Tech Career Advice
 

A couple of articles landed in my inbox today that are interesting
reads. Being as the topic of career advice comes up in these groups,
here is something to mull over:

First of all, is something everyone should consider before starting out
on those exams because you think you want to become an IT person: "10
signs that you aren’t cut out to be a support tech"

Of course if I was to follow their advice I would have never started.
Then again, when I first started out the enthusiasm for helping people
was not beaten out of me yet.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=214

Then "10 things you should know about creating a resume for a high-level
IT position"

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=195

Most interesting is the first point: "Don't list certification exams--or
at least minimize the impact of this list. The average IT pro might want
to list exams passed to build up a resume, but it marginalizes the real-
world experience and accomplishments of a veteran IT pro."

-------

T-Bone
MCNGP XL

Re: Tech Career Advice
 

Less and less companies are wanting "certified" people because they have NO
skills. Same as hiring some MIS major out of college, they know NOTHING of
real world experience, only ideologies

"TBone" <reply2me@thenewsgroup> wrote in message
news:Xns9A355ABD4DD81replyhere@207.46.248.16...
>A couple of articles landed in my inbox today that are interesting
> reads. Being as the topic of career advice comes up in these groups,
> here is something to mull over:
>
> First of all, is something everyone should consider before starting out
> on those exams because you think you want to become an IT person: "10
> signs that you aren't cut out to be a support tech"
>
> Of course if I was to follow their advice I would have never started.
> Then again, when I first started out the enthusiasm for helping people
> was not beaten out of me yet.
>
> http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=214
>
> Then "10 things you should know about creating a resume for a high-level
> IT position"
>
> http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=195
>
> Most interesting is the first point: "Don't list certification exams--or
> at least minimize the impact of this list. The average IT pro might want
> to list exams passed to build up a resume, but it marginalizes the real-
> world experience and accomplishments of a veteran IT pro."
>
> -------
>
> T-Bone
> MCNGP XL

Re: Tech Career Advice
 

I can relate to this quite well.

I joined the Army as an Artillery Gunner aged 16 (way back in 1989) and left
in Oct 2005. I've been a computer hobbyist for about 14 years and gone from
386SX25, DOS and Worperfect 5.1 to Multi Core, Multi GPU, Vista and Office
2007!!

When I was getting ready to leave the Army I wasn't sure what I wanted to
do, so decided to take my hobby and turn it into a career. I spent 4000 UKP
to do an IT technicians course on basic hardware and desktop support. A lot
of it I already knew, but I studied hard and picked up some new things along
the way. I finished the course with exemplary grades on all areas and a
96.4% average across 8 exams (surprised myself too!). Was the course worth
the money........not really, but it got me a qualification to get my foot in
the door!

From the course I found myself on a contract for EDS for the UK Prison
Service desktop refresh. Average 200 PCs and 100 printers per site, asset
tagging, inventory all the kind of stuff you would expect. I worked hard
for that 6 months and moved from being a humper and dumper of the trolleys
loaded with kit to actually becoming a site leader and running individual
sites myself (VERY hard work). I received a commendation from EDS and the
Project Manager for the work I did which I'm very proud of :)

After this I landed a temporary position at a nursing college (woohoo!) in
Cambridge. It was basic 1st / 2nd line and printer / basic network support
for around 100 clients and 20 - 30 printers. I worked hard, learned a
little about AD and Exchange and eventually was offered the job. Due to the
fact it was only temporary I was already being interviewed for other jobs
and was in an envious position of two job offers on the same day!!

I reluctantly left the college and started work with a local government
office (District Council). Basically it came down to money (as always) and
the opportunity for training and progression. I'm now responsible for
supporting a mix of W2K and XP desktops - 350 in the main office, 41
external sites (1 PC each) and 57 Councillors (who have a PC each at home).
Then there are 90 printers, various AV equipment and all the business
applications support. Im currently working on migrating the remaining 200
W2K clients to XP, a hardware refresh for up to 140 clients, complete
inventory of our IT assets and a review of the way our Helpdesk is run. I
get paid 21,200 UKP for all of this which I think is a ridiculously low sum
for the amount of work and responsibility I have, but I love the challenge!!

Now we get back to qualifications........ So, youd think maybe MCP, MCDST,
Exchange, Server 2003 on the way to MCSE???? Nope!! I still only have my
first little certificate for my IT Technicians course!!!! Experience and
hard work counts for far more than your qualifications. I agree that in
specialist areas, you do need the specific qualifications, but for the guy
thats starting out, experience is worth its weight in gold.

Sat behind me are the books for 70-270, 70-271 and 70-272. I've been
promising myself to sit and read them and get my exams passed. I will do it
because I think that it will help me with finding ways to work smarter, not
harder (to quote Dilbert!).

Re: Tech Career Advice
 

Work smarter, not harder!
Great words!
And it's the fact that certs not only bring you knowledge but also the
chances to be admitted when you move your first step!


"Tony Kitchen" <keukentjes@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:AF2B3E4D-7A5B-4AD3-86C7-2FFA3459A461@microsoft.com...
>I can relate to this quite well.
>
> I joined the Army as an Artillery Gunner aged 16 (way back in 1989) and
> left in Oct 2005. I've been a computer hobbyist for about 14 years and
> gone from 386SX25, DOS and Worperfect 5.1 to Multi Core, Multi GPU, Vista
> and Office 2007!!
>
> When I was getting ready to leave the Army I wasn't sure what I wanted to
> do, so decided to take my hobby and turn it into a career. I spent 4000
> UKP to do an IT technicians course on basic hardware and desktop support.
> A lot of it I already knew, but I studied hard and picked up some new
> things along the way. I finished the course with exemplary grades on all
> areas and a 96.4% average across 8 exams (surprised myself too!). Was the
> course worth the money........not really, but it got me a qualification to
> get my foot in the door!
>
> From the course I found myself on a contract for EDS for the UK Prison
> Service desktop refresh. Average 200 PCs and 100 printers per site, asset
> tagging, inventory all the kind of stuff you would expect. I worked hard
> for that 6 months and moved from being a humper and dumper of the trolleys
> loaded with kit to actually becoming a site leader and running individual
> sites myself (VERY hard work). I received a commendation from EDS and the
> Project Manager for the work I did which I'm very proud of :)
>
> After this I landed a temporary position at a nursing college (woohoo!) in
> Cambridge. It was basic 1st / 2nd line and printer / basic network
> support for around 100 clients and 20 - 30 printers. I worked hard,
> learned a little about AD and Exchange and eventually was offered the job.
> Due to the fact it was only temporary I was already being interviewed for
> other jobs and was in an envious position of two job offers on the same
> day!!
>
> I reluctantly left the college and started work with a local government
> office (District Council). Basically it came down to money (as always)
> and the opportunity for training and progression. I'm now responsible for
> supporting a mix of W2K and XP desktops - 350 in the main office, 41
> external sites (1 PC each) and 57 Councillors (who have a PC each at
> home). Then there are 90 printers, various AV equipment and all the
> business applications support. Im currently working on migrating the
> remaining 200 W2K clients to XP, a hardware refresh for up to 140 clients,
> complete inventory of our IT assets and a review of the way our Helpdesk
> is run. I get paid 21,200 UKP for all of this which I think is a
> ridiculously low sum for the amount of work and responsibility I have, but
> I love the challenge!!
>
> Now we get back to qualifications........ So, youd think maybe MCP,
> MCDST, Exchange, Server 2003 on the way to MCSE???? Nope!! I still only
> have my first little certificate for my IT Technicians course!!!!
> Experience and hard work counts for far more than your qualifications. I
> agree that in specialist areas, you do need the specific qualifications,
> but for the guy thats starting out, experience is worth its weight in
> gold.
>
> Sat behind me are the books for 70-270, 70-271 and 70-272. I've been
> promising myself to sit and read them and get my exams passed. I will do
> it because I think that it will help me with finding ways to work smarter,
> not harder (to quote Dilbert!).
>