suppose i'd better start looking for job

azezil

Just finishing up my Certificate in Computers (I.T. Support) in June, and since its unlikely that there'll be a diploma option available (in this college anyway), i'll be looking for a job in I.T. technical support, somewhere around Thurles, Kilkenny or Waterford if at all possible.

Anyone know of anything?

As a Network administrator i once worked with was often quoted as saying "I know enough about computers to know, i know nothing"


All advice, comments, phone numbers, chat up line's etc. welcome

WhiteWashMan

apply for every job you see. you will need the interview experience.
do you know what sort of area you want to go into.
do you wan to do network?
desktopo engineer?
analyst?

jsut make sure you know what way youd 'like' to go, not nesseccarily what way you should go. always have a reachable goal. if the target changes mi goal, not a problem, but always have something that you are aiming at.

i was in your position 2 years ago. without the diploma. i knew i want to to get into it, so i got a job in ibm doing tech support. 7 months later, i got a desktop support job in gateway. then i chnaged my target, and desided to go for network support, i have taken every chance ive been given so far and im now a field engineer and i am still learning new things every day.

the trick n IT is not how much you know, but how quickly you can get information. if you know where to get the info, youre halfway there. and this is a good point to push in an interview. you are never going to get the questions right, but if you make them understand that you know where the problem lies, and then say you would research the info on technet etc, you will be looked on favourably.
besides, n one lies a know-it-all

remember, aim for something achievable. have a target and go for it. if the target changes its ok, as long as you always have an obtainable destination (putting yourself as MD of microsoft is an unobtainable position by the way, that where i will be )

ayatollah

what are you looking for an AOL type thing like what searrard is doing???

ToxicPaddy

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan


apply for every job you see. you will need the interview experience. do you know what sort of area you want to go into.

Decide what you wanna do first as WWM says, its no use going for a position and then after a few months deciding its boring and the changing again...

... so i got a job in ibm doing tech support. 7 months later, i got a desktop support job in gateway. then i chnaged my target, and desided to go for network support, i have taken every chance ive been given so far and im now a field engineer and i am still learning new things every day.


I did something similar to WWM, I took a job in IBM doing tech support, it was crap hours and crap money, but I only spent 9 months there.. then onto a reseller doing desktop support and hardware builds and then moved into a network admin position.

Always make sure to get the point across that you are always willing to learn and get as much hands on experience as possible

azezil

Thanks for the advise!

Not really sure in what direction i want to go yet, I do know however that i don't want to do AOL tech support, or any job where you're siting at your desk answering phones all day!

When i was with Clare Co. Council i did alot of pc repair, set up users, mailbox's, network troubleshooting etc. the work was varied and i really enjoyed it.

If i could get a job in a county council tech support twould be ideal. Then work my way up to network admin.

ayatollah

i know of somewhere!!!!?!?!

i tell you tonight in paris texas!!!

azezil

Originally posted by ayatollah
i know of somewhere!!!!?!?!

i tell you tonight in paris texas!!!

I await with baited breath...

ayatollah

as well you should!!!!

WhiteWashMan

i'll be honest with you ayatollah.
i find your posts annoying.
dont use my forum as a person chat room or i will
will start editing them.
1st warning.

give advice, discuss, patronise, help or guide.
if you have a place that will benefit somewhere post it up for all to see. someone else may well be able to use the information as well.
but this is not irc.

yop

know the feeling, got the flick there last wednesday, "u have 30 minates to clear ur desks" 17 of us given the push, pity, we enjoyed the work, feckin hard to get a development job in Galway though so WWM I may be joining u over the water if things don't get sorted here!!! Pain in the ass too as I have no land line where I am so no net access except when I get home to my parents, withdrawl symptoms without the net!!

ToxicPaddy

at least you got time to clear your desks...

One of the last companies I worked for closed down over the weekend when no one was in work.. the MD and about a dozen guys went in and did a kind of smash and grab, cleared out all the equipment and everything.. even went as far as busting open all locked presses and desk drawers...

We all got a phone call from the MD, well actually a messege left on our phones, the chicken s**t wouldnt even talk to us, to tell us not to go into work on the Monday morning..

Naturally enough we went in and the place was in bits... needless to say that we never got paid or anything like that...

ahh well an experience that I've learned from...

BuffyBot

Originally posted by azezil
I do know however that i don't want to do AOL tech support, or any job where you're siting at your desk answering phones all day!

Just in general - its bad to slag a job you've never done. I've known quite a few people who started in the call centre industry who've got whacking great jobs because of their previous experience in these kind of roles. Call centres are merely stepping stones, not careers - but every job you do requires you to deal with people, and by jesus, if you work in a call centre, you'll soon find out how good you are at "people-issues" ;o)

I beleive the AOL centre in Waterford isnt apparently the best place to be (grapevine) - but I'm sure there is plenty of people there who have gone on to bigger and better things - they can't all stay there the rest of their lives.

ToxicPaddy

Originally posted by BuffyBoy


I beleive the AOL centre in Waterford isnt apparently isn't the best place to be (grapevine) - but I'm sure there is plenty of people there who have gone on to bigger and better things - they can't all stay there the rest of their lives.

I know a few who have worked there and they said it had a great social scene but not the best place to work.

I've done the whole call centre thingy and its not the best, but as Buffyboy said, its only the first step in your career and if you get too selective about what you wanna do from day one then there isnt gonna be much of a choice out there for you.

I'm from that area and havent seen much in the way of a tech support/net admin role down there. Most of the roles tend to be senior roles looking for people of 5 years +.

My advice to you is to get your experience in whatever way you can, even in call centres and then start getting choosy about what you want.

Acidflash

azezil

if you want to do the diploma in IT support it's running in GMIT Castlebar and letterkenny IT. However you would want to get an application in fairly soon

www.gmit.ie

azezil

Originally posted by Acidflash
azezil

if you want to do the diploma in IT support it's running in GMIT Castlebar and letterkenny IT. However you would want to get an application in fairly soon

www.gmit.ie

there is a chance they will be running it here, if its available i'll do it.

Don't know about going all the way to letterkenny!! besides i think my aunt lecturers there! :eek:

SantaHoe

Originally posted by azezil
I do know however that i don't want to do AOL tech support, or any job where you're siting at your desk answering phones all day!

You should get a job as phone tech to newbie home users... just to have experienced it.
If only for a few months, just so you learn to hate the end user enough to enjoy BOFH.
I dunno, maybe I just did the wrong kind of tech support ... great company, great co-workers, great environment, annoying sadist end-users.
I could never understand any of the people who enjoyed tech support... they must have had some weird fettish for having abuse screamed down the phone at them?
It's definitly a learning experience though... interpersonal skills, on-the-spot troubleshooting, working under pressure/stress, learning how to stay polite and business-like while Johnny Bloggs from South Carolina screams about his "god damn computer" and asks if you'd like to be sued.
Oh yeah, it's a barrel of laughs alright.