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I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me advice about landing that
first IT-related job. I just passed the 291 test and now possess the
following: Net+, 270, 290, 291. I have a Bachelor's Degree in English and no
relevant IT experience. The majority of the job postings I've looked at so
far typically mention an MCSA in ADDITION to 2+ years experience in customer
service. I have none. Nor have I received any replies from resume
submissions. Am I completely wasting my time? Should I go back and get an
A+ certificate and try to find work as a PC repair tech before I even bother
to look for help desk work? Should I try to get at least SOME experience
before I continue on up to an MCSE?

Any advice would be appreciated.

"dogray77" <> wrote in message
news:17A23B2A-3208-4DF8-B5EB-...
> I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me advice about landing
that
> first IT-related job. I just passed the 291 test and now possess the
> following: Net+, 270, 290, 291. I have a Bachelor's Degree in English and
no
> relevant IT experience. The majority of the job postings I've looked at
so
> far typically mention an MCSA in ADDITION to 2+ years experience in
customer
> service. I have none. Nor have I received any replies from resume
> submissions. Am I completely wasting my time? Should I go back and get
an
> A+ certificate and try to find work as a PC repair tech before I even
bother
> to look for help desk work? Should I try to get at least SOME experience
> before I continue on up to an MCSE?
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.

Yes, you should get experience WHILE you pursue the MCSE. Have you applied
to basic tech support/phone support jobs? They should hire you if you have
some basic certs AND knowledge. A+ might not hurt...

Jonathan

Jonathan, Thanks for the reply. But do you think my chances are any better
of getting one of these tech support / phone support jobs if I get the A+
immediately in order to obtain the MCSA or if I continue on with the third
course in the MCSE core requirements (293)? Which looks better on a resume?
In retrospect I probably should have gotten the A+ before I started the Net+
Any thoughts?

"Jonathan Roberts" wrote:

>
> "dogray77" <> wrote in message
> news:17A23B2A-3208-4DF8-B5EB-...
> > I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me advice about landing
> that
> > first IT-related job. I just passed the 291 test and now possess the
> > following: Net+, 270, 290, 291. I have a Bachelor's Degree in English and
> no
> > relevant IT experience. The majority of the job postings I've looked at
> so
> > far typically mention an MCSA in ADDITION to 2+ years experience in
> customer
> > service. I have none. Nor have I received any replies from resume
> > submissions. Am I completely wasting my time? Should I go back and get
> an
> > A+ certificate and try to find work as a PC repair tech before I even
> bother
> > to look for help desk work? Should I try to get at least SOME experience
> > before I continue on up to an MCSE?
> >
> > Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> Yes, you should get experience WHILE you pursue the MCSE. Have you applied
> to basic tech support/phone support jobs? They should hire you if you have
> some basic certs AND knowledge. A+ might not hurt...
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
>

"dogray77" <> wrote in message
news:45D86E52-5876-402B-A705-...
> Jonathan, Thanks for the reply. But do you think my chances are any
better
> of getting one of these tech support / phone support jobs if I get the A+
> immediately in order to obtain the MCSA or if I continue on with the third
> course in the MCSE core requirements (293)? Which looks better on a
resume?
> In retrospect I probably should have gotten the A+ before I started the
Net+
> Any thoughts?

I would go for the A+ to land that first job. An MCSE won't really help
until you have some experience to go with it, in my opinion.

I agree with Jonathan,

Even if you pass your exams but without experience, it will be really hard
to get a top position, and don't feel bad about it, most of us, had to start
somewhere at the IT food chain and then we've been scalating positions.

With the Net+ and A+ you can get a good start up, and as you gain
experience, you will be able to aspire for better positions, but go ahead,
do what you have to do and don't discourage yourself.

"Jonathan Roberts" <> wrote in message
news:O$V5Q2U%...
>
> "dogray77" <> wrote in message
> news:45D86E52-5876-402B-A705-...
>> Jonathan, Thanks for the reply. But do you think my chances are any
> better
>> of getting one of these tech support / phone support jobs if I get the A+
>> immediately in order to obtain the MCSA or if I continue on with the
>> third
>> course in the MCSE core requirements (293)? Which looks better on a
> resume?
>> In retrospect I probably should have gotten the A+ before I started the
> Net+
>> Any thoughts?
>
> I would go for the A+ to land that first job. An MCSE won't really help
> until you have some experience to go with it, in my opinion.
>
>

At this point, I've decided to hold off on the A+ until after the new year
because apparently the test will be changed to meet the demands of newer
hardware technologies to be used with Vista / Longhorn OS systems. I guess
it's better to have the most recent exam, but I still wish I had STARTED with
the A+. A friend of mine who has an A+ & N+ but fewer Microsoft exam certs
than I do was just offered a good position with HP. ugh!

"Blackmetal" wrote:

> I agree with Jonathan,
>
> Even if you pass your exams but without experience, it will be really hard
> to get a top position, and don't feel bad about it, most of us, had to start
> somewhere at the IT food chain and then we've been scalating positions.
>
> With the Net+ and A+ you can get a good start up, and as you gain
> experience, you will be able to aspire for better positions, but go ahead,
> do what you have to do and don't discourage yourself.
>
> "Jonathan Roberts" <> wrote in message
> news:O$V5Q2U%...
> >
> > "dogray77" <> wrote in message
> > news:45D86E52-5876-402B-A705-...
> >> Jonathan, Thanks for the reply. But do you think my chances are any
> > better
> >> of getting one of these tech support / phone support jobs if I get the A+
> >> immediately in order to obtain the MCSA or if I continue on with the
> >> third
> >> course in the MCSE core requirements (293)? Which looks better on a
> > resume?
> >> In retrospect I probably should have gotten the A+ before I started the
> > Net+
> >> Any thoughts?
> >
> > I would go for the A+ to land that first job. An MCSE won't really help
> > until you have some experience to go with it, in my opinion.
> >
> >
>
>
>