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Hey all, I would LOVE some input to this as I'm sure other are probably
with me on this same career path.

I have completed a few MS certifications and am now looking for IT
work. I've been told that since I have zero actual work experience, I
will have to start out in an entry-level position, in which doesn't
totally shock me, but would love to toss this out, and hear from
others, like the people in this newsgroup.

My question is, what kinds of job titles should I be looking for and
where? Any and all opinions are welcome! Thanks! Karl

PS: the certifications that I have are as folllows:

MCSA 9/2004
MCP 8/2001
A + 8/2001
Network + 8/2001
Plus, I just took and passed the 70-270 exam to give me an XP
knowledgebase.

Job titles are meaningless.

What experience do you have (how much and doing what?)? Your certs look like
systems administration type knowledge, and unless you have real hands on
business support experience, you should look towards getting a technical
support role. Usually, the bigger the company the better for moving in this
career path.

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Liddle Feesh
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Leedle... partially agreed.

Hopefully you did not get pulled in by the "Take this
$9,000 course and get a $72,000 per year job" MCSE
fax...and hopefully you did not get pulled in by the New
Horizons internship.

As both a student and a teacher, the MCSE classes have a
lot of IT professionals looking to expand their career or
financial base(as Liddle Feesh noted) as well as
beginners, also known as "career changers", some of which
do not know how to type.

Regardless of that... provided you are in the states:

Speak with a job counselor at your local job/unemployment
office. They may have some beginning jobs out there.
Honestly, you are looking at $15k-$40k as a first level
helpdesk technician, depending upon city. It will take 6
months for you to move up, provided you have good
experience working for an experienced company. Note:
While you may be able to get $40k in New York or DC,
don't expect $40k in Charleston, SC).

There are a lot of IT folks out of the IT field...I know
guys that worked large jobs and have great
skillsets...who are presently working for $25k at the
Home Depot.

A company generally will not trust you with their Servers
and infrastructure architecture. Chances are that even
the small companies have trusted beginners and got
burnt. Many companies want MCSE for the entry level
position or they want a Bachelors in an IT or Engineering
disclipline.

Titles to look for: Helpdesk, field engineer, INTERN
(don't be dissuaded by this), volunteer, etc.

Certs don't mean what they used to mean...soft skills and
experience both override certifications nowadays. There
are plenty of people with IT experience, but there are
not enough people with the right IT experience or the
right soft skills. This BS about 900,000 open IT
positions is a bunch of bull-hockey.

It used to be that a CNA (Certified Novell Administrator)
guranteed a job, then an MCSE or CCNA (Cisco). Rumor is
that the CCIE written (a real bear) will get most folks a
job with 0 experience.

So, it's time to start at the bottom, work your bottom
off, and maybe get something.

Bob
>-----Original Message-----
>Job titles are meaningless.
>
>What experience do you have (how much and doing what?)?
Your certs look like
>systems administration type knowledge, and unless you
have real hands on
>business support experience, you should look towards
getting a technical
>support role. Usually, the bigger the company the better
for moving in this
>career path.
>
>--
>
>Liddle Feesh
>*fap fap fap fap*
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> <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
>
>
>.
>

Bob, Thanks for the input. No, I did this all on my own...cbtnuggets,
Learnkey and trainsignal study material, along with building my own
computer lab in my bedroom so I can "walk" through everything I
learned. That and building pc's and selling them at my cost so they
didn't cost me anything to build, I got the knowledge and experience of
building them, and I am "tech-support" to them so I can keep
fresh/abreast of what it''s like to do tech support. Yes, I have no
life, because I also was finishing up classes at a local community
college along with working a full-time "junk" job in the automotive to
pay my bills. I "should" be at the point of being "marketable" for an
IT job, it's just "finding" it...

<> wrote in message
> pay my bills. I "should" be at the point of being "marketable" for an
> IT job, it's just "finding" it...

What steps have you done so far? Does your CV and/or experience stand out
from the crowd (or have any serious problems)?

Have you spoken to any agencies to see what the market is like for someone
like yourself?

Networking? Cold calling?

--

Liddle Feesh
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Well, actually as we speak, I was just offered a job setting up a
server room and then the position will evolve into a "data
backup/recovery tech". The company is a "data vault" kind of service.
My responsibilities are to maintain the server room, oversee backup
operations etc... With respect to Bob's post, and the fact that I have
"NO" IT experience, plus the fact that I am unemployed right now, I
guess I'll take the job. It's just that it actually pays worst then my
automotive job did, and it seem like a "slap in the face" when you
study your ass off for IT certs praying you can do well for yourself,
and this is what I'm faced with? Maybe this is just my reality check
kicking in... Oh, by the way...I'm in New Jersey USA

by the way, what is "CV"? I'm sorry if I'm a "deer in the headlights"
kind of a case...I do appreciate all the input I am getting from you
guys. I do mean that.
Let me throw this question out there...Are there any other certs that I
should go for? I'm actually well on my way to getting the MCDST, but
is there other areas I should focus on? MS Exchange? Cisco Firewalls?
I'm really not looking forward to studying all my life, but I am
willing to do what it takes such that I can atleast somewhat "make a
living" in the IT. Sure, a $90,000/yr job is nice, but I'm cool with a
30-40k job too. Have to admit to you, I'm a 42 year old guy with an
AAS in the Automotive, an AAS in Electronic's now all these damn certs,
and right now I can only get a $10/hr job? Kinda makes me wonder why I
changed careers for the IT... Anyways, I'm here and have to make the
best of it...

Hi there,

Please don't feel gutted about your job before going for it! It's likely to
pay off well in the future, but who knows? Take something you enjoy and are
happy with, life is far too short to do something you don't really want to
do...

<> wrote in message
> by the way, what is "CV"? I'm sorry if I'm a "deer in the headlights"
> kind of a case...I do appreciate all the input I am getting from you
> guys. I do mean that.

CV = Curriculum Vitae. In America you guys tend to (ab)use the term
"Resumé". When in fact, a Resumé is a brief summary of your experience (1
page) - whereby a CV usually covers about 3.

> Let me throw this question out there...Are there any other certs that I
> should go for? I'm actually well on my way to getting the MCDST, but
> is there other areas I should focus on? MS Exchange? Cisco Firewalls?
> I'm really not looking forward to studying all my life, but I am
> willing to do what it takes such that I can atleast somewhat "make a
> living" in the IT. Sure, a $90,000/yr job is nice, but I'm cool with a
> 30-40k job too. Have to admit to you, I'm a 42 year old guy with an
> AAS in the Automotive, an AAS in Electronic's now all these damn certs,
> and right now I can only get a $10/hr job? Kinda makes me wonder why I
> changed careers for the IT... Anyways, I'm here and have to make the
> best of it...

Good luck with it! At 42, it's a little late for a full career change, since
most employers are completely ageist in this industry. You would likely do
better moving diagnonally, and finding work for an IT company within the
automotive industry.. maybe? Just suggestions..

And, you will be studying your whole life in IT. Just look at the industry
from one year to the next, and you'll see what I mean!

(btw to give you an idea: from next Thursday, Microsoft discontinue support
for VB6. One of my exams is in this )

Above all else, have confidence - and GOOD LUCK!


--

Liddle Feesh
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Thanks for your support LIddle Feesh. I guess it's a little
unrealistic on my part to think I'm going to walk into a career IT job
with just an AAS ( in Electronics ) and a few certs, but no experience.
From what all the posts are leading me to believe, I need to embrace
this job for what it is, and that it is an IT type job that if
anything, is a paycheck and something that will look good on the resume
( CV ). I need to always keep a keen eye out for a better IT position
because you never know when one will pop up that may take me with what
I've already accomplished, and keep working on more certs...MCSE for
example. Since I didn't go for/graduate with a bachelor's in Computer
Science, high level certs+experience "may" lead me to a good job. Am I
correct in this line of thinking?

Hi,

You are correct in thinking that a job is just a job. However, there's more
to life than a paycheck - job satisfaction being one.. You might get lucky,
and wind up with a secure job that doesn't demand too much from you, or you
might end up burning the midnight oil regularly for some cowboy outfit
somewhere.

But when it comes down to filtering CV's, and when there is a large volume
of CV's, usually in my experience:

1. Foreigners / Those w/o work permits, etc are usually removed first

2. Those who are too old or young to fit with the target company demographic

3. Those without degrees, confirmable, *recent* and *relevent* work history

--

This usually leaves a suitable pile. Of course (1) may be labelled "racist"
and (2) maybe "ageist" and (3) ?

Well - buying someone for a job isn't too dissimilar to buying a new car, or
fruit at a supermarket. Sure certificates help, but what do they mean? Put
yourself in the prospective buyers shoes and see what they might say about
you to discriminate you off the list.

That's how it works. In my opinion, anyhow.


--

Liddle Feesh
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