experience than someone who is qualified and never worked in IT.

[robjduk]

Experience over qualifications any day of the week. To me, the perfect place would be somewhere which would take you on as a tech while either paying for or subsidising your training courses.

 

If it is education you really want to go into then you are looking to be a jack of all trades and one certification may not suit the required role.

[DrewTech]

My CV although from what I see well mapped out maybe isn't very IT based, it's 1. work history (No real job as an IT technician), 2.Education history then 3. hobbies where I do go on about all thing PC/MAC.

I could upload it if you'd like to see, or does anyone have one they used to secure even that step into the interview stage, I'm much better at talking technical then I am typing it.

[JoeBloggs]

A+ is usually a good place to start CompTIA A+ Certification

[RobD]

Where are you based, maybe someone could let you do some work experience you can add to your CV. Would let you see what area's of IT you like?

[comrade]

First off, you don't need any qualification, although it would help if you did. Lots of places see it as a must, and lots don't. I have never had any and found getting a job was easy but it takes a few months, you just need to get your foot in the door to gain your first experience, that is the hard part. Your age will play slightly against you a bit as some people prefer to take on teenagers when starting out. But your still young.

 

I would simply recommend you apply for every school IT tech job you see, even if they ask for qualifications. Sometimes they get bad responses and are desperate, you never know they might just offer you the job, that is how I got my first job. I was taken on only temporary as my place could not find anyone, I ended up staying for years and learnt a lot that allowed me to move on. But be prepared to suffer a lot of rejections, don't give up, something will come along. Maybe try volunteering for a charity, Gumtree often has ad's from charitys asking for someone to work on their IT. This might be difficult if you are working.

 

If you have common sense and good problem solving skills, you will make a good tech.

Edited July 22, 2015 by comrade

[Guest WMITTech]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new to this forum so go easy on me . Definitely experience, but maybe gain some qualifications at night class or something - it wouldn't hurt.

 

 

You've worked in IT for 10 years so I would of thought you'd have the relevant experience. I found it extremely difficult when I first left college because I had all the good qualifications but no experience!

 

 

Saying that though, I once had to explain what my CompTIA A+ and Network + meant when I was being interviewed...you'd thought they'd do their research! :-O

[Chris_Cook]

You might want to look at the order of your CV. It doesn't necessarily have to have paid experience first.

 

When an employer looks through CVs, they want to get an idea of the candidates experience and skills quickly. So you want something in the first half of the first page about your IT skills. You could maybe start with a short paragraph about where you are and where you want to go with IT as a career.

 

They will also want to see the skills and technologies they have asked for in the job description. Make sure keywords from the job description are in your CV and customize it a little bit for each job. Your CV might have to get past someone who isn't an IT specialist and doesn't understand how some skills transfer over for other jobs.

 

Make sure you sell yourself as well. If there are other skills you've gained from other jobs, explain how they might be helpful - customer service and organisational skills are really useful for a technician to have. Being able to deal with difficult people or boring jobs is also valuable.

 

It might also be worth talking to the job center. They used to offer CV and other job hunting advice. I don't know if they still do. I found it helpful.

 

Last but not least, be prepared to send of 100's of CVs and applications or maybe even more.

[witch]

Please PM for my email address if you would like some help with your CV

[nikaso]

I didn't have any IT quals (well a six year old Level 1 Dreamweaver certificate notwithstanding!) when I started as a tech, most of my experience came on the job and I did an OU degree in ICT part-time alongside it as well. As an ICT manager now I am more interested in the skills (not the same as qualifications!) and personality of a tech. I've interviewed techs that had on paper great skills but it was like talking to a fence post at interview, they simply weren't able to communicate well. Conversely I've interviewed techs that could talk the talk but were very technically weak (one of whom when asked how they would fix a 'no logon servers available' problem gave their first step as rebuild the PC).

 

As advised above I would get a tech job, learn on the job and look at doing a part-time course either with the OU or at a night college.

[DrewTech]

Thanks to everyone so far for commenting its really is helpful, my plan of action at the moment is to update my CV (with some help, thank you!) then look for any role possible that's IT based, even part time low wage I'll deal with it. Once I grab some experience I might find what I'm good at, enjoy the most and focus towards that, but for now my goal its to get a full time job in IT (Possibly a school Tech).

 

Also just to clear something up I think some people think I have 10 years work experience in IT, that's not the case I'm afraid I personally have 10 years doing things at home, Upgrading to SSD and all other hardware, installing App on IPads, setting up anything technology based, installing dual monitors and software all things like this.

[robjduk]

Well good luck. In a couple of years you will be cursing vCenter, Azure sync and some piece of 30 year old software the end user insists they need even though there is a modern version of it just like the rest of us on here