Computer Jobs

Jack0ff · 02-08-2006, 08:23 PM

Anybody know how to get a computer job? I have gone through a community college and a tech school and earned AS's in both. I have my A+ and have built several systems. I have applied repeatedly at all the big stores (ie best buy, curcuit city, Comp USA) and still get no callbacks. I'm not looking for some high paying job. I'm just looking to break into the industry. Any tips?

mikem317 · 02-08-2006, 09:58 PM

The CompTIA cert. will help a lot. Give it some time. You might want to consider some MS cert too, even a basic one just to get the MCP.

BrownRob · 02-09-2006, 11:41 AM

I wouldn't try to get a job at Bestbuy or places like that - no place to move up.

You need to look for a good company that's hiring I.T. Support, Network support, hardware support or even help desk. Look for good companies that have room to move up in.

I started doing hardware support (entry level) in 2000 making $24,000 a year - today I make $75,000 with benifits.

dreesemonkey · 02-09-2006, 11:50 AM

Also don't forget your state civil service. I took the test and got hired for a county civil service job. Not super-high pay, but the benefits are awesome (can you say 5 weeks of paid vacation, this year I have 7 weeks because I carried two over), job security is rock-solid, and it's usually fairly low stress, especially with one of the entry-level jobs. Lot's of room for advancement, depending on where you land a job. My salary has gone up about $10k since I started almost 4 years ago (promotion and raises).

Certainly worth a look

prodigal27 · 02-09-2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrownRob

I wouldn't try to get a job at Bestbuy or places like that - no place to move up.

You need to look for a good company that's hiring I.T. Support, Network support, hardware support or even help desk. Look for good companies that have room to move up in.

I started doing hardware support (entry level) in 2000 making $24,000 a year - today I make $75,000 with benifits.

+100

Don't think about retail stores, they'll think of you as over-qualified and asking for alot of money. Your best bet right is support sites like call centers, contractors, and basic tech support jobs. A good place to apply is careerbuilder.com believe it or not. I get calls from random companies and businesses about basic support jobs and seasonal contract work (aka, tax firms and stuff). Make sure you have a good resume to submit and keep up to date on the postings. You'll be surprised on what you are qualified for with your degrees.

bush · 02-09-2006, 08:26 PM

AS is going to hold you back, most serious IT jobs are going to require a BS. I work at a college and we have handfuls of AS grads that end up coming back because they can't find any decent positions without a 4 year degree. It's all pay-by-the-hour callcenter jobs unless you have a BS.

m21att1 · 02-09-2006, 08:29 PM

Dude, just try to start on a helpdesk. To be honest anyone can get an A+ cert. Once you can start on a helpdesk, you will learn things there, and will have room to move up. While you are working helpdesk, then you can start to decide what you want to specialize in. If you like the Microsoft route, take the classes or read the books and get your MCSE cert. If you want to deal with network equipment, like switches, routers, etc.. start with your basic Cisco certs (CCNA) to start. Either way man it's up to you to decide what you want to do. I started on a helpdesk 5 yrs ago, got my MCSE, then my CCNA, then my CCNP. Working on my CCIE now, but it will take me probably a couple more years. You just have to get started and then decide where you want to go with it. There are a bunch of different ways to go, security, routing, development, just depends on what you excel in. By the way I started out making 30k a year, and have almost tripled that in 4 yrs (just extremely lucky). Good luck man, and if you work hard at it and soak in everything you can it will pay off.

Edit: one more thing -- south florida is probably a tough place to find a lot of IT jobs so good luck.

Quicksilver98 · 02-17-2006, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21att1

Dude, just try to start on a helpdesk. To be honest anyone can get an A+ cert. Once you can start on a helpdesk, you will learn things there, and will have room to move up. While you are working helpdesk, then you can start to decide what you want to specialize in. If you like the Microsoft route, take the classes or read the books and get your MCSE cert. If you want to deal with network equipment, like switches, routers, etc.. start with your basic Cisco certs (CCNA) to start. Either way man it's up to you to decide what you want to do. I started on a helpdesk 5 yrs ago, got my MCSE, then my CCNA, then my CCNP. Working on my CCIE now, but it will take me probably a couple more years. You just have to get started and then decide where you want to go with it. There are a bunch of different ways to go, security, routing, development, just depends on what you excel in. By the way I started out making 30k a year, and have almost tripled that in 4 yrs (just extremely lucky). Good luck man, and if you work hard at it and soak in everything you can it will pay off.

Edit: one more thing -- south florida is probably a tough place to find a lot of IT jobs so good luck.

Good luck on the CCIE. 80% failure rate is no joke. Thats the special forces of internetworking certifications.

m21att1 · 02-21-2006, 10:41 AM

Thanks man, Like I said it will take me probably 3 yrs or so, before I have the balls to take the CCIE.

bush · 02-21-2006, 12:47 PM

CCIE takes a while. You need YEARS of industry experience to even think about passing it. I hear there's an actual list of CCIE certified individuals, and it's only about 1000 names long. But good luck with it.

Quote:

While Cisco does not disclose exam pass rates, they are rumored to be the lowest in the certification industry. In defense, the company asserts that to achieve CCIE certification is to ascend the pinnacle of technical excellence in the information technology profession. While individuals inevitably gain extensive product knowledge on the way to certification, product training is not the program objective. Rather, the focus is on identifying those experts capable of understanding and navigating the intricacies and potential pitfalls inherent in end-to-end networking, regardless of technology or product brand.

Jack0FF:
Either way, you're going to need a BS to move up. The only AS grads I've seen are in middle management with little chance of moving up, but maybe somebody else can testify to the contrary.

m21att1 · 02-21-2006, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bush

CCIE takes a while. You need YEARS of industry experience to even think about passing it. I hear there's an actual list of CCIE certified individuals, and it's only about 1000 names long. But good luck with it.

Jack0FF:
Either way, you're going to need a BS to move up. The only AS grads I've seen are in middle management with little chance of moving up, but maybe somebody else can testify to the contrary.

I think for the most part you are right, there maybe a very small number of people without their BS in higher positions, in fact I can name 1 in my company, but the guy must be a genius or something because he is sharp. He is a Vice President in my company, but actually I think I heard him talking in the hall one day saying that he was going to go back to school and finish his degree.