So you want to work in IT.

[Bewbies]

I want to take a second to add some of my own background. This is less to list my qualifications, and more to give context to how I came to some conclusions.

12 years ago, I began my career as an entry-level “Tier-1” desktop technician out of high school. I did not pursue further education. I have since spent time as a Support Manager, Sr. Systems Engineer, Sr. Systems Architect, and currently wear the hat of Head of Engineering and Support. My department is 280 people large, 210 of which being outsourced. I have hired folks from entry-level IMAC technician to Sr. Operations Manager.

First Steps

First and foremost, and this likely applies to other industries, there are some myths I want to bust:

• You have nobody to blame but yourself for a stagnant or non-existent career.
• There is almost always a job option, but it is usually not what you think you want or deserve.
• Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is power. Resume trumps degree every time.
• Information is monetarily free. Pay for it in hard work and motivation, not dollars.
• Outsource companies don’t just hire Indians.

All that said; where do you actually start? If you’re truly new to the field, a good place to start is “Tier 1.” T1 is the bottom-of-the-barrel position that is largely filled by entry-level folks known to management as minions, monkeys, or monitor movers. Typical roles:

• Service Desk/Helpdesk Associate
• Install/Move/Add/Change “IMAC” Technician

In both roles, responsibilities almost always include the execution of pre-defined tasks. In the case of the Helpdesk, you would follow a support script and practice good soft skills. For IMAC techs, you would receive jobs to install, move, add, or change hardware or software. This could mean installing necessary PCs at a desk, installing software, or replacing PC components per instructions. These are other the roles that are tasked with manual labor. They are called Tier 1, by the way, due to the escalation structure of issues. What Tier 1 cannot do, Tier 2 gets involved, and so on.

While there are sure to be companies that will hire anybody for a T1 position (*ahem* Bestbuy), your best bet is to get certified. There are plenty out there for starting out, but hiring managers will be looking for a few in particular from those without an established resume:

• CompTIA A+ (PC/Windows)
• Apple ACSP (Macs)
• Microsoft MCSA: Windows 10

A+ is, by far, the easiest to attain and likely to be the most common requirement on job descriptions. Good news! You can start studying right now for the A+ certification exam. Because this is considered a baseline certification aimed at entry-level folks, most trainings are easy to follow and provide a ton of background information for you. This is also a good starting point if you just want to learn how to build and maintain your own PCs and networks. A word of caution: Googling “A+ training” will produce countless people trying to take your money.

This is a bit of a junction. There are tons of free resources available online, readily available. Such as this Link. Paid services, such as professionally-produced training videos, are also available. The best, in my opinion, are produced by CBT Nuggets. The morally ambiguous of us can find CBT Nuggets videos for free. Regardless, the best way to find certification training material is by its exam number. For A+, currently, the exams are 220-801 and 220-802. Dump those into Google or .. other search engines .. and you’re golden. This is also useful for finding free practice tests, which I absolutely recommend before paying to take an exam. Once you're ready, work with the company that owns the cert, and schedule an exam at your local exam center.

What are you waiting for? DO IT.

Well now you’ve got yourself a shiny A+ (or other) certification. What now? Well the job hunt is probably going to be painful and confusing. Sorry. Oh and your resume is going to look mighty naked, if not mighty shitty. First, Google “entry-level IT resume.” Second, I would recommend avoiding these job sites:

• Monster
• Dice
• SimplyHired
• CareerBuilder

Why? Well for one, the landscape is just too huge. You end up being a drop in a bucket full of other candidates – that often are applying for lesser jobs because they need to make ends meet. In the case of Dice, the landscape in combination with the IT-specific patrons make it almost impossible to get an entry-level job. When you get to be more experienced, or maybe more specialized, these sites become more useful. In the meantime, I recommend getting on Google Maps. “WHAT?”

Well, get on maps and look up your own location. Is there a sprocket factory nearby? Check their careers page. So they look big but don’t have a website? Call them and ask. If they don’t have a website, chances are, they haven’t posted their open IT position online, either. Maybe you see a college nearby? A school district? The less-listed jobs are harder to locate, but easier to attain.

One alternative to job sites, though, is an often-reviled aspect of IT.. Managed Services. (Outsourcing.) This is when companies (stereotypically Indian) are contracted to provide support for others. This solves many overhead issues such as facilities, HR, and insurance. These companies actually have “Walk-in” days specifically directed at entry-level people. The best part? They may even place you in an office such as Boeing, Disney, and the like. Not only do you get some awesome experience, but you (this is a point of contention for some) put “Boeing” and “Disney” on that shitty naked resume of yours. Some examples of big outsource companies:

• Wipro Technologies
• Accenture
• Hewlett-Packard
• Cognizant Technology Solutions
• TATA Consultancy Services
• ZONES
• Compucom
• Insight Global

I think that will about do it for now. To be continued. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

 

[Toxik]

I'm glad I'm going towards MIS rather than IT, so I can work with both people in IT and business but not focus on either

 

[PsychoRealm]

Sticky'd.